Free Online ECEC Leadership Research Symposium

On November 5th, 2025, the ECEC Leadership Research Symposium, hosted online by Charles Sturt University and OMEP Australia, invites educators, researchers, and sector leaders to explore the evolving landscape of leadership in early childhood settings. 

This symposium brings together some of Australia’s most respected voices to share insights on:

• Mentoring and sustainable practice

• Workforce retention and educator well-being

• Leadership in rural and remote communities

• Exemplary practice and relational dynamics

• Sustainability and ethical leadership

Each presentation is a window into the lived realities of ECEC leadership—its tensions, triumphs, and transformative potential.

Highlights from the Agenda

• Dr Jessica Ciuciu explores how positional leadership and teacher relationships support agency and retention.

• Prof. Frances Press reflects on why leadership emerged so strongly in a study not originally focused on it.

• Dr Belinda Downey and Ms Su Garrett examine how relationships and leadership shape educator retention.

• Prof. Fay Hadley shares mentoring strategies that build leadership and secure sector sustainability.

• Dr Leanne Gibbs amplifies rural and remote leadership innovations that foster equity and quality.

These sessions are more than academic—they’re deeply practical, emotionally resonant, and sector-shaping.

Whether you’re an educator seeking inspiration, a researcher driving change, or a leader navigating complexity, this symposium offers a space to reflect, reimagine, and reconnect. It’s a chance to engage with cutting-edge research, contribute to national dialogue, and co-create the future of early childhood leadership in Australia.

Date: Wednesday 5 November, 2025
Time: 12.30 PM - 5:00 PM

For more information and to register: ECEC Leadership Research Symposium