Australasian
Early
Career
Urban
Research
Network
The Australasian Early Career Urban Research Network (AECURN) aims to become the primary forum for PhD and ECR urban-focused research in Australia and the region. We promote, support, and advocate for early career agendas in urban research. We work across institutions and disciplines to empower early career voices in tackling pressing urban issues.
AECURN’s mission is to foster research capacity and community growth among early career scholars working in urban fields. This includes but is not limited to planning, urban design, geography, sociology, anthropology, and architecture. We welcome members from these and more disciplines to create a strong network of urban research in Australia and regionally.
AECURN is supported by the Australasian Cities Research Network (ACRN).
We work across three priority areas which align with the mission and values of our partner organisation, ACRN:
Connection & community
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Create and maintain a network of mutual awareness and support
Create regular opportunities for face to face and online engagement, networking, and social events
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Polling members regularly (one or two polls a year) to inform advocacy and communicate results of surveys through wider channels
Identify, understand, and promote the many faces of urban research in the region: building a membership database of early career experts on urban research for dissemination to academia and media
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Grow and diversify membership (and leadership) to be cross-disciplinary, inclusive, and representative - across locations, institutions, and backgrounds
Support leadership pathways through executive committee and membership rotation
Enhancing career pathways
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Support professional development by organising satellite events and programmes such as workshops, mentoring, publication support, awards, and summer schools
Address career precarity by raising awareness of aspects such as teaching only contracts, promotion, relocation, industry change, isolation
Increase visibility of successes and impact of urban researchers (website, Linkedin)
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Support annual flagship events: e.g. PhD Symposium at the State of Australasian Cities conference (SOAC); ECR Forum at the Institute of Australian Geographers conference (IAG)
Organise and promote opportunities for financial support and recognition
Championing urban research
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Amplify the diversity of voices of urban ECRs from across Australia, Aotearoa (New Zealand), and the region via online communication and in person events
Collate and share research funding opportunities, grant support, interdisciplinary support
Voice ECR perspectives and interests in the direction of urban research and practice within higher education
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Champion diversity of research to advocate for the value of urban disciplines: planning, geography, sociology, architecture, history, cultural studies, anthropology, ecology, etc.
Establish relationships with similar organisations
AECURN is open to any postgraduate student or early career researcher whose work relates to cities and the built environment!
Becoming
a member
Interested?
Horizons Program 2026
A warm welcome to the 2026 Horizons cohort and congratulations for joining the program!
We are pleased to partner with the Melbourne Centre for Cities to deliver the 2026 Horizons program.
Horizons is the Melbourne Centre for Cities’ flagship doctoral and early career researcher (ECR) capacity‑building program. The program is designed for 20 PhD candidates and post‑PhD early career researchers working on urban, cities and place‑based research across disciplines, including geography, planning, architecture, urban policy, sociology, and related fields.
The 2026 participants are Abdullah Anwar, Anahita Sal Moslehian, Atif Saeed Channa, Büşra Üstündağ, Clara Siagian, Daniel Bacchieri, Farnaz Fattahi, Ganggaya S., Jyotir Nisha, Kriti Pradhan, Muhammad Usman Haider, Naiyer F. Khanom, Nashruddin Latif, Natalie Calleja, Rachel Iampolski, Samantha Wong-Topp, Sanaz Memari, Shantanu Kulshreshth, Shermon Cruz, Sumiya Bilegsaikhan Taij and Tasma Eddy.
