Call for Contributions: The Ideas Xchange
June 4th 2026
Birmingham STEAMhouse
10am-4pm
The Ideas Xchange is not a traditional conference.
It is a one-day, in-person forum for ideas and critical exchange between doctoral researchers, supervisors, EDI practitioners, policymakers, professional service staff, scholars, and external stakeholders, from diverse backgrounds, disciplines, and organisations. Together, we will examine the intersectional lived realities of the doctoral journey — and co-create practical, sustainable ways to make it more inclusive and enhance supervisory practices.
We invite contributions that move beyond practice-sharing and description, towards reflection, experimentation, and change.
The Problem(s)
Despite institutional EDI commitments, systemic inequalities persist across the doctoral lifecycle — in access, progression, and transition beyond the doctorate. Global Majority* doctoral researchers and other marginalised researchers continue to encounter structural barriers, uneven support, and exclusionary cultures; exacerbated by institutional constraints and gaps between policy and practice, often rooted in supervisory practice
Inspired by its work on the That’s Me! Project, which explored inequalities across the doctoral lifecycle for Global Majority communities, and supported by the University Alliance’s Doctoral Training Alliance, Birmingham City University is keen to share and explore evidence-informed, practice-grounded ideas that translate insight into real, systemic change for doctoral research to be more inclusive across the sector.
*Global Majority refers to people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as 'ethnic minorities'. (Campbell-Stephens, 2020).
The Exchange
We invite contributions—not in the form of polished presentations but of ideas—that:
- Identify a problem in the doctoral journey in your context
- Critically reflect on how it operates
- Share practical strategies, experiments, or interventions for solving that problem
- Open space for dialogue and collective thinking
- Can inform the creation of a “Shared Commitment to Inclusive Doctoral Education Output”
Selected ideas will be categorised around key stages of the doctorate that connect to PGR supervision around:
- Routes in (e.g., motivation, access, and recruitment)
- Routes through (e.g., supervision styles, progression, professional skills development, and community building)
- Routes out (e.g., careers development, workplace transition, and employer engagement)
The Impact
To maximise the impact of ideas and their exchange, we plan to generate the following from the event:
- Open Access resources capturing best practice and practical tools
- Action-oriented recommendations for the Doctoral Training Alliance (DTA)
- A networked community of practice across stakeholders
Who can Submit?
We welcome submissions from:
- Postgraduate Researchers
- Supervisors
- EDI practitioners
- Doctoral programme leaders
- External partners and community stakeholders
- Researchers across disciplines and cultural contexts
A small number of travel grants may be available to support participation from PGRs under-represented groups.
How do I submit?
Complete this short form by 26th April 2026, telling us:
- What problem have youencountered, and why does it matter in your context?
Ground your response in practice, lived experience, institutional policy, and/or relevant literature. - How are you addressing this problem, and on what basis (i.e., what is the underpinning idea or rationale)?
Whathas been effective so far, and what challenges remain? - What can we learn about inclusive doctoral education from your experience?
Reflect on both the successes of your approach and its limitations in terms of wider transferability or application.
Decisions will be communicated to those who submit w/c 4th May 2026.
If selected, simply come ready to share and discuss your idea in a way your feel comfortable — no formal presentations, slides, or polished papers are required.
We look forward to you joining us in exchanging ideas that translate into action!
You can also book a ticket for the Ideas Xchange event here.
The Ideas Xchange is generously funded by the Doctoral Training Alliance and is inspired by the That's Me! project, a collaboration between Birmingham City University and the University of Wolverhampton, funded by the Office for Students and Research England.