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SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN

The postgraduate research degree landscape and the political, social and cultural environment in which it is situated face a period of significant uncertainty. Understanding the nature of this changing landscape is crucial to identifying possible futures for and fresh ways of shaping doctoral education. We are at a key point in time in which we should collectively consider fundamental questions and issues pertinent to Graduate Research Education and explore the possibilities of transformation for the future. It is with this challenge in mind that the QPR2026 Conference Steering Committee invites submissions informing the following theme:

Transforming Graduate Research for the Future 

While particularly inviting submissions which directly address this main theme, QPR2026 also invites submissions dealing with any other issues relevant to Graduate Research which includes those identified in the following sub-themes.

  • Opportunities
  • The successful PhD
  • Graduate Research and Research Education in an AI world
  • Diversity in Graduate Research – students and knowledges
  • Research experience and wellbeing
  • Doctoral study for the future
  • Policy and administration for tomorrow’s graduate programs
  • Quality and excellence in Graduate Research

On behalf of the Steering committee,
– Professor Alistair McCulloch (alistair.mcculloch@unisa.edu.au)
– Dr Dani Milos (dani.milos@flinders.edu.au)
– Associate Professor Tania Crotti (tania.crotti@adelaide.edu.au)

Notes for Presenters

There are three presentation formats you can propose to share your work at QPR2026:

Oral Presentations - 12 minute presentation and 5 minute Q&A (grouped into 55-minute panels). Oral presentations are conversation starters that provide enough information to encourage the audience to engage and seek further information. Content for oral presentations can come from:

  • Research papers (theoretical, conceptual or empirical)
  • Review or integrative papers (including horizon-scanning and policy-review papers)
  • Research-in-progress presentations (early results, reports of pilot projects)
  • Best practice papers (administrative and practice developments, experiments, and innovations)
  • Next practice (innovative ideas and current or emerging developments that can help shape the future of graduate research)

Submission Guide: 500 word abstract.

Round Tables - 55-minute panel discussion. Round Tables are a deep-dive to address a significant issue of importance to the doctoral education community between a group of experts (minimum of three) and engages the audience via Q&A time.

Submission Guide: 500 word abstract.

Posters - In standard academic poster format (to be presented electronically rather than in hard copy) with an optional 3-minute video to complement the poster

Submission Guide: 250 word abstract.

The Committee is also open to suggestions of other forms of presentation and enquiries about these should be directed in the first instance to the conference convenor, Professor Alistair McCulloch at alistair.mcculloch@unisa.edu.au

While particularly inviting submissions which directly address the main theme - Transforming Graduate Research for the Future - QPR2026 also invites submissions dealing with any other issues relevant to Graduate Research which includes those identified in the following sub-themes. 

  1. Opportunities
  • The sustainability of Graduate Research Education.
  • Developing social licence for the PhD: economic value and social values. 
  • The contemporary doctorate in an age of disinformation - crisis or opportunity?
  • Re-thinking perspectives on the purpose(s) of Graduate Research. 
  • Making and shaping the future research workforce.
  1. The successful PhD
  • What does success in Graduate Research mean?
  • Supporting doctoral writing.
  • Supporting Graduate Researchers for success. 
  • What skills and capabilities matter now, and how may that change in the future?
  • Graduate Research: engagement and impact
  • Speaking truth to power - activism and the PhD.  
  1. Graduate Research and Research Education in an AI world
  • AI ethics, reliability and disinformation.
  • What does ‘cheating’ mean in an AI world?
  • Using GenAI in research writing – the good, bad and the ugly.
  • Using AI in doctoral research for data gathering, analysis, and presentation - dilemmas and rewards.
  • Graduate Research, assessment and AI.
  1. Diversity in Graduate Research – students and knowledges 
  • Transition to doctoral study - the skills and capabilities incoming Graduate Research candidates bring to their studies. 
  • The changing identity of the PhD researcher.
  • Diversity, culture and language in doctoral education.
  • Embodiment, equality and inclusion.
  • Indigenous knowledges, Graduate Research, and engagement.
  • International students in future models of Graduate Research.
  • Pipelines or tributaries? Metaphors for future recruitment.
  1. Researcher experience and wellbeing
  • The graduate researcher experience.
  • Wellbeing or efficiency? Improving the postgraduate research student experience. 
  • Candidate and supervisor wellbeing in an unstable world.
  • Wellbeing in a performative higher education system.
  • Creating safe learning environments for diverse candidates.  
  • Communities of practice, networking and belonging for candidates and supervisors.
  1. Doctoral study for the future
  • Locating Graduate Research communities within broader institutional, disciplinary, sectoral, and geographically-diverse research communities.
  • Forms of doctoral study and outputs: exploring strengths and desires.
  • Graduate capabilities for contemporary workforce needs.
  • Professional and practice-based research degrees.
  1. Policy and administration for tomorrow’s graduate research programs
  • Institutional structures and processes.
  • Administering research education: Professional perspectives on making it all happen.
  • Public policy and Graduate Research.
  1. Quality and excellence in Graduate Research
  • What does excellence in Graduate Research look like? 
  • Evolving perspectives on quality in Graduate Research.
  • Excellence in research degree supervision – perspectives and possibilities.

23 October 2025 - Submissions Close
18 December 2025 - Decisions About Paper Acceptances Sent
23 January 2026 - Authors to Accept
1 March 2026 - Final updates and Registration completed by Authors
15-17 April 2026 - QPR Conference

Submit your abstract online by signing up to our submission system below (or click here if you already have an account with us).

For your submission you will be asked to:

  • Write an abstract explaining your work
    • Oral Presentation: 500 word limit
    • Round Table: 500 word limit
    • Poster: 250 word limit
  • State the topic with which you proposal best aligns
  • Provide information on all authors, including a photograph of the presenting author

Authors should:

  • Write their abstract in English.
  • Specify all abbreviations in full at the first mention, followed by the abbreviation in parentheses, thereafter abbreviation only should be used.
  • Use a maximum of 4 references (references are included in the word count)

Note the submitting author will be considered the principal point of contact for all communication regarding the abstract including acceptance notification.

Please note that the Committee has decided to limit the times any individual can appear on the conference program as a presenter to three.

SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN

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