US-UK university partnership explores fresh opportunities in Education Access and Equity – including recruiting second cohort of Global South Fellows.
Attendees at the inaugural BRIDGE Signature Initiative Conference on Advancing Education in Partnership with the Global South
Researchers from the University of Birmingham and the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign are expanding their award-winning Birmingham–Illinois Partnership for Discovery, Engagement and Education (BRIDGE) to further collaboration with academics across the Global South.
2026 will see the two universities explore fresh opportunities in the BRIDGE Signature Initiative on Education Access and Equity – including virtual networks, book publishing, and recruiting the second cohort of Global South Fellows.
The Global South Fellowship Program supports the professional development of early-career researchers from universities in the Global South – applications to join the second round of Global South Fellows open in Spring/Summer 2026.
The conference marked the beginning of a new era for BRIDGE with both our universities remaining committed to deepening collaboration and expanding their global network. For many of us, the conference was the first time meeting in person - gathering such a diverse and accomplished community of researchers whose insights and expertise lie at the heart of creating a BRIDGE to a fairer and more sustainable world.
The BRIDGE Signature Initiative provides seed funding for high-potential projects, supporting academics in producing high-quality research in areas such as teacher development, educational leadership, AI and education, educational partnership with communities, and enhancing education opportunities for underrepresented groups. It aims to enhance impact on policy and practice.
A virtual BRIDGE Signature Initiative network allows researchers and practitioners to share their findings more effectively, whilst creating an edited book will showcase transnational research projects with a global impact. Engaging with policymakers, education practitioners, and learned societies such as Universitas 21, AERA, BERA, and BELMAS, will help to bridge the gap in knowledge co-creation between the Global North and Global South.
More than 70 participants from over 10 countries joined the inaugural BRIDGE Signature Initiative Conference on Advancing Education in Partnership with the Global South, in December 2025 at the University of Birmingham Dubai campus. Institutions taking part included: Chuka University, Kenya; University Of São Paulo, Brazil; University of Johannesburg, Stellenbosch University, South Africa; The University of the West Indies; Forman Christian College, Pakistan; and University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
The conference formed part of the BRIDGE Signature Initiative on Education Access and Equity, launched in 2024 to mark the tenth anniversary of BRIDGE. This initiative sits alongside two others on Global Health and Climate Action.
University of Birmingham BRIDGE Signature Initiative Lead Dr Meng Tian said: “The conference marked the beginning of a new era for BRIDGE with both our universities remaining committed to deepening collaboration and expanding their global network. For many of us, the conference was the first time meeting in person - gathering such a diverse and accomplished community of researchers whose insights and expertise lie at the heart of creating a BRIDGE to a fairer and more sustainable world.”
The conference focussed on addressing today’s most pressing educational challenges - from unequal resource distribution and barriers to high-quality learning, to widening knowledge gaps exacerbated by the digital divide.
Keynote speakers Professor Yusra Mouzughi, University of Birmingham Dubai Provost, and Professor Reitumetse Obakeng Mabokela, University of Rochester Vice Provost for Global Engagement, highlighted that tackling these challenges requires courageous, ethical, and intentional leadership.
We believe the conference is only the beginning and a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to make education accessible and equitable for all. Collaborating with the University of Birmingham through the BRIDGE Initiative underscores that no single institution can address the world’s most pressing challenges alone. By convening scholars and partners from the Global South, we developed a shared understanding of the challenges we face and took a significant step forward together.
They argued that, as global conditions become more demanding and resources more limited, educators must lead change, embrace technological advances, and ensure that disadvantaged and marginalised learners are not left behind.
BRIDGE Signature Initiative Co-leads at the University of Illinois Drs. Jessica Li and Sammer Jones said: “We believe the conference is only the beginning and a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to make education accessible and equitable for all. Collaborating with the University of Birmingham through the BRIDGE Initiative underscores that no single institution can address the world’s most pressing challenges alone. By convening scholars and partners from the Global South, we developed a shared understanding of the challenges we face and took a significant step forward together."
The conference also marked the University of Birmingham’s 125th anniversary with a ‘125 Global Leadership Dialogue’. Scholars exchanged cutting-edge research and practical approaches in areas including global partnerships, teacher and leader professional development, special and inclusive education, community engagement, digital transformation in education, and leadership in international schooling contexts.
BRIDGE was established in 2014. Widely recognised as one of the most impactful UK–US university partnerships, BRIDGE received the 2025 Institute of International Education Andrew Heiskell Award for Research for a Sustainable Future. Among the many achievements of BRIDGE are ongoing: 115 faculty-to-faculty collaborations, more than 100 published academic articles, and joint research projects that have generated $10 million in external grants.
Associate Professor in Educational Leadership
Dr Meng Tian's research focuses on distributed leadership, social justice leadership, professional development, education leadership policy-making, and comparative education
