Research Ethos

A vibrant research ethos is a clear distinguishing feature of SCD. Whether you are a prospective research student considering taking one of our research degrees or a prospective new member of the SCD faculty based in one of SCD’s Member Institutions or the Korean School of Theology, you will find that effective scholarship and the pursuit of research are highly valued and strongly supported across the SCD. For an overview see Research Policy.

This feature of SCD life has been clearly recognised by relevant Government agencies. In 2009, for example, the audit of the SCD by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) strongly commended the SCD for its ‘vibrant theological research culture’ and commended the SCD for ‘the support offered to research students and in particular to doctoral research students’, as well as its ‘culture of academic rigour, informed by scholarship drawn from across diverse theological traditions’. In the intervening years individual students and some staff have moved on, but others have taken their place. In 2016, when the SCD received self-accrediting status, the Tertiary Education Standards and Quality Agency (TEQSA) praised its strong research ethos, noting its ‘history of sustained scholarship’, which ‘impacts positively on teaching’, and its ‘active scholarly community’, which exists in a ‘supportive, collaborative environment’.

SCD has mounted research conferences each year since 2013 in theological education, public theology, and biblical, exegetical, and historical studies. Keynote speakers are internationally known scholars in their fields and conference proceedings have been published from each conference so far. Some of the Member Institutions and the Korean School of Theology have also held research conferences of note. In addition, SCD also holds the Annual and Special Lectures on evenings in first and second semester each year, respectively, at which guest academics present new research for the general public and scholars. The redevelopment of the SCD Press in exciting new directions in 2017 represents another important expansion of the research culture. SCD’s Honorary Research Associates, invited academic colleagues from other institutions of note, provide, variously, occasional thesis supervision, contributions to SCD conferences, faculty professional development, and research advice.

SCD research students are encouraged to attend and offer papers at the SCD conferences and other academic conferences that are publicised within SCD. The SCD has partnered with four other national theological institutions in developing the annual Postgraduate Research Conference: Theology and Philosophy, where SCD research students are encouraged to offer papers or simply attend and meet other research students from across the sector.