A unique gathering of research and innovation leaders
The 2026 Research-Invested Schools National Gathering brings together educators, researchers, and school leaders who are committed to building stronger cultures of evidence-informed practice and innovation in schools. Across two collaborative days, participants will explore strategy, AI, inquiry, communication, and implementation through keynotes, workshops, lightning presentations, and participant-driven sessions.
More than a conference, the gathering is designed to foster meaningful connection between research leads and practitioners across schools — creating space to share challenges, test ideas, learn from emerging practice, and strengthen a growing national network of research-invested schools.
More than a conference, the gathering is designed to foster meaningful connection between research leads and practitioners across schools — creating space to share challenges, test ideas, learn from emerging practice, and strengthen a growing national network of research-invested schools.
Key details
Day 1: Thursday 13 August, 10:30am-4:30pm, Anglican Church Grammar School: Churchie, East Brisbane
Plus Conference Dinner, from 5:00pm, Lord Stanley, East Brisbane
Day 2: Friday 14 August, 9:00am to 2:30pm, The Lakes College, North Lakes, Brisbane
Cost:
Registration via the button below. Registration closes: 5pm, Friday 31 July
Please direct any enquiries to Dr Victoria Leighton
Plus Conference Dinner, from 5:00pm, Lord Stanley, East Brisbane
Day 2: Friday 14 August, 9:00am to 2:30pm, The Lakes College, North Lakes, Brisbane
Cost:
- Both days: $150
- Day registration: $75
- Conference dinner: $75
Registration via the button below. Registration closes: 5pm, Friday 31 July
Please direct any enquiries to Dr Victoria Leighton
Proudly co-hosted by:
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Program
The program has been designed to maximise opportunities to connect and learn from one another, as well as input from leaders in schools and universities.
Day 1 | Thursday 13 August - 'Navigating the mountain to your next camp
Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie), East Brisbane
Co-hosted with St Margaret's Anglican Girls School
Day 1 is designed as an immersive journey into the strategic and cultural challenges facing research-invested schools. Beginning with a shared “base camp” keynote experience, participants will then choose from tailored pathways exploring strategy and purpose, marketing and enrolment growth, communication and influence, and AI and data leverage. The afternoon shifts into participant-informed collaborative sessions shaped by real needs and emerging questions from the network itself. More than a conference program, Day 1 is a dynamic professional learning experience focused on building capability, adaptability, and strategic clarity for the next stage of school innovation.
Time |
Event |
10:30 |
Arrival and morning tea |
11:00 |
Conference welcome Dr Alan Campbell, Principal of Churchie |
9:30 |
Keynote: Establishing the base camp Stu Waddington |
12:00 |
Facilitated workshops Path #1 to Camp #1 – The Origin of your Strategy and Purpose Path #2 to Camp #1 – Marketing and Selling Path #3 to Camp #1 – Communication and Influence Path #4 to Camp #1 – AI and Data Leverage |
1:00 |
Lunch |
1:50 |
Session 2 Session Design, Function, Footprint and Presenter/Guide will be dictated by Participant Survey Data |
2:55 |
Afternoon tea |
3:30 |
Session 3 Session Design, Function, Footprint and Presenter/Guide will be dictated by Participant Survey Data |
4:30 |
Day 1 close and transition to The Lord Stanley for dinner |
5:00 |
Conference dinner The Lord Stanley, 994 Stanley St E, East Brisbane |
Day 2 | Friday 14 August - Ignite
The Lakes College, North Lakes
Co-hosted with the Sycamore School
Day 2 focuses on translating research insight into practical implementation within schools. Hosted at The Lakes College, the day brings together leading researchers and practitioners to explore emerging themes including student voice, school-based inquiry, dissemination of practice-based research, and the opportunities and tensions of generative AI in education. Through keynote input, lightning presentations, and collaborative roundtables, participants will reflect on their school’s research maturity and leave with concrete strategies for embedding evidence-informed practice into teaching, leadership, and whole-school improvement.
