The Emerging Scholars Accelerator Programme (ESAP) focuses on candidates who are in the early postdoctoral stages, with many of the candidates still in the process of publishing from their doctoral research and refining their research niche areas. The period following the PhD is a critical time in launching the careers of emerging scholars. The ESAP programme therefore aims to support the candidates to become productive researchers and research supervisors, and to balance their roles as lecturers and researchers with their community engagement and leadership activities. In addition to preparing for their specific academic roles, the programme also assists candidates in navigating the complex dynamics of the academia and provides support when candidates apply for NRF rating and funding. The current cohort of emerging scholars consists of 46 candidates who have completed their PhDs in the last five years.