The UKAIS invites applications for the 2026 UKAIS Conference Doctoral Consortium, which will be held at the University of Sheffield on April 8th, 2026, a day before the main conference.

The UKAIS Doctoral Consortium provides Doctoral Students with the opportunity to present their research and receive comments and feedback on their work. Participants will also have the chance to learn about the research of fellow doctoral candidates and engage in discussions regarding their academic and research careers. Additionally, the consortium provides a platform for networking with Information Systems researchers, including both academics and students, from around the world.

What to expect

  • Small group discussions focusing on participants’ research, the methods of choice, their progress and next steps.
  • Constructive feedback from senior Information Systems scholars.
  • Discussions around the work in progress by other Doctoral Students.
  • Opportunities to network with other PhD students and Information Systems scholars from around the world.

Eligibility Requirements

  • Interested doctoral students need to be currently enrolled in a University and undertake a PhD Programme of studies. Their research should be in the broad area of Information Systems. Students in Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA) programmes are also encouraged to submit.
  • Students who will have defended their thesis (viva voce) at the time of the Doctoral Consortium are not eligible to apply/attend.
  • Successful applicants will need to register for the UKAIS Doctoral Consortium and attend the event in person.
  • The Doctoral Consortium and the conference will be in English. All submitted abstracts and materials will need to be in English, and applicants are expected to have sufficient command of the English language to fully participate in the event.

Submission

  • Applicants need to submit a 500 – 1,000 word abstract that summarises the aims, methods and the significance and relevancy of the research topic. The abstract should also contain the potential theoretical, methodological and/or practical contributions of their work. The submission should also include a Reference list. The list of references does not count towards the wordcount. Tables and Figures do not count towards the wordcount. Applicants should also attach an Appendix that provides a time plan of activities until completion. We will use this information for organisation purposes and to help us understand the applicants’ progress and time to completion.   
  • Your submission will need to be formatted as follows: Arial 11-point font, double space, 2.54 cm margins all around, all pages need to be numbered. Include a cover page, stating your name, the title of your thesis, the name of your supervisor(s), and your affiliations. Submissions that do not conform to the above will be sent back to the applicant for revisions and submissions that significantly exceed the word count will be rejected.
  • Your submission (cover page, abstract and/or appendices) should be in one single document.
  • Submissions are via Easychair.org. Please ensure you indicate that you are submitting to the Doctoral Consortium.

Selection Criteria

The UKAIS Doctoral Consortium seeks to be a developmental opportunity for all. Successful applicants will be invited on the basis of the following:

  • Quality of the research and significance of the potential contributions.
  • Potential benefit of the Doctoral Consortium for the applicant’s personal and professional development.
  • Potential contribution the applicant can make to the Doctoral Consortium.
  • Attendance of previous UKAIS or other Doctoral Consortia is not a criterion.

Important Dates

  • Application Deadline: December 12th, 2026
  • Notification of Acceptance:  January 16th, 2026
  • Doctoral Consortium: April 8th, 2026

Doctoral Consortium Chairs

To be announced

Keynote Speaker

To be announced

Faculty Mentors

To be announced.