Ideas Xchange Event
Supervisors from across the Doctoral Training Alliance network were invited to apply for grants of up to £2,000, to be used towards the development and delivery of activities that would benefit and add value to the wider UA doctoral community of supervisors and doctoral researchers, through expansion of skill set and/or supervisory practice. Cross-institutional applications and activities and those that directly involved doctoral researchers as part of the proposal development phase were encouraged.
Building on the success of the That’s Me! Project, Jacqueline Taylor and Eli Ashong from Birmingham City University will host The Ideas Xchange event at STEAMhouse bringing together postgraduate researchers, supervisors, EDI experts and professional service staff from diverse backgrounds and disciplines to ‘Xchange’ ideas on inclusive and sustainable supervisory practices and doctoral networks.
The Ideas Xchange Tickets, Thursday, June 4 - 10 AM - 4 PM | Eventbrite
The Ideas Xchange
The Ideas Xchange is not a traditional conference. It is a dynamic, one-day, in-person forum designed to foster meaningful dialogue, critical reflection, and collaborative problem-solving. Bringing together doctoral researchers, supervisors, EDI practitioners, policymakers, professional services staff, scholars, and external stakeholders from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, the Ideas Xchange creates space for honest conversations about the doctoral experience.
At its core, the event explores the intersectional lived realities of the doctoral journey – recognising the complexities of identity, power, and institutional structures that shape it. Attendants are invited to share practices and to challenge assumptions, test new ideas, and co-create practical, sustainable approaches to improving inclusivity and enhancing supervisory practices.
Funded by the Doctoral Training Alliance and inspired by the project, a collaboration between Birmingham City University and the University of Wolverhampton, supported by the Office for Students and Research England, the Ideas Xchange is a catalyst for reflection, experimentation, and meaningful change.
Call for contributons - submit by 30th April 2026
Agenda
09:30 Arrival | Coffee, registration + connecting across roles and disciplines.
10:00 Welcome & Framing the Space
Opening remarks, shared principles + setting intentions for collaborative exchange.
10:30 Roundtables: Rethinking the Doctoral Journey
Small group, participant-led discussions on focussed ideas
XCHANGE 1 | 10:30-11:00
Md Al Jahan - How does cultural intelligence shape inclusive leadership in multinational organisations?
Arun Ulahannan - How can disabled PGRs be better supported and provided routes through the doctoral programme - experiences from our world first scheme
XCHANGE 2 | 11:00-11:30
Stephanie De Marco - Title TBC
Natalia Gheorghiu - Opening conversations: Early dialogue with supervisors in the doctoral journey
XCHANGE 3 | 11:30-12:00
Ayodeji Olusegun Ibitoye - Beyond access: who gets to know, question, and trust knowledge in the age of AI?
Eli Ashong and Oli Carter - Title TBC
Followed by a short roundtable exchange
12.15 Lunch | network, exchange + relax
13:00 PGR Stories | Short, thought-provoking contributions to challenge assumptions and spark discussion
Danielle Broadhurst - OCD in the PhD: Imposter Syndrome on Steroids
Zoyi So - If you know, you know – Time pressure, FOMO, and trying to live your life while keeping up with your PhD
Saddaf Syed - Cultural Kaleidoscope … She doesn’t belong here!
Sara Younas - When visa rules decide how long PhD mothers are allowed to recover
Jaspreet Singh - Title TBC
Followed by an open mic-style space for participant stories + exchange
13:50 Break | refresh + reflect
14:00 Co-Creation Lab: From Ideas to Action
Collaborative exchange to develop practical, sustainable recommendations, tools, or interventions + working towards a Shared Commitment to Inclusive Doctoral Education.
15:45 Round-up | Final reflections and pathways for sustaining exchange and impact
16:00 Close
The day will also include opportunities for exchange through dialogue and informal networking, along with refreshments and lunch.