About RISE-in UKSA
Empowering Women in Postgraduate Research for AI & Sustainability
RISE-in UKSA:
- UK–Saudi partnership: A collaboration between Brunel University London and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM).
- Advancing gender equity: The initiative supports female postgraduate researchers in doctoral education and research careers.
- Evidence-informed training: The programme delivers targeted workshops, structured mentoring, and capacity-building activities.
- Intensive writing retreat: A dedicated academic writing retreat supports participants in developing high-quality journal publications.
- Building research capacity: The project strengthens skills, confidence, and international research networks.
- Career progression: RISE-in UKSA helps female researchers publish in leading journals and advance their academic careers.
Our Journey:
Learn online
Build core knowledge
Practise with support
Develop skills with guidance
Apply intensively
Apply learning in practice
Sustain through mentoring
Continue with mentoring and support
Aligned with Saudi Vision 2030 and the UN SDGs (4, 5, 9, 17), RISE-UKSA builds lasting infrastructure for inclusive doctoral training and international collaboration.
SDG4: Advance inclusive postgraduate education via digital research workshops, publication support, mobility for female PGRs, and embedded curricula resources.
SDG5: Promote gender equality by empowering women in higher education through leadership, technology, and career pathways with measurable participation gains.
SDG9: Co-develop digital sustainability modules driving innovation.
SDG17: Strengthen UK–Malaysia–ASEAN+3 partnerships through joint resources and Empowerment Hub adoption.
Purpose
RISE-in UKSA is a UK–Saudi partnership between Brunel University London and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals that advances gender equity in doctoral research. Through evidence-informed design, targeted workshops, structured mentoring, and an intensive writing retreat, the project equips female postgraduate researchers with the skills, confidence, and international networks required to publish in high-quality journals and progress in research careers.
Objectives
- Co-design a women-centred postgraduate training framework.
- Deliver online academic writing & publication workshops
- Host a women-only writing retreat at KFUPM
- Establish a cross-institutional mentoring network
- Produce a women-focused toolkit and policy brief
Consortium/Partners
Brunel Business School, Brunel University of London
Brunel University London is a leading UK research-intensive university with a strong international profile and a long-standing commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusive postgraduate education. Through RISE-UKSA, Brunel brings expertise in doctoral training, academic publishing, and research leadership to co-create a gender-responsive model for supporting female postgraduate researchers. The University leads project governance, evidence-led design, training delivery, impact monitoring, and legacy development, ensuring that RISE-UKSA delivers measurable, sustainable change aligned with UK excellence, Saudi Vision 2030, and the UN SDGs.
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM)
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals is one of Saudi Arabia’s leading research universities, playing a central role in advancing national priorities under Vision 2030. KFUPM brings deep expertise in doctoral education, research excellence, and innovation-led capacity building. Through RISE-UKSA, KFUPM co-leads the design and delivery of women-focused training, hosts the flagship in-person writing retreat, and embeds project outputs within its postgraduate ecosystem. The partnership strengthens institutional pathways for female researchers, enhancing confidence, publication readiness, and international engagement.
Project Team
Brunel University of London
Dr Pantea Foroudi
Project Lead
Dr Yousra Asaad
Project Co-Lead
Professor Dorothy A. Yen
Project Co-Lead
Congye Zhang
Research and Dissemination Advisor
Hossein Kiani Azarbaijani
Social Media & Digital Content Coordinador
King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM)
Professor Yogesh Kumar Dwivedi
Project Lead
Dr Mohammed Sadiq Sohail
Project Co-Lead
Dr Ghazanfar Ali Abbasi
Project Co-Lead
Programme
EmpowerHer PGR is a global, multi-phase development programme designed to support female postgraduate researchers in advancing research excellence, academic publishing, and international career pathways. The programme integrates research training, publishing support, leadership development, and global employability, delivered through cross-border collaboration between leading institutions. It combines workshops, bootcamps, mentorship, and applied learning to ensure participants progress from research ideas to tangible outputs and career advancement. The structure reflects best practice in postgraduate development, combining workshops, bootcamps, and applied learning experiences tailored to different stages of the research journey.
