GRASP
Thesis Fest and how to make the most of it
May 20th, 2026, by
If you’re new to Thesis Fest, it’s a two-day, conference-style event run by Curtin Library for HDR students. We’ve held it every year since 2021, and in April Jaya and I presented a paper on Curtin Thesis Fest at the Quality in Postgraduate Research (QPR) conference in Adelaide. It was a great chance to connect with educators, policy makers, academics, researchers and professional staff from Australia and overseas. QPR is all about understanding (and improving) the research degree student experience.
We met many of the presenters that some of you will recognise from past Thesis Fest events: Hugh Kearns, Inger Mewburn, Jason Dawes, Claire Jackson, Narelle Lemon and more. We also caught up with colleagues from Murdoch, ECU and UWA. Over three days, we swapped ideas and research about how universities can make the HDR journey a better experience for students like you.
The purpose of Thesis Fest
Being at QPR also made us pause and think about why we created Thesis Fest and what we hope you will get out of joining us in June. Thesis Fest grew out of what HDR students have shared with us: that you want connection, practical support, and a space to talk honestly about the ups and downs of research.
Many of you have told us that life as a research student can be lonely, isolating and stressful. It’s not always easy to find time (or space) to network, share what’s going on, or even just grab a coffee with other HDR students. At QPR, we heard the same stories and saw research from around the world about how universities can better support you through those challenges.
What you can expect at Thesis Fest
Thesis Fest is shaped by your feedback and the conversations we have with you. Each year we bring in different speakers and topics, so if you have been before, you will still find something new. And yes, we hear you when you ask for your favourite presenters to come back! When they return, we work with them to keep things fresh and include new ideas.
We want Thesis Fest to be a space where you can meet like-minded people, talk honestly about the hard parts, and pick up strategies you can use to get through the tough times. We also want to celebrate your achievements and your journey and make sure that, over the two days, you have moments to have fun, laugh and enjoy catered lunches and morning and afternoon teas. Expect quizzes, raffles and craft activities during the breaks. It does not matter if you have just started your candidacy or are close to completing, students tell us that they find something worthwhile each time they join us.
Making the most of Thesis Fest
At QPR, we were intentional about networking and engagement. We introduced ourselves to colleagues, contributed to discussions during sessions, and spoke with presenters afterwards. This helped us build stronger connections across the sector. We also reconnected with WA colleagues and agreed to establish a community of practice for research support professionals. Several conversations also led to some unexpected benefits: we are exploring a collaborative project on predatory conferences with a researcher, and we have invited one of the conference participants to present at Thesis Fest 2026.
So, we encourage you to be intentional about networking at Thesis Fest, too. You may make connections across disciplines, find a study buddy, meet potential participants for your research, or simply get to know some friendly faces to share a coffee with from time to time.
Thesis Fest 2026 will be held from 30th June to 1st July, and we will share the program and registration details in an email to you very soon. We encourage you to join us to connect with other HDR students, Curtin staff and academics, and a range of guest speakers. Please bring your questions, share what you found most valuable, and let us know what you would like to see included in future events.
Please make any anonymous comments/ feedback, or suggestions for further posts at this link. If you would like to get in touch, or write a post for the Ideas Hub blog, please email karen.miller@curtin.edu.au. Contributions from HDR students are welcome!
Photo from Thesis Fest 2024