Show Me
Scholarship-supported research project
Australian Catholic University (ACU) is offering one full-time PhD scholarship package to undertake research about AI for the Early Years.
The successful applicant will work on an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Project to Investigate how children, families and educators understand and envision the future of AI for Early Years education.
The PhD candidate will be integral to the project, working collaboratively with the research team, including Professor Susan Edwards (ACU, Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education) and Dr Victoria Minson (ACU, Faculty of Education and Arts).
Opportunities for methodological and theoretical mentoring and collaborative publishing will be facilitated.
| Study mode | Full-time for up to 3.5 years |
|---|---|
| Location | ACU Ballarat or Melbourne campus |
| Places available | One |
| Commencing | 2025 |
| Supervisor |
Professor Susan Edwards Professor Susan Edwards is Director of the Early Childhood Futures research program in the Institute for Learning Sciences & Teacher Education. Her group investigates the role of play-based learning in the early childhood curriculum for the 21st century. |
| Research group |
Institute for Learning Science and Teacher Education Established in 2014, the Institute for Learning Sciences and Teacher Education (ILSTSE) has driven ACU's research excellence in the priority area of Education, contributing to ACU's current standing as second in Australia and 32nd in the world for education (Shanghai Ranking, 2023). The institute is supported by 41 funding partners and 28 university collaborators, with funded projects totalling $15.5 million and national competitive grants worth $10.4 million. It hosts 19 highly esteemed academics and 30 research, administrative, IT and research support staff. ILSTE's record of ARC grant success in education is $9,709,439 including a Future Fellowship, 15 Discovery grants, 8 Linkage grants and 6 DECRAs. ILSTE provides world-class research infrastructure that facilitates large-scale research studies. The research environment is outstanding in terms of resources, intellectual capital and research mentoring and PhD supervision. |
| Scholarship package |
The successful applicant will be awarded a scholarship package consisting of:
International candidates will also receive:
The scholarship package is subject to satisfactory progress and full-time study mode. The scholarship conditions align with the ACU Research Training Program Scholarship Policy. |
Applications close: Wednesday 2 April 2025, 11:59 pm AEST
In addition to the eligibility criteria, the successful applicant should have:
To be considered for this scholarship, applicants must submit all documentation required for an application to the PhD program at ACU, as detailed in the How to Apply instructions, plus:
When completing the PhD application form, please indicate that you are also applying for a stipend scholarship and include the name of this project "AI for the Early Years".
Interested candidates should contact Professor Susan Edwards before applying for the PhD program and scholarship:
As a research candidate at ACU, you will join a world-class research community ready to support you on your research journey.
Our researchers develop innovative solutions to issues impacting human dignity and the common good. Through interdisciplinary and collaborative research, they seek to enable people to develop intellectually, spiritually, physically, socially and emotionally, to enable flourishing lives, foster thriving communities and build an ethical future.
If you dream of working to solve the critical challenges we face in the world today, explore our research to discover why ACU is the place for you.
Explore our research(1) Times Higher Education World University Rankings, 2025 (2) Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025, ranked IFCU members (3) 2024 CWTS Leiden Rankings (4) Times Higher Education Young University Rankings, 2024
Explore a range of scholarships to support you while you study and opportunities to connect with industry, translate your research and develop as a researcher.
Learn moreACU's Graduate Research School seeks to develop the next generation of researchers, ready to solve the critical challenges we face in the world today.
Learn moreOpen up new possibilities for your future by becoming a research candidate at ACU. Discover our research degrees and follow our step-by-step guide to apply.
Learn moreMeet our research candidates, explore their stories and discover how they are creating impact through empathy with collaborative and contemporary research.
Learn more