We are pleased to invite interested members to stand as candidates in the 2022 BERA Council Elections. There are up to two vacancies on our Council, (Board of Trustees). These positions would begin on 1st September 2022. We will also be electing the ECR Network representative to Council, this position is elected directly from the ECR convenors and by the ECR Network. 

BERA Council has launched an ambitious strategic plan covering 2021-2026 and BERA Council will play a key role its implementation; providing the academic leadership and oversight, expanding and engaging with all those involved with the discipline, and ensuring the stability of BERA in the future. BERA remains in a strong financial and reputational position, with record levels of membership, increased journal impact factors, and record BERA Blog readership. In the last year, we have made over £80,000 of awards and funding for research directly to the members, grown our digital resource archive and held well over 50 live online events. 

Can you help take this ambitious agenda forward? We welcome applications from members from any background and stages of their career – be they senior leaders in education, practitioners or ECRs. They key is what you can offer as a Trustee of the organisation. The time commitment during the period will normally be at around 10 days per year, should you also sit on one of our committees.

We are seeking applications by 16^th January 2022.   

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As part of our wider commitment to greater equality and diversity at all levels of the organisation, we continue to seek increased representation from members with a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background. In acknowledging the structural inequalities and unjust power imbalances that affect our members, we wish to be proactive in addressing this within our own structures. We are confident that BERA Council will benefit from the advantages that diversity brings, including different skills, life experiences and backgrounds, bringing a fresh perspective to the board. 

BERA Council is the governing body of the Association and the members of the Council are, de facto, the Trustees of the Association as registered Charity and Company Directors under Companies House regulations. Trustees are legally obliged to operate in the best interest of the entire charity at all times and are not elected to represent specialist interests or causes. BERA reserve the right to interview candidates prior to standing for election. 

To apply, please submit a two-page CV to secretariat@bera.ac.uk and complete the application through clicking the ‘Apply Now’ button at the bottom of this page. Your CV will not be made public and is for internal use only. The two questions which will form the basis of your application are:

• What experience and skills would make you suitable for a position on BERA Council?
• How do you fulfil the criteria outlined in the role description?
• Names of two current BERA members who support your application

Ahead of nomination, should you wish to explore the nature of the role, the commitment involved or any other queries, please contact secretariat@bera.ac.uk.

BERA 2021 Council Elections Timeline:

If successfully elected, your term will begin on 1^st September 2022 and end in August 2026 although if successfully elected, you will be invited to attend the Strategic Away Day in Christchurch, Dorset 16th – 18th May 2022 as part of your induction, to meet fellow members of Council and attend a meeting of Council as an Observer. You will participate with full voting rights from the beginning of the 2022-23 academic year. 

The trustee role description and specifications can also be found here.

To be eligible to stand, candidates must be fully paid up members of BERA at the time of the nomination process opening and closing and must remain so for the duration of their term. No extensions are granted. Candidates must not be ineligible to stand according to the rules set out by the Charity Commission or Companies House.

More information on BERA’s Governance can be found on this page.

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