Advanced Academic Writing & Research Methods
Focus on building core academic writing capability and confidence
Core content:
- Structuring a journal article (IMRaD, argument flow)
- Turning a PhD chapter into a publishable paper
- Academic voice and clarity
- Research design and positioning
- Using AI ethically in literature review and drafting
- Guided writing exercises
- Peer discussion and feedback
- Confidence-building for women researchers
Writing → Structuring → Refining → Positioning → Submission Readiness
Outcome: Participants develop a clear paper outline and a personalised writing plan to progress towards submission.
Publication Strategies for Top-Tier Journals
Focus on navigating the publication system and sustaining momentum
Core content:
- Identifying and targeting appropriate journals
- Understanding editorial expectations
- Submission strategies
- Responding to reviewers
- Common reasons for rejection and how to avoid them
- Building a publication pipeline
- Mentoring conversations and peer learning
- Resilience and confidence in scholarly identity
Targeting → Positioning → Submission → Review Process → Publication Strategy
Outcome: Participants develop a refined paper plan, a clear journal targeting strategy, and a structured submission pathway.
Writing Retreat
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals University, Saudi Arabia | November 2026 | Hybrid
A five-day intensive programme designed to develop scholarly writing capability, publication readiness, and academic confidence
The programme progresses from:
Reading → Writing → Reviewing → Revising (4Rs)
Positioning & Scholarly Identity (Reading + Orienting) — “I belong in this scholarly community.”
Building the Article (Writing) — “I can structure a publishable paper.”
Feedback & Scholarly Dialogue (Reviewing) — “Feedback is dialogue, not judgement.”
Strengthening & Targeting (Revising) — “My paper has a home.”
Commitment & Momentum (Integration) — “I am ready to submit.”
Each day integrates leadership development with academic progression through the 4Rs: Reading, Writing, Reviewing, and Revising.
Identity → Structure → Dialogue → Refinement → Integration
Outcome: Participants leave with a structured paper draft, a clear journal targeting strategy, and the confidence and momentum to move towards submission..
Mentorship & Applied Support
Participants benefit from structured mentoring and hands-on support:
- One-to-one and group mentoring
- Feedback on research and draft papers
- Methodological troubleshooting
- Guidance on journal submission and career progression
Outcome: Participants receive tailored feedback and guidance, resulting in refined research outputs and improved readiness for publication and career progression.
Certification
Participants who complete the programme requirements will receive an:
(Co-issued with the British Council Going Global Partnerships programme)
10:00 – 11:30
- Room 1B
Ethics & Responsibility in AI
- Speaker
Chief Technology Officer
Digital Strategy Director
Content for this section is coming soon.
- Please check back for updates on the project’s deliverables.
Logo and Visual Identity
Rising Talent, Connecting Nations, Shaping Futures
We speak with confidence, clarity, and credibility.
Our voice is collaborative, research-led, and globally minded-supporting researchers and institutions across the UK and Saudi Arabia to grow, connect, and lead together
Core Visual Symbol
- The RISE-in UKSA visual identity is built around a spiral–frame emblem paired with a dynamic wordmark, symbolising progress, partnership, and purposeful growth across borders. The mark fuses organic movement with structural clarity, reflecting how talent, ideas, and institutions evolve through collaboration between the UK and Saudi Arabia.
Meaning & Metaphor
- Spiral as Growth and Transformation – The spiral represents learning, discovery, and upward momentum. It captures the journey from potential to impact, how researchers and innovations evolve through stages of development, confidence, and leadership.
- Frame as Structure and Credibility – The enclosing form signifies institutional strength, governance, and trust. It communicates that growth is supported by robust systems, policy alignment, and academic rigour.
- “R” as Rise – The emblem subtly forms an “R”, reinforcing Rise as both action and identity—progress that is intentional, supported, and scalable.
- Cross-Border Movement
The flowing script of Rise-in bridges the emblem with UKSA, visually expressing connection, exchange, and partnership between regions.
Colour and Form Logic
- Gold / Warm Metallic Tones – Excellence, opportunity, value, and aspiration; the promise of growth and achievement.
- Deep Blue – Trust, authority, and academic credibility; anchoring the programme in rigour and policy relevance.
- Organic Curves + Clean Geometry – The balance between human-centred development and institutional strength.
- Together, the logo communicates that RISE-in UKSA is:
- Credible, forward-looking, collaborative, and transformative.
- It visually expresses a programme that enables people and ideas to rise, connect, and lead—from early potential to cross-national impact.
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