With the announcement of the 2025/2026 Small Grants Fund recipients, BERA is proud to share that we have now awarded over £500,000 in research funding since 2020. These investments have supported 69 research projects and fellowships that strengthen educational research and practice across the UK and internationally.

Our funded work spans a wide range of pressing issues, including teacher education, the impact of Covid-19, artificial intelligence and digital change, race and ethnicity, inclusion, and SEND/ASN. Together, these projects contribute vital evidence to inform policy, improve practice, and advance knowledge in education.

What we’ve funded

BERA’s funding portfolio combines fellowships, small grants, and strategic commissions. Programmes have included:

• The Small Grants Fund
• The BJET Fellowship
• The Brian Simon Fellowship Fund
• The BCF Curriculum Investigation Grant
• The BERA Kusuma Trust Neurodiversity in Mainstream Schools Grant Programme

Alongside these core initiatives, we have also worked in partnership with other organisations to expand our impact and strengthen opportunities for researchers.

Download the full infographic (PDF) to explore our awards since 2020 and the programmes behind them.

As a membership association and learned society, BERA is committed to advancing research quality, building research capacity, and fostering research engagement. Our vision is for educational research to have a profound and positive influence on society, and supporting funded projects is a central way we bring this vision to life.

Since our founding in 1974, BERA has grown into an internationally renowned association with over 2,500 members worldwide. We are proud to represent the diversity of education research, welcoming members from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds, theoretical orientations, methodological approaches, sectoral interests, and institutional affiliations.

By investing in research, we not only empower educational researchers to pursue innovative and impactful projects, but also ensure that evidence-based insights shape the future of education policy and practice.