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The annual Vice-Chancellor's awards for the best doctoral theses have been announced.
Key points
From research that addresses the challenges faced by internationally qualified nurses, to a study on minimising intergenerational tension around children’s online play, Australian Catholic University’s best and brightest doctoral candidates have been recognised with a prestigious excellence award.
Dr Jane Caughey (Faculty of Education and Arts) and Dr Chanchal Kurup (Faculty of Health Sciences) both graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy, Summa Cum Laude. The pair were the recipients of the 2025 Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Doctoral Training, which recognises exceptional research achievement across the PhD program.
Dr Caughey, whose PhD explored the commonalities and tensions between children and their caregivers around online play, said she was “surprised and deeply honoured” to receive the award.
“I started my PhD journey during strict COVID lockdowns in Victoria while I was juggling remote learning for my three teenage children,” Dr Caughey said.
“My research kept me motivated, and I’m so grateful to my PhD co-supervisors, Professor Suzy Edwards, Professor Kathy Mills and Associate Professor Karen McLean, whose support, encouragement, and research expertise helped elevate the quality of my thesis and nurtured my research capabilities.”
Dr Caughey’s research explores how children and their caregivers have different lived experiences and perspectives of online play. Her PhD topic was partly inspired by observing her own children’s enjoyment playing Minecraft online with their friends.
“I hope my research helps reshape deficit-based views of children’s online play and promotes awareness about the capacity for this kind of play to be a developmentally beneficial activity.”
Dr Caughey’s journey at ACU began back in the 1990s with a Bachelor of Education, and more recently a Master of Education (Research). She is now working full-time at ACU as a Research Fellow on the Artificial Intelligence for the Early Years project led by Professor Suzy Edwards.
Dr Kurup’s doctoral thesis explores the use of speciality skills among internationally qualified nurses in Australia.
Her research is grounded in lived experience. Dr Kurup arrived in Australia from India in 2011 as an experienced registered nurse, but her confidence was shaken when she stepped into a new system where her experience and accomplishments no longer carried the same weight.
“The questions I ask, and the problems I seek to address, come from moments I have experienced firsthand,” Dr Kurup said.
“Despite being part of a workforce that Australia needed, I found myself starting again. I had to rebuild not just my career, but my sense of self. It was uncomfortable, humbling, and at times deeply confronting.
“That experience shaped everything that followed. It gave my PhD a purpose beyond a qualification. It became a way to make sense of that journey, and to ensure that others do not have to feel invisible in the same way.”
Dr Kurup said her research had application beyond the healthcare system.
“While my work focuses on nursing, the reality it captures reaches far beyond one profession. It speaks to the broader experience of skilled migrants whose capabilities are often overlooked or under-recognised.
“Australia depends on skilled migration to strengthen its workforce, particularly in healthcare. While this creates opportunity on both sides, the reality is often more complex. Many internationally qualified professionals arrive ready to contribute yet find themselves unable to use the full extent of their skills.”
Dr Kurup completed her PhD in three years while working full-time and raising two young children.
“Being one of only two doctoral candidates to receive the Vice-Chancellor’s Excellence Award was deeply emotional and affirming,” Dr Kurup said.
“The first person I shared the news with was my husband. He is someone who naturally avoids the spotlight, yet he has been the quiet force behind everything I have achieved, and my PhD was only possible because of his unwavering support.
“At the time I began this journey, my children, Ayvan and Travan, were just two and four years old. My family kept me grounded through it all. They stood beside me during long hours, missed holidays, and moments when I was physically present but mentally absorbed in my work. Their patience, understanding, and quiet strength made it possible for me to keep moving forward.
“This journey has also reminded me that it truly takes a village to raise not only a child, but a graduate.”
Dr Kurup’s PhD also marked the culmination of a long journey at ACU, which began with a Graduate Certificate, followed by a master’s degree, and ultimately her doctoral studies.
“I’m deeply grateful to my supervisors, Professor Elisabeth Jacob, Professor Vasiliki Betihavas, and Associate Professor Adam Burston, whose belief in me, guidance, and steady encouragement has carried me through.”
“From the very beginning, the support I received at ACU as a working mother was exceptional. During maternity leave and other life transitions, the flexibility and understanding shown by staff left a lasting impression.”
Dr Kurup’s work has already begun to make an impact in the profession. She has worked with policymakers and organisations such as Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) on skill assessment pathways and contributed to funded projects focused on internationally qualified nurses.
Her work has also led to recognition beyond academia, including a Multicultural Australia Award for Highly Influential New Queenslander and a nomination for the 2026 Australia Day Awards.
Dr Kurup is now a Senior Lecturer at CQUniversity, where she is embarking on the next chapter of her career in academia.
“I am working towards a future where nursing is truly recognised as a global profession, where a qualified nurse can move across countries and begin contributing meaningfully from day one, without unnecessary barriers.
“Meaningful change always begins by questioning what we accept as normal. Through research, collaboration, and advocacy, I aim to contribute to systems that recognise capability, value experience, and enable nurses to practise to their full potential across borders.”
ACU Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Zlatko Skrbis said both recipients exemplified the highest standards of doctoral scholarship.
“These scholars represent the very best of our research community,” Professor Skrbis said.
“Their work demonstrates academic excellence and a deep commitment to advancing knowledge with meaningful real-world impact.”
Graduate Research School Director Ms Michelle Lopez said the awards highlighted excellence across the PhD journey.
“Our recipients have distinguished themselves through innovation, perseverance, and a clear passion for their fields.
“Both have demonstrated remarkable focus and a clear vision for how their research can benefit society.”
The awardees will be formally recognised at upcoming graduation ceremonies.
The Vice-Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence in Doctoral Training form part of ACU’s ongoing commitment to high-impact research and supporting the next generation of scholars.
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