Dear colleagues,
Welcome back to 2026, and to what is shaping up to be another busy, important and opportunity-rich year for the Australian Council of Graduate Research community. We hope the year has started well for you and your teams, and that you’ve had a chance to recharge before the pace picks up again.
This first update begins with an important policy update, following the approval late last year of amendments to the Australian Government’s research block grant programs. Updated FAQs are now available for the Higher Education Support (Commonwealth Scholarships) Guidelines 2025 and the amended Other Grants Guidelines (Research) 2017, including dedicated guidance for RTP industry internship weighting, university administrators and students. Members are encouraged to review the refreshed FAQs alongside the new information sheet and accompanying Explanatory Statements to ensure a clear understanding of the changes now in effect.
We also highlight Universities Australia’s 2026–2027 pre-Budget submission, which places a strong emphasis on increased support for PhD students—an advocacy priority that aligns closely with ACGR’s ongoing work. On the practice and capability front, Volume 2 of Confident Supervisors: Creating Independent Researchers is now available online as an open-access resource, offering further insights to support effective supervision.
Looking ahead, please save the date for the 2026 ACGR Awards for Excellence, with nominations opening on 2 March. We also share details on QPR 2026 registrations, Expressions of Interest to join the Australasian Research Training Network Advisory Committee, and an invitation to participate in a national study on responding to students in distress.
We look forward to working with you in 2026!
Best regards,
Louise Sharpe, ACGR President
Tracy Sullivan, Executive Director
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