Time |
Event |
9:00 |
Arrival and campus tours, via Wunya Cafe for coffee |
9:45 |
Welcome Nicole Gregory, Principal of The Lakes College |
10:00 |
Keynote: 'Schools, research and the digital child' Dr Kristy Corser In this keynote, Kristy draws on her journey from classroom teacher to researcher to map the evolving research landscape surrounding the digital child. She will highlight key insights and emerging gaps identified through her ARC project, while positioning schools as active contributors to this growing field. Framed as a practical and forward-looking scoping of the research, the session offers clear direction and actionable strategies for schools, with a strong emphasis on translating theory into meaningful classroom inquiry and practice. |
10:30 |
Morning tea |
11:00 |
Lightning Presentations Block 1 20 minute presentations + 5 minutes questions Submit a presentation proposal: Research Invested Schools Conference 2026 Abstract Submission Form – Fill out form |
11:25 |
Lightning Presentations Block 2 |
12:00 |
Lightning Presentations Block 3 |
12:30 |
Lunch |
1:15 |
From Insight to Implementation: Collaborative Roundtable This interactive roundtable provides participants with dedicated time to translate conference insights into meaningful action within their own school contexts. The session will begin with an exploration of a research maturity scale, supporting schools to reflect on their current practices and identify opportunities for growth in embedding research-informed and evidence-based approaches across their communities. Working in small groups, educators will then collaborate with colleagues from other schools to discuss challenges, share successful practices, and consider how research maturity can be strengthened within diverse school settings. Through a structured roundtable process, participants will identify practical strategies, priorities, and actionable next steps to support implementation and sustainable improvement in their own contexts. |
2:15 |
Closing remarks |
2:30 |
Conference concludes |
Keynote Speakers
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Stuart Waddington, Principal, New Arenas Capital
Stuart Waddington has spent over 30 years working as a business consultant and transformation leader - helping organisations get from strategy to execution and sustainability. Stuart grew up in a small-business family – earning his first $1 for Saturday work at the age of 7. Since his first degree he has lived and worked across Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Europe, Asia and the USA. He is the developer and lead practitioner of the P:EAKS capability framework, which underpins the Research Invested Schools 2026 Conference Day 1 experience. Outside of work, he remains a committed - if increasingly weathered - endurance athlete and adventure seeker, with more time now that his kids are young adults (often to the chagrin of his long-suffering wife). |
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Dr Kristy Corser, Research Fellow, QUT Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child, Queensland University of Technology
Dr Kristy Corser is currently co-leading a national project titled 'Children’s engagement with Artificial Intelligence: A Digital Child Parliament'. She has a background in primary education (as a Queensland teacher for 13 years) and research interests in teaching and learning with educational technology, including AI. |
Call for Papers
Theme: From Research to Practice – Inspiring and Leading Change in Schools
The Research Invested Schools National Gathering 2026 provides an opportunity for educators, researchers and school leaders to share practice, inquiry and innovation that strengthens research-informed practice across schools.
We welcome submissions that showcase school-based research, practitioner inquiry, collaborative partnerships, innovative methodologies and approaches that contribute to research culture and educational improvement.
Submissions are invited for 20 minute presentations addressing one of the following themes:
1. Student Voice, Agency and Partnership in research
Explores how students can move beyond being data sources to active partners in inquiry, contributing to the design, interpretation, and impact of research within schools.
2. Research Methodologies for School-Based Investigations
Examines accessible and rigorous research approaches that enable educators to investigate their own practice, generate evidence, and contribute to school improvement.
3. Disseminating Practice-Based Research
Considers how educators can effectively communicate findings through multiple platforms, including school-based publications, open access practice journals, and academic outlets, to influence practice beyond their own context.
4. Generative AI in Research-Informed Practice: Opportunities and Tensions
Explores the emerging role of generative AI tools in supporting teacher inquiry, while critically examining the ethical, practical, and professional challenges they introduce for research-informed practice.
Submission Guidelines
Submit via the following link: Research Invested Schools Conference 2026 Abstract Submission Form – Fill out form
Please refer any questions to Dr Sarah Glencross
The Research Invested Schools National Gathering 2026 provides an opportunity for educators, researchers and school leaders to share practice, inquiry and innovation that strengthens research-informed practice across schools.
We welcome submissions that showcase school-based research, practitioner inquiry, collaborative partnerships, innovative methodologies and approaches that contribute to research culture and educational improvement.
Submissions are invited for 20 minute presentations addressing one of the following themes:
1. Student Voice, Agency and Partnership in research
Explores how students can move beyond being data sources to active partners in inquiry, contributing to the design, interpretation, and impact of research within schools.
2. Research Methodologies for School-Based Investigations
Examines accessible and rigorous research approaches that enable educators to investigate their own practice, generate evidence, and contribute to school improvement.
3. Disseminating Practice-Based Research
Considers how educators can effectively communicate findings through multiple platforms, including school-based publications, open access practice journals, and academic outlets, to influence practice beyond their own context.
4. Generative AI in Research-Informed Practice: Opportunities and Tensions
Explores the emerging role of generative AI tools in supporting teacher inquiry, while critically examining the ethical, practical, and professional challenges they introduce for research-informed practice.
Submission Guidelines
- Abstracts should be 250-400 words in length.
- Presentation length 20 minutes
- Include title, author(s), school or organisation, and relevant theme.
- Clearly articulate the purpose, context, methods (if applicable), and impact of the work.
- Deadline for submission: 6 July
Submit via the following link: Research Invested Schools Conference 2026 Abstract Submission Form – Fill out form
Please refer any questions to Dr Sarah Glencross
Getting to the Gathering
The RIS National Gathering will be held across 2 schools to give delegates a good chance to see different Research-Invested Schools in-person.
Thursday 13 August
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Oaklands Parade, East Brisbane QLD 4169
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Friday 14 August
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2 College St, North Lakes QLD 4509
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Why attend?
Connect
Connect with other research leaders from schools around Australia to build relationships that lead to new ideas, collaborative projects, and growth in your role.
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Learn
Learn from colleagues about what's working well in their school, and from leaders in the secondary and tertiary sectors about the big trends shaping research in Australia and worldwide.
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Lead
Lead the future of research in Australia by shaping the Research-Invested Schools Network's agenda into the years ahead.
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What participants have said
"Amazing insights across the two days"
"One of my favourite events so far, as is so niche and helpful"
"Such a positive, collegial and professional space"
"One of my favourite events so far, as is so niche and helpful"
"Such a positive, collegial and professional space"