Christopher Hudson enjoyed his Master of Education studies so much that he returned to the Faculty of Education to complete a Doctor of Education. His doctoral research, inspired by his upbringing, highlights the critical role of strong, collaborative rural communities, which is essential for both student and school success.
I cannot imagine completing my doctoral studies anywhere else but the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne.
Why were you interested in graduate research study at FoE?
I had completed my Master of Education at the Faculty of Education in 2021 and thoroughly enjoyed the learning and the relationships that I built during the course. I was particularly inspired by the Faculty's expertise in contemporary leadership models, strategic planning, and fostering collaborative school cultures. The expertise of the lecturers within the Faculty, as well as the discussions with colleagues in the course, challenged me to think critically about the complexities of leading diverse teams and navigating the ever-evolving educational leadership landscape.
The decision to pursue a doctorate in education at the University of Melbourne was a natural progression of my positive learning experience in the masters. I was eager to delve deeper into specifics of rural school leadership and what it meant to lead rural schools well. Having built solid professional relationships with the Master of Education lecturers, I knew that I would be well supported to embark upon graduate research studies in this area. In particular, I was drawn to the expertise of Professor David Gurr and his nearly two decades of work with the International Successful Principalship Project, of which my doctoral studies formed a part.
Further to all of this, the University of Melbourne has a reputation for academic excellence and for me, the Faculty’s dedication to impactful educational leadership research made it the ideal place to pursue my doctoral studies and contribute to shaping the future of rural school leadership. I cannot imagine completing my doctoral studies anywhere else but the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne.
What was your thesis topic? What did you find?
My doctoral research reported on the leadership characteristics and practices of a principal of one successful government primary school in rural Victoria, Australia.
This study formed part of the International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP) and added to the ISSPP’s existing knowledge base of understanding what it is that successful principals do in different international contexts. The findings illustrated how the leadership practices of the principal healed the fractured school–community relationships, which allowed the school community to work together towards a common school vision.
To secure school success, the principal adjusted his leadership practices in ways that were contextually sensitive and strongly related to the school’s improvement journey. In addition, a large contributor to the school’s success was the harmonious person–organisation fit between the principal and the school.
When the evidence from my doctoral research is considered in conjunction with other ISSPP studies from other jurisdictions, it contributes to the broader body of literature, addressing the relationship between successful school leadership and school context, demonstrating that the person–organisation fit between the principal and a rural school is an important contributor to rural school success.
My thesis has solidified my belief that by understanding and valuing the specific leadership characteristics and practices of rural principals, we can unlock valuable insights that can enrich the broader education system.
Why was this topic of interest to you?
Growing up in a rural community just outside of Geelong instilled in me a deep appreciation for the unique character and vital role of rural schools. I believe that rural schools are the heartbeats of rural towns, often serving as hubs for community connection. However, when I moved to the city, I observed a persistent narrative that positioned rural schools as somehow deficient compared to their urban counterparts – a binary view that often overlooked the incredible work of rural principals. Rural principals’ deep community ties, the innovative ways they adapt to context and are not constrained by it, and the strong sense of connecting their moral purpose to a sense of place were all things that I wanted to promote. I wanted to understand and amplify the leadership practices that enabled rural schools to thrive and be recognised for their strengths. I was driven to contribute a more nuanced understanding of rural school leadership in the literature – one that challenged existing notions within the rural–urban binary and showcased the remarkable contributions of rural principals and their school communities.
How has this topic changed your view of education?
My doctoral research on rural school leadership has highlighted the critical role of strong, collaborative rural communities, which is essential for both student and school success.
Analyses of data revealed that the school’s success was attributed to six broad factors: a safe and happy school environment, positive attitudes to learning, a cohesive school community, development of the whole child, a focus on student voice and leadership, and positive school reputation in the wider community.
From these findings, I've come to see that ‘success’ in rural schools is much broader than the effectiveness narrative that often plagues them with the label of lesser-than-urban. This underscores the critical need to move away from deficit-based perspectives of rural education, and perhaps look for a new way to (re)define rural school success amidst the urban-centric, neoliberal landscape that we are currently in. I believe that we must view rural schools as reservoirs of innovation and resilience, with rural principals as leaders who demonstrate remarkable adaptability in the face of unique challenges. My thesis has solidified my belief that by understanding and valuing the specific leadership characteristics and practices of rural principals, we can unlock valuable insights that can