2026 ACT Disaster Resilience Policy and Research Forum

About

Building on the success of the inaugural 2025 Forum, this interdisciplinary event brings together researchers, policymakers, practitioners and community organisations to tackle the systemic challenges shaping disaster resilience in the ACT. Co-hosted by the ACT Government’s Justice and Community Safety Directorate and the University of Canberra’s Centre for Environmental Governance and News & Media Research Centre, the Forum offers a genuine opportunity for researchers and end-users to engage directly and progress ideas from research into real-world policy and practice.

Focus

This year’s Forum focuses on the systems that shape risk and resilience across the ACT, including governance, decision-making, and the role of social capital and social connectedness in building stronger, more resilient communities. We’ll draw on the priorities identified at the 2025 Forum as a starting point, but no prior attendance needed to attend this year's event. We want to test those ideas identified in 2025 with fresh eyes, and we’re keen to hear new ideas and voices from across government, research, community and industry. Whether you joined us last year or this is your first time, you’ll help shape the conversation and build the networks and collaboration that strengthen disaster resilience in the ACT. 

Program

The program includes practical case studies of resilience in action across the ACT, a panel discussion exploring governance, social connectedness and community resilience, and an interactive workshop identifying systemic priorities for the ACT. Together, these sessions will build genuine networks and collaboration across government, research and community, and generate ideas, partnerships and practical priorities that can inform future research, policy and practice. Outcomes from the day will also feed into a co-developed Systemic Priorities Statement, alongside the connections and collaborations formed on the day itself.

This is a valuable opportunity to build networks across the research-policy-practice interface, contribute to shaping systemic priorities for the ACT, gain insight into implementation challenges, and identify new partnerships and funding opportunities.

Limited to 100 participants to ensure meaningful interaction, with balanced representation across research, policy, practice, and community sectors. If you know colleagues who would benefit from this forum, please feel free to share this event.

Please note, this is an in-person event.

Banner image by Daniel Morton-Jones on Unsplash