This year, for the first time, we have developed our own theme for the Newer Researchers’ Conference, which is related to, but distinct from the theme for the Annual Research Conference. At a time of change and some uncertainty in our sector, our Conference focus is based around the notion of inspiring positive futures in higher education, looking at this via communities, spaces and places. This broad theme should enable newer researchers with a very wide variety of backgrounds and interests to submit a paper. Abstracts are invited for posters, paper presentations and symposia around the theme, whilst submissions may address the theme as a whole or just a part of it.

To help you develop your ideas, we have developed three research strands to accompany the theme. You may like to link your abstract to one or more of these.

Accompanying Research Strands

• The development and reconfiguration of virtual, physical and disciplinary communities.
• Globalisation, international expansion, massification and changing funding regimes of higher education transforming local, regional and global communities.
• The changing relationship between higher education and society and the purpose of universities internationally.
• Emergence of interdisciplinary and intercultural communities leading to new curricula, new learning communities and the development of new research methodologies.
• New professional groupings and hybrid professional and academic identities in the context of higher education.
• Inclusion, diversity and widening participation transforming the student experience.

• E-learning, virtual learning and social networking transforming learning spaces
• Transformation of the physical space, flexible learning and facilities of universities.
• The student experience and the evolving identities of students.
• Curriculum review and reform creating new intellectual spaces for learning, teaching and research.
• Changes in relation to institutional governance, management and leadership as these shape institutions and the sector nationally and internationally.
• Expansion of higher education into new spaces and places through work-based learning, higher education in further education, community engagement and the impact of the employability agenda on universities.
• The generation of international league tables, comparative benchmarking and quality assurance mechanisms and discourses.

• The future purpose and role of higher education in effecting positive social, economic, intellectual change and growth
• Strategic future of higher education in relation to global, diverse and interconnected world
• The role of universities in knowledge-transfer, economic and social empowerment, community engagement and internationalisation.