NCRRRE 2026
Ballarat / Wadawurrung Country
18-20 August

Venue: Mercure Ballarat Hotel and Convention Centre

Click here to view the conference handbook including the program and all submissions.

The 2026 National Conference for Regional, Rural and Remote Education (NCRRRE) aims to highlight strength-based models for regional, rural and remote education, whereby education providers recognise and partner with the rich knowledge, experiences, skills and diversity that local communities have, and provide opportunity to all.

The conference aims to highlight the outstanding work of practitioners and researchers across ALL education sectors, including Early Childhood, Schools, Vocational and Tertiary Education and enable attendees to contribute to policy discussions regarding regional, rural and remote education.

The conference objectives are to:

• Challenge researchers, practitioners and policymakers to analyse current challenges and opportunities, identify emerging issues, and develop ways forward;
• Recognise the significance of First Nations peoples – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia and their knowledge, perspectives and experiences are important in shaping future developments in regional, rural and remote education;
• Contribute to the evidence base and practice of enhancing regional, rural and remote education locally and globally;
• Develop links with organisations and governments that have similar professional aims or recent experiences relevant to regional, rural and remote education.

The Society for the Provision of Education in Rural Australia (SPERA) aims to advance education opportunities in rural Australia by:

• serving as a national advocate for rural education
• promoting delivery systems that bring about efficient and effective learning; and
• collating and disseminating information on the provision of education in rural Australia.