Early & Mid-Career Support

PhD, ECR & MCAs

Dedicated support for PhD Scholars, Early Career Researchers and Mid-Career Academics — bursaries, workshops, mentoring and resources to help you grow at every stage of your academic journey.

What’s on Offer

Support at every career stage

Bursaries

Conference bursaries for PhD Scholars and ECRs to attend the Annual CAUTHE Conference.

Workshops

The Bill Faulkner PhD/ECR workshop, the biennial Mid-Career Academic and joint HDR conference.

Mentoring

Small-group mentoring connecting PhD Scholars and ECRs with senior colleagues.

CTR+ALT PHD

Short video clips supporting the development of student members.

Bursaries

PhD Scholar & ECR Conference Bursaries

CAUTHE provides bursaries for PhD Scholars and Early Career Researchers to support attendance at the Annual CAUTHE Conference.

Eligibility criteria

Institutional criterion — one of the following

Applicants must be enrolled or working at a CAUTHE Chapter or Affiliate member institution.

Or

Be an ECR, one-year post-PhD, having completed their studies at a CAUTHE Chapter or Affiliate member institution.

And all of the following

  • Be a current, or join as, an individual Associate or Student CAUTHE member at the time of the application.

  • PhD scholars must be enrolled as a full- or part-time PhD student.
  • ECRs must have completed their PhD within five years of the conference.
  • Submit a full-refereed paper to the Annual Conference, with the applicant as the primary author (with the only acceptable co-authors for PhD bursaries being the author’s registered supervisors).
Apply — CAUTHE 2027

  • Applications closed

5pm (AEDT), 17 October 2027
Workshops

Build your skills alongside the conference & during the year

Workshops held immediately prior to the annual CAUTHE conference and our HDR conference during the year support researchers at different career stages.

Held annually

PhD & ECR Workshop

The Bill Faulkner PhD Scholar and Early Career Researcher workshop is a full-day workshop held immediately prior to the CAUTHE conference. It helps upcoming researchers develop relevant knowledge, skills and expertise through their PhD journey and into the early stages of their career, with the chance to network with fellow scholars and internationally recognised academics. Senior academics share their own experience and insightful advice on strategic thinking and approaches for building a successful long-term academic career.

  • Who: PhD scholars and ECRs who have completed a PhD within the past five years and hold a teaching or research position.

Every two years

Mid-Career Academic Workshop

The Mid-Career Academic (MCA) workshop is held every two years, immediately prior to the annual conference. It provides mid-career academics with strategic and practical advice on academic career development through one-to-one mentoring sessions and panel discussions with CAUTHE fellows and senior professors.

  • Who: MCAs at least five years post-PhD completion who hold a non-entry-level teaching and/or research position.
Held annually

Joint HDR Conference

The joint Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Conference is hosted by CAUTHE in collaboration with two of our kindred associations SMAANZ (Sport Management Association of Australia and New Zealand) and ANZALS (Australian and New Zealand Association for Leisure Studies). Held annually mid-year, the conference provides HDR candidates with a valuable opportunity to present their research, share ideas, connect with fellow scholars, and engage in learning and collaboration across the academic community.

  • Who: Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Scholars who are members of CAUTHE, ANZALS or SMAANZ.

Mentoring

The CAUTHE Mentoring Programme

Connecting PhD Scholars and Early Career Researchers with senior colleagues to establish a mutually beneficial, long-term relationship — promoting career and personal development through connectivity and support.

Video Series

CTR+ALT PHD

Short video clips presented by fellow scholars to support the academic, professional and personal development of student members.

Building a research identity Networking Conference presentations Slide design Q&A skills