Dear Regenerating Futures Colleagues!
Wrapping up a trimester is a big job… best wishes to all.
Again we have enjoyed academic collaborations from international visiting scholars! Martin Grunfeld presented a stimulating Futures Forum – exploring terroir (a French term relating the land / soil to the ecology of the area usually used in wine production – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terroir) and its application to multi-species research and teaching. There was a slight glitch in the internet on the day – so Martin re-recorded for us… see below!
Our next Futures forum is with soon to be graduated RF Graduate student Jo-Anne Britt and teaching colleague Emma Martinson who teach with micro bats and flying foxes to explore living in community (see details below).
We are also heading into our next Strategiser and the RF Retreat is coming up soon (1 – 3 June – in Geelong). The Incubator program continues to develop.
The RF has been funded for this year – and our funding strategy is different from previous years. We are now running three projects plus our Graduate Student program (funded separately through the GRA). Below are the descriptions for our projects. If you are interested in participating in them please be in touch.
Culturally Regenerative Universities – Collaborative Research Projects – Thinking Together
Collaborative RF research project developing the RF decolonising principle. Culturally regenerative universities are higher education institutions actively working to restore, sustain, and strengthen social and ecological systems, moving beyond merely reducing harm to proactively fostering thriving communities. They integrate indigenous knowledge, place-based learning, and transdisciplinary research to address climate change, inequality, and social disconnection.
The research program for 2026 advances the ongoing RF project (active since 2024). As one of six participating universities, the RF has leadership responsibilities for the policy and national framework work package across the larger project, as well as hosting our own culturally regenerative research. This project has been shortlisted for the ARC DP27 via EOI and has recently submitted the full application (April 2026). If we are successful then we have many excellent opportunities. If we are not ARC funded we will continue as a productive research practice across 2026 and beyond.
In this project diverse voices are welcomed and necessary to ensure the project attends to cultural regeneration in higher education. The research is to host experiences that generate deep interdisciplinarity
Project: host 4 immersive research workshops (cost: industry partner facilitation, venue and catering), host residential research confluences focussed on writing publications and grant applications (costs: accommodation and catering), host 9 decolonising reading group events (costs: venue and catering).
Responding to Anthropocene Challenges Through an International Ecology of Researchers – Engagement & impact activities – Achieving Impact
Collaborative RF research project engages a community of practice while culture building and mentoring utilising international and national partnerships established by the RF. We have actively built trusting relationships to support powerful transdisciplinary agendas that strengthen and mentor RF members and RF Graduates both within and beyond our research group. To engage in innovative research, we need to connect with innovative researchers internationally.
This project established connections to further engage RF members in interactions leading to collaborative, interdisciplinary research attending to Anthropocene challenges through engagements that explore ideas and generate research projects (that will be internally and externally funded). RF is the driver and conduit for a strong international network which has informal agreements with 3 international collectives and 4 national collectives. By leading this network to engage in the internationally significant challenges of the Anthropocene we will produce outputs and build culture and provide mentoring.
Project: host 12 collaborative presentations online (across the year) which generate thinking diversely about Anthropocene challenges, host international symposium to position educational policy that prioritises curriculum addressing Anthropocene challenges (speaker fees, venues, platforms, catering, research fellow), host 3 visiting scholars (venue and catering), Research workshops – located (hosting fees).
Regenerative Arts-based and Embodied Approaches to the Anthropocene – Engagement & impact activities – Achieving Impact
Collaborative interdisciplinary RF research project with key engagement and impact outcomes focussing on developing the RF Anthropocene challenges principle.
Strategic Action Symposia enables RF members to explore significant local to global socio-ecological challenges through regenerative action, developing individual and collective agency with arts-based strategies. Local government and other industry partners have previously been involved and will be invited to continue participation along with others. Symposia are held across the year – each resulting in media engagement and community impact. Plans for an edited book are developing that showcases snapshot exemplars of community engagement and theorises impact. Funding includes research assistant, catering and venue/hosting.
Jo and Peta will contract Research Assistant Anna Wiley to explore the project directions and management.
As you can see we are in for a busy and engaging year with some excellent research outputs leading to impact. Please reach out if you want to be directly involved – there is lots of scope and possibility for leadership and innovation.
Best wishes,
Peta and Jo