School of Education

The Fellowship has been established in recognition of Lesley Derksen and her contribution to children’s literature and literacy.

Each Fellowship provides an opportunity for an established author or scholar to spend time with the ECU School of Education and share their knowledge, expertise and perspectives through a program of activities connected to children’s literature.

The Fellowship may include:

• a public lecture or keynote presentation
• seminars or workshops for ECU students and staff
• professional learning opportunities for teachers and educators
• discussions with authors, researchers, librarians and education professionals
• community engagement activities
• other activities that contribute to a deeper understanding of children’s literature.

The specific program, number of activities and duration of the visit will remain flexible and will be determined according to the Fellow’s expertise, proposed activities and available funding.

The Fellowship is typically expected to be 1–2 weeks in duration, with the final timeframe negotiated according to the nature and scope of the proposed project.

The Lesley Derksen Visiting Fellow must be an author or scholar based outside Western Australia whose work demonstrates a significant connection to children’s literature.

We welcome consideration of individuals whose expertise spans areas such as:

• children’s literature and literary studies
• writing and illustrating for children
• reading and literacy
• publishing and bookselling
• children's media and storytelling
• literature education and pedagogy
• cultural, social or educational perspectives on children’s literature.

The Visiting Fellow will undertake one or more activities at Edith Cowan University, with the program designed to maximise opportunities for engagement with the ECU community and the broader public.

Activities may be tailored to the Fellow’s expertise and may include lectures, workshops, seminars, discussions or other forms of engagement.

Where appropriate, activities may also provide opportunities for teachers, schools, libraries, literary organisations and the wider community to participate.

The Fellowship will be considered at least once every two years, subject to the availability of funds.

The School of Education will assess the Fellowship opportunity, taking into consideration the proposed Fellow, the scope of the visit and the level of funding required. Depending on the available endowment income and the costs associated with the proposed visit, the Fellowship may be awarded every second year.

The Fellowship stipend is designed to support your visit to Edith Cowan University and will contribute towards:

• Return travel to Western Australia
• Accommodation and a daily meal allowance
• Costs associated with your proposed engagement activities

The exact scope and duration of the Fellowship will be determined in consultation with the successful Fellow and will be subject to available funding.

If you are interested in becoming the Lesley Derksen Visiting Fellow in Children’s Literature, we would love to hear from you.

Please complete the [EOI Form] outlining your Fellowship proposal, your expertise and how your proposed visit could contribute to the academic and public understanding of children’s literature.

All applicants will receive an acknowledgement confirming receipt of their EOI. As this is a Fellowship selection process, individual feedback on proposals will not be provided. Following the assessment process, the successful Fellow will be contacted directly and the Fellowship recipient will subsequently be announced.

We look forward to hearing from authors and scholars who share our passion for the power, possibilities and enduring impact of children’s literature.