Listening, Learning, and Leading Change Through Qualitative Research

Thu Sep 25, 2025

At the 2025 International Congress for Qualitative Research and Theory Methodologies (ic-QRTM), hosted by the Institute for Research and Theory Methodologies (RTM) and sponsored by CQ University Australia, we are coming together virtually to explore the transformative potential of qualitative research. This year’s theme, Listening, Learning, and Leading Change Through Qualitative Research, calls attention to the unique ways qualitative inquiry helps us better understand, respond to, and transform the world around us.

Why Listening Matters

At the heart of qualitative research is a commitment to listening deeply—to participants, to communities, and to contexts. Listening is not a passive act; it requires openness, attentiveness, and respect for perspectives that may challenge our own. By listening, researchers uncover lived experiences that numbers alone cannot fully capture. These stories and insights lay the foundation for meaningful understanding.

Learning from Experience

Through listening, we gain the opportunity to learn from diverse experiences. Learning in qualitative research is not only about gathering data but also about reflecting, interpreting, and recognizing complexity. Whether it’s understanding cultural practices, exploring patient care, or examining organizational dynamics, qualitative research helps us see the nuance and depth that inform human behavior and decision-making.

Leading Change

Listening and learning are not enough without action. Insights from qualitative research have the power to shape policy, improve practice, inspire collective action, and advance social transformation. By centering human voices and experiences, qualitative researchers contribute to solutions that are responsive, equitable, and sustainable. Leading change means using research as a bridge that connects experiences to decision-makers, evidence to advocacy, and knowledge to transformation.

Join Us in This Conversation

The 2025 International Congress for Qualitative Research and Theory Methodologies will bring together researchers across disciplines to share findings, exchange ideas, and strengthen skills. Sessions will highlight innovative methodologies, showcase applied research, and foster conversations about the role of qualitative research in addressing today’s most pressing challenges.

We invite you to join us in exploring how listening, learning, and leading change through qualitative research can advance not only our fields of study but also the communities and societies we serve.

RTM and CQ University Australia have pioneered a unique and innovative twist for the ic-QRTM. Rather than one event, ic-QRTM is a month-long event where researchers around the world have the opportunity to showcase their research in various ways to broaden the reach of their research. It consists of a combination of live virtual events and pre-recorded events that start on October 2, 2025.

Register here to see the calendar of events for the 2025 ic-QRTM: