28th August 2026 | University of New south Wales, Kensington, NSW, Australia
ADA HDR Conference 2026
About this conference
Does your research critically examine how society organises and governs itself, how systems and practices might be reimagined, or how social outcomes are defined, evaluated, and legitimised?
HDR students, academics, and industry practitioners through thematic sessions that showcase interdisciplinary research and its broader implications. Spanning art, design, and the built environment, the conference engages with diverse forms of inquiry, from theoretical and critical work to applied and practice-led research—addressing cultural, technological, spatial, and environmental challenges.
At its core is a focus on research impact; how knowledge is produced, shared, and translated across contexts. Contributors are invited to reflect on how their work shapes ideas, practices, and futures, while engaging critically with questions of power, representation, and the tensions between innovation, equity, and lived experience.
Attend the conference
We invite you to present your work at the conference. Presentations will be 10 minutes in length and may draw on a range of disciplines aligned with one or more of the conference subthemes. Submissions can be theoretical, empirical, or practice-based, and should demonstrate clear engagement with questions of societal impact.
If you prefer to attend without presenting, registration opens on 1 July. Those who have already registered as presenters do not need to register again. We welcome postgraduate research candidates, supervisors, and members of the UNSW and wider research community to join this one-day event, either on campus or online.
This is a free, fully catered event, and early registration is encouraged.
Key dates
Abstract submission
29 June 2026
Keynote speaker nomination
29 June 2026
Registration open
1 July 2026
Conference Date
28 August 2026
Conference themes
This subtheme explores how artificial intelligence and emerging digital technologies are reshaping societies, economies, education, research, and everyday life. It invites contributions that critically examine both opportunities and risks of change. Participants are encouraged to reflect on how research can guide responsible innovation and generate meaningful social impact.
This subtheme focuses on the transformation of human services, including health, medical, and social care systems in response to evolving societal needs. It welcomes research that addresses service reform and design, justice, anti-oppressive practices and equity.
This subtheme examines the role of culture, education, politics, media, and public discourse in shaping social and political life. It invites work on identity, higher education, representation, activism and the dynamics of public engagement in an increasingly digital and globalised world. Participants are encouraged to explore how cultural and political expressions influence, and are influenced, by research, policy, and social change.
This subtheme investigates how design practices and the built environment respond to and shape societal transformation. It includes topics such as sustainable development, urban futures, infrastructure, and inclusive design. Contributions can demonstrate how research can inform more resilient, equitable, and innovative spaces for communities.
This subtheme addresses pressing global challenges, including climate change, inequality, and geopolitical shifts and their implications for justice and collective futures. It invites interdisciplinary perspectives on sustainability, governance, and global cooperation. Participants can propose research-driven pathways toward more just, inclusive, and shared futures.
Speakers
To be determined.
Program
To be determined.
Venue
Council Chamber, Chancellery Building (Map C22), UNSW Sydney
HDR Conference Committee Members
- Diya Yan, Chair
- Hamim Zaky Hadibasyir, Secretary
- Shiqi-Dorothy Dong, Keynote Convenor
- Mania Alehpour, Operational Coordinator
- Fairuz Mutia, Communications Coordinator
- Bani Chami, Program Chair
