Background: In a world that is no longer able to maintain or sustain social or cultural enclaves, free from impact of global flows of capital, technologies and bodies, our lives have become more complex. People, events, governments and institutions such as education are increasingly interconnected. In universities, where the presence and influence of an ever-expanding world are particularly keenly recognized, ideas, information and knowledge increasingly cross national boundaries, enabled by digital media and geographical mobility for academics and students. Those of us concerned with doctoral education are involved in developments that allow and indeed require an international consciousness and an active reaching out to connect programs, knowledge and understanding about pedagogy, and knowledge production. Research and research education become primary sites for shaping the world.

Who we are: The International Doctoral Education Research Network (IDERN) was formed in this context, to provide an avenue for researchers on doctoral education from around the globe to generate dialogue on knowledge creation and doctoral pedagogy. The aim of the network was to generate a collaborative, international research agenda for doctoral education; to build a research field

in this most advanced form of educational provision, and to connect researchers from different national settings, as well as different disciplines and research perspectives. The network has been operating since 2007 and aims to meet for a research forum once every two or three years, as well as to use online technologies to share and disseminate information and research on the doctorate.

Purpose: The International Doctoral Education Research Network (IDERN) is a network of scholars and practitioners actively engaged in researching doctoral education. The aims of the network are to generate a collaborative, international research agenda for doctoral education, and to connect researchers from different national settings as well as different disciplines and research perspectives.

 Membership: IDERN is not a traditional academic organization or association. To be a “member” of IDERN is to be subscribed to the IDERN listserv, which is the primary means of keeping this research community connected. The listserv is, outside of the meetings, the primary means of keeping this research community connected. The IDERN listserv is currently managed by Dr Douglas Eacersall, University of Southern Queensland, Australia Idern@usq.edu.au. Previously, the list was managed by Dr. Cecile Badenhorst, Memorial University, Canada (cbadenhorst@mun.ca) and before that, by Dr Mark Connolly, University of Wisconsin-Madison (mrconnolly@wisc.edu ), USA.

To join IDERN, email IDERN@usq.edu.au. 

If you have any questions about posting to the list, please contact Dr Douglas Eacersall at Idern@usq.edu.au.

Meetings: IDERN holds a meeting every two or three years to encourage professional exchange and networking through conversations around current trends, influences, challenges and concerns in doctoral education. Previous meetings and locations include:

• 2018 Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
• 2016 University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
• 2013 Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
• 2010 Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia
• 2007 McGill University, Montreal, Canada

If you conduct research into doctoral education and would like to attend a meeting, please contact:
Dr. Barbara Grant
Associate Professor, Higher Education
School of Critical Studies in Education
Faculty of Education and Social Work
The University of Auckland
bm.grant@auckland.ac.nz
Tel: +64 9 3737 599, ext 48272