Welcome to the Research Capability Hub
The 1st July 2026 marks an important milestone for the Research Capability Hub (RCH) as we launch the first public version of our website and begin opening up the platform to the wider social science community.
The Research Capability Hub was established to strengthen research training and capacity building across the UK social sciences. Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the Hub brings together researchers, training providers, infrastructure organisations and sector partners to create a more connected, accessible and responsive research training ecosystem.
Over the last year, we have worked closely with colleagues across the sector to understand the current training landscape, identify gaps in provision and explore how we can better connect the excellent work already taking place across universities, learned societies, research centres and specialist providers. Through community engagement activities, evidence gathering and collaboration with partners, we have built the foundations for a national resource that will continue to grow over the coming years.
This website is a key part of that vision.
Already, the platform brings together hundreds of training opportunities and resources from across the social sciences, making it easier for researchers and learners to discover relevant learning opportunities and for providers to increase the visibility of their provision. Registered learners can also bookmark training courses, resources and events, organise them into multiple lists, and share those lists to support their own development. Users can explore resources by theme, identify upcoming events and begin navigating the breadth of training available across the UK research landscape.
The July 2026 launch represents a beta version of the platform. Over the coming months we will continue to expand the range of providers and resources available through the Hub, enhance search and discovery tools, develop learning pathways to support researcher development, and launch our first Flexible Fund call to support the creation of new training in priority areas identified by the community.
The Hub has been built through collaboration, and we want that collaborative spirit to continue shaping its future. We are keen to hear from researchers, training providers and partners about what works well, what could be improved and what additional features would be most valuable.
You can share feedback directly through the feedback button on the website or contact the team. For practical guidance on using the platform, see our getting started guide. If your organisation provides research training, see our becoming a provider article. As this is a beta launch, your ideas and suggestions will play an important role in helping us refine and develop the platform ahead of our full launch in September.
I am incredibly grateful to the many individuals and organisations who have contributed their expertise, enthusiasm and support to the development of the Hub so far. We have achieved a great deal together, and I am excited about the opportunities ahead.
Whether you are here to discover training, share expertise, contribute resources or help shape future provision, I hope you will join us in building a stronger and more connected research training community for the UK social sciences.
Professor Bart Rienties
Director, Research Capability Hub