At the heart of the K4C Global Consortium lies the K4C Hub, which uses a cascading training model to build community-based research (CBR) capacity through a Mentor Training Programme (MTP). Since the inception of the K4C model, various local hubs have been created to design and conduct training programmes for developing CBR capacities for the co-creation of knowledge through collective action by practitioners, community-based researchers, community groups and academics.

Each local hub is made up of at least a higher education institution (HEI) and a civil society organization (CSO), collaborating on knowledge mobilization and strengthening individual research capacities through various training methods. The following are the institutional requirements for becoming a K4C hub:

1. Each hub is required to be a formal partnership between, at least, an HEI and a CSO. A non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the parties (or other formal collaboration agreement) is required, specifying shared goals, anticipated outcomes, methodology, and governance structure of the local hub.
2. The hub will focus on building research capacity and developing context-specific courses on the co-construction of knowledge and its application to the solution of the community issues linked to the UN SDGs. The hub must identify at least two UN SDGs that the participating organizations are interested in, suggest research themes linked to local contextual issues, and develop a training programme for local community-based researchers within and outside the academia, adapting the K4C-MTP curriculum and pedagogy to the local context.
3. The selection of hub coordinators and supervisors will be done in consultation with the parties and the UNESCO Chair CBRSRHE. The local supervisor is expected to have: (i.) some field experience in pursuing community-based projects; (ii.) prior experience in supervising CBPR projects; (iii.) commitment towards CBPR initiatives and/or community-based pedagogies; and (iv.) ability to identify goals linked to the UN SDGs.
4. At present, the MTP includes free accommodation and meals during the face-to-face learning residency. Other costs (i.e., flight tickets to the learning residency location) will be paid by the mentor and/or the sponsoring hub.
5. The selected mentors will commit to: (i.) undergo the MTP spanning 21 weeks; (ii.) attend the face-to-face component of the MTP; (iii.) undertake supervised field research in association with the communities; (iv.) collate contextually relevant teaching resources in local languages that can be used as learning materials by future cohorts; and (v.) design a teaching programme in CBPR for trainees in their host university.
6. Upon completion and certification of the MTP, certified mentors must get their local K4C curriculum and pedagogy hub design of training in CBPR reviewed and approved by the UNESCO Chair.

Since its launch in 2017, this low-cost, high impact model has trained 160 mentors across 31 K4C hubs. The mentors have then gone on to create local and regional K4C hubs in 18 countries, including Canada, Cuba, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.