ECR Writing Development Programme Timeline 2025-27

Timeline for 'African Leadership Ethics' LEA:RN Writing Development Programme for Early Career Researchers (2025-27).

Funded by the British Academy with an International Writing Workshop grant.

PHASE 1 - April-August 2025 - M1-M6 - Project Setup and Call for Applications. - COMPLETE

• March 2025: Project initiation and team coordination COMPLETED
• April 2025: Finalization of mentorship and editorial team commitments COMPLETED
• May 1, 2025: Launch call for applications COMPLETED
• July 10, 2025: Application deadline COMPLETED
• July 11-31, 2025: Application review and participant selection COMPLETED
• August 2025: Notification of successful applicants COMPLETED
• August-Sept, 2025: Participants contact mentors, and begin drafting articles.
• [Friday Sept 26th, 2025: Induction Meeting – for participants, mentors, and reviewers. 1-2.30pm CAT, 12-1.30pm BST, 11-12.30pm GMT.] - COMPLETED

PHASE 2 - Sept 25-Aug 26 - M7-M18 - Pre-Workshop Writing, Support and Mentoring.

• Sept-Dec 2025: Participants develop detailed article plans, and draft substantial sections.
• Early Jan 2026: Deadline [16th January, 2026] for submission of draft (at least 75% complete + abstract) [participant to email these directly to mentor and second-reviewer, copying in workshop@leadershipethics.]
• Jan-Feb 2026: Mentors [and second reviewers] review drafts (2 reviews per participant draft). [Mentor to send both reviews to the participant ahead of the meeting below, plus any additional comments / advice on the draft article.]
• February 2026: 1st meeting with mentors to discuss draft and reviews.
• April 2026: Deadline for fully drafted articles. [15th April, 2026 – participants to send to mentors and to workshop@leadershipethics.]
• April 2026: Distribute materials (including draft articles) and guidelines for the online seminar
• May 2026: Online preparatory seminar [provisional date: Friday 15th May, 2026]
• July-August 2026: optional 2nd meeting with mentors to review article development.

PHASE 3 - Sept 26 - M19 - Workshop and Conference

• September 2026: Main workshop at the University of Fort Hare [22-23 Sept, 2026, at a venue near East London, RSA]
• September 2026: Join CLEA international conference on African Perspectives on Leadership Ethics. [24-25 Sept, 2026, at a venue near East London, RSA]

PHASE 4 - Sept 26-Feb 27 - M19-M24 [Participants] Post-workshop mentoring & outputs.

• October 2026: 3rd meeting with mentors -- review feedback and advise on publication
• October 2026: Initial manuscript revisions based on workshop feedback
• Sept 26 - Jan 2027: Final manuscript revisions [which can make use of Prof. Thaddeus Metz’s offer of advice on title, abstract, and keywords, for all participants who want it]
• Sept 26 - Jan 2027: Submission (when ready) to targeted journals
• Jan-March 2027: Mentor support (meeting, or by email) for responding to reviewer feedback
• January 2027: Final online group seminar for review and feedback.