Researcher Education and Development Scholarship Conference

What is the REDS Conference?

The Researcher Education and Development Scholarship (REDS) Conference is focused on the scholarship (evaluation, research into practice, action research, theoretical perspectives) of Researcher Education and Development in its widest sense. The REDS Conference places preference on research into practice and requires that selected conference authors situate their work within the available literature and theory base, to support and sustain the sector in delivering robust evidence-informed practice. It aims to support the daily evaluative work that developers do, to be critically examined and presented in line with the existing theory and the literature bases. In doing so, we support publishing both from within and about our profession and offer support for colleagues learning how to research their practice.

2026 Call for Abstracts

The 2026 REDS Conference will centre on, Getting Creative: shaping a culture of development.

Creative approaches to the development of researcher and research ecosystems are needed now more than ever as financial, moral and philosophical challenges sweep across the global Higher Education sector. Developers are asked to ‘do more with less’, to remain resilient, to resist, to advocate for the importance of professional development and to provide value for all. This conference asks:

1. How did/do researcher developers create and sustain a culture of development?
2. ⁠What are the sites and spaces through which Researcher Developers innovate?
3. What can we learn from the evolution of the Research Developer profession?
4. What are the defining features and essential components of a developmental research culture?
5. What creative approaches can universities apply to succeed despite established challenges?
6. What are the sector and institutional drivers that can be leveraged to support strong cultures for development?
7. What can the demonstrable adaptability of Researcher Developers in response to sector challenges teach us about how we support creativity and resilience in researchers?

Read the full conference theme information here.

Key Dates

• Call for Abstracts opens: Friday 5^th September 2025
• Registration opens: Monday 15^th September 2025
• Abstract Submission Deadline: 5pm 27^th October 2025.
• Notification of selection process outcomes: by end of November 2025.
• Conference Dates: 1pm-6pm GMT 21^st January and 8am-1pm GMT  22^nd January 2026

Who can submit?

Whether you work in researcher or academic development, supervise doctoral researchers, manage, lead or support early-career academics, are a senior leader, manage a project or portfolio, or are a researcher yourself with experiences to share, your perspective matters to this inclusive scholarly community. There are no exclusion criteria and works in progress are welcomed.

How to Write a Good Conference Abstract

If this is your first time writing an abstract or you would like to access a supportive space for writing here are the slides from the recent ‘How to write a good conference abstract’ sessions.

What do I need to submit?

Regardless of chosen format, you will submit your and co-authors professional details and affiliations, an Abstract no longer than 250 words that summarises the scholarly work you want to share at REDS, and references to the scholarly literature that underpins your work.

Your abstract should align with one or more of the conference themes and to the development and education of research and researchers, including the local, institutional and sector cultures in which they work. This includes theory and practice of developing researchers and scholars including PGRs (HDRs/Doctoral researchers, e.g. PhD), Research Staff (Postdocs, PDRAs), Research Fellows, and Academic Staff. As well as those for whom research work may be fractional or done in addition to their paid role such as Research Professional Staff (Managers, Administrators, Developers, Librarians and other specialists), Technicians and Research Facilities specialists, Teaching Specialist Academics including those for whom research is called Practitioner Research, or Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

We welcome submissions related to developing researchers in Research Industries, the NHS and other medical contexts, and in Research Institutes, including work from/about Independent Researchers.

What are my options for type of submission?

Presentation format options are:

1. Scholarly Paper (15min live presentation plus 5min questions).
2. WIP (Work In Progress) Presentation (5min live presentation using only 2 slides)
3. Blog post. 1000-word blog article (see here for examples).

Submission Platform

The original Call for Abstracts for REDS 2026 is now closed. Due to demand we have opened up a new abstract submissions process for those wishing to present their work via a 1000-word REDS blog post (written submission published on the Open Access REDS website, authors retain copyright).

Find the blog post submission form here

Review process

All submitted abstracts will be reviewed by subgroup of the REDS Conference Advisory Group and selection is based on coherence, match to the theme, and scholarly underpinnings.

Support and Contact If you have questions or require support, please contact: researcher-development@glasgow.ac.uk