Call for Submissions

Submission types in full

Refereed Papers — 2027 Conference Issue of the Student Success Journal

Refereed Papers have a separate submission pathway and an earlier deadline of 22 February 2027. They are submitted directly to the Student Success Journal — not through the conference submission form — and undergo double-blind peer review against HERDC research criteria. Accepted authors must present their paper in person at the Conference.

See the Refereed Papers page for full submission requirements, quality standards, review criteria, and the Journal link. Questions: journal@unistars.org.

Good Practice Reports

Good Practice Reports should describe national or institutional-wide projects (or projects of a similar scale) and their outcomes and impact. They are not required to meet the definition of research but should be scholarly in approach and informed by relevant literature. Where such work is in-progress or is specific to a particular subject or degree program, or is limited to a department or school, the appropriate submission type is more likely to be an Emerging Initiative. Good Practice Reports should describe the project or initiative, and its rationale, the project deliverables and/or outcomes and their impact in terms of the 5 Pillars of Student Success (students, transitions, achievement, retention and success). Critically, Good Practice Reports should highlight how the outcomes/deliverables could be applied more broadly or used in other contexts.

Good Practice Reports should be between 8–10 pages and may not exceed ten (10) pages in total including any introductory material (project and project team details and project overview), body and references. Report presentations should not exceed 15 minutes and should allow at least 15 minutes for discussion with delegates. An exemplar Good Practice Report can be viewed here.

Quality requirements for Good Practice Reports

• Align with one or more of the Conference and Student Success Journal themes.
• Refer to previous relevant published works.
• Be of a high professional standard.
• Be proof-read and publication ready.
• Adhere to the description of a Good Practice Report.
• Comply with the submission format guidelines.
• Comply with latest APA referencing system (7th Edition).

Submissions that do not meet these quality requirements will be returned to authors for correction before being accepted for consideration.

Review criteria for Good Practice Reports

• Reference to existing good practice or the literature on which the project is based.
• Description of the project, including the rationale for the project and its aim and objectives.
• Description of the project’s deliverables and/or outcomes highlighting how these can be taken up or applied more broadly or used in other contexts.
• Description of the project’s impact or potential impact in terms of the Conference topics.
• Currency of material.
• Originality and practicality of the practice being reported.
• Organisation and structure.
• Clarity of style and expression.

Emerging Initiatives

Emerging Initiatives focus on practical initiatives and innovations. Submissions should explain what is being done/proposed, how the work is innovative or what particular problem or issue is addressed and importantly how or why this initiative builds on or extends existing good practice or knowledge. Submissions should include a rationale that explains why the initiative exists or what it hopes to achieve, and the approach or method that will be used. Importantly, presenters of emerging initiatives should solicit feedback and encourage discussion from conference delegates about the initiative.

Emerging Initiatives submissions should be submitted as a presentation proposal of 1–2 pages and may not exceed 2 pages in total. The presentation proposal should include the paper title, author details, proposal and questions or issues for discussion with conference delegates, plus 4–5 key relevant references (included in the 2-page limit). Presenters should plan for at least 15 minutes of audience participation or discussion. The Conference Organising Committee reserves the right to combine submissions on similar topics into moderated discussions. An exemplar Emerging Initiative can be viewed here.

Quality requirements for Emerging Initiatives

• Align with one or more of the Conference and Student Success Journal topics.
• Refer to previous relevant published works.
• Be of a high professional standard.
• Be proof-read and publication ready.
• Comply with the submission format guidelines.
• Comply with latest APA referencing system (7th Edition).

Submissions that do not meet these quality requirements will be returned to authors for correction before being accepted for consideration.

Review criteria for Emerging Initiatives

• Evidence of an understanding of existing good practice and relevant scholarly literature.
• The quality of the description of what is being done or proposed and how the emerging initiative builds on or extends current practice or knowledge.
• A clear rationale for why the initiative is being explored or undertaken and the approach or method that is being/will be used.
• Currency of material.
• Level of impact (or expected impact).
• Originality and practicality of initiative.
• Organisation and structure of the proposal.
• Clarity of style and expression in the proposal.
• Inclusion of key questions or issues that will be posed to encourage audience participation and discussion.

LaunchPad Submissions

‘LaunchPads’ are fast-paced, 7-minute presentations (with 3–5 slides) where presenters pitch an idea, share an innovation, or test a new concept. Each session will feature five presentations followed by a 20-minute panel Q&A. These sessions are designed to give new ideas lift-off — encouraging dialogue, feedback, and fresh thinking.

A LaunchPad submission is ideal for anyone who is:

• New to presenting in conference settings and would like a supportive, time-limited opportunity to share their work.
• Interested in feedback on an emerging idea, innovation, or project they are developing.
• Testing a concept or seeking input before taking it to the next stage of implementation or research.
• Looking for visibility to showcase a fresh perspective or early-stage initiative to peers and leaders in the field.

Submission requirements for LaunchPads

• Align with one or more of the Conference and Student Success Journal topics.
• Be of a high professional standard, proof-read, and presentation ready.
• Comply with the submission format guidelines.
• Clearly outline the proposed presentation (maximum 1 page).

Review criteria for LaunchPads

• Is the concept or innovation clearly articulated in a concise way?
• Does it offer a fresh perspective or practical application relevant to education?
• Could the idea, if developed further, make a meaningful contribution?
• Does the proposal include a key question, provocation, or challenge to stimulate discussion during the Q&A?
• Can the idea be effectively communicated within a 7-minute, 3–5 slide format?

The proposal should include the title, author(s), a 200–300 word summary of the idea, and one or two questions for audience discussion. LaunchPad submissions must not exceed one page, including references.

Posters

Posters are presented during the Conference in the form of an A0 printed poster. Posters are most appropriate for providing a visual presentation of complex ideas or summaries of large programs that lend themselves to collegial and informal discussion. The purpose of a poster is to present information in a concise and visual manner. Posters provide a talking point and an opportunity for collegial engagement for delegates of the Conference.

The initial submission is a poster proposal (click here for an example) which should not be more than one A4 page in length and complies with the poster proposal quality and review criteria. Poster proposals should be submitted by the submission deadline. A template is available to assist with formatting. If your Poster Proposal is accepted, a digital version of your actual poster (click here for an example) will be required by 1 June 2027 for inclusion in the Conference Program and Proceedings.

Quality requirements for Posters

• Align with one or more of the Conference and Student Success Journal themes.
• Refer to previous relevant published works.
• Be of a high professional standard.
• Be proof-read and publication ready.
• Comply with the relevant submission format guidelines.
• Comply with latest APA referencing system (7th Edition).

Submissions that do not meet these quality requirements will be returned to authors for correction before being accepted for consideration.

Review criteria for Posters

• Currency of material.
• Description of impact (or expected impact).
• Originality and practicality of the work presented.
• Organisation and structure.
• Clarity of style and expression.

Written submission format requirements

• Font — Times New Roman, 12pt unless specified.
• Page format — A4 portrait, all margins 2.54cm, all fully-justified.
• Paper title — 14pt, bold, centred, sentence case, followed by 18pt spacing.
• Author details — 12pt, centred, title case: given name, surname, faculty or school or department & institution, followed by 18pt spacing. If more than one author from the same institution/department, please provide these details only once.
• Abstract — 12pt, italics, fully justified, indented 1cm from left and right margins, followed by 18pt spacing. Word limit is 150 words.
• Section headings — 12pt, bold, sentence case, left aligned, no numbering. 12pt space before and after heading.
  • 1st level subheading — 12pt, italics, sentence case, left aligned. 12pt space before and after heading. Do not number subheadings.
  • 2nd level subheading — 12pt, sentence case, left aligned. 12pt space before and after heading. Do not number subheadings.
• Body text — 12pt, single-spaced, fully justified. 12pt spacing after each paragraph.
• References and citations — 12pt, latest version of APA referencing style (a simplified guide is available here). List references under a section heading “References” with hanging indents. Long quotes (approximately 30 words or more) — 10pt, indented 1cm from left and right margins, fully justified.
• Tables and figures — captions in 12pt, bold, sentence case, centred below table or figure.
• Footer — 10pt, left aligned, same footer on all pages containing: paper title and submission type (e.g. research paper, poster).
• Footnotes — 10pt, left aligned; only for points of clarification, not for references or citations. They should appear at the bottom of the relevant page, not before the references.
• Page numbers — 10pt, bottom of page, right aligned.

Submission length

• Refereed Papers — only to be submitted to the Student Success Journal website — not more than 12 pages in total including references.
• Good Practice Reports — not more than 10 pages in total including references (as a guide, 8–10 pages will be required to adequately meet the criteria).
• Emerging Initiatives — not more than 2 pages in total including a brief reference list.
• LaunchPads — not more than 1 page in total including references.
• Posters — not more than 1 page in total including references.

Downloadable templates and exemplars

• Good Practice Reports and Emerging Initiatives template
• LaunchPad and Poster Proposal template
• Exemplar Good Practice Report
• Exemplar Emerging Initiative
• Exemplar Poster Proposal
• Exemplar Poster

Further examples can be found in the proceedings from previous Conferences.

Important dates

• 22 February 2027 — Refereed Paper submissions to the Student Success Journal close (5pm AEST).
• 01 March 2027 — Submission deadline for Good Practice Reports, Emerging Initiatives, LaunchPads and Posters (5pm AEST).
• From 15 April 2027 — Notifications start being sent to authors.
• 15 May 2027 — At least one author must be registered to attend.
• 1 June 2027 — Digital version of accepted posters required.

Submission terms and conditions

To make a submission for the Student Success Conference, the submitting author (primary contact) must agree to the conditions outlined below.

• In-Person Presentation Requirement — If my submission is accepted, I confirm that the presentation will be delivered in person at the 2027 Conference, to be held at ECU City Campus, Perth WA.
• Registration and Fees — I acknowledge that all presenters and co-presenters must complete conference registration and pay the applicable registration fee by 15 May 2027. All travel, accommodation, and related expenses are the responsibility of the presenter(s).
• Poster Presentations — If the submission is accepted as a poster presentation, I understand that at least one listed author must be registered for the conference in order for the poster to be included in the official program and displayed onsite.
• Publication of Submission — I grant permission for my submission to be published in the official conference program and proceedings and shared via the Student Success website, social media channels, and other online platforms.
• Photography and Promotional Use — I acknowledge that photographs may be taken during my presentation and agree that these images may be used for promotional purposes, including on the Student Success website, in printed or digital publications, and on social media.
• Scheduling of Presentations — I understand that the conference committee is responsible for determining the date and time allocation of all accepted presentations.
• Access to Presentation Materials — I agree that my presentation materials may be made available to registered conference delegates.
• Commercial Content — Papers originating from commercial organisations, or containing commercial or promotional content, will not be considered. This is to ensure equity and fairness for our commercial sponsors.

Questions about submitting to the Journal: journal@unistars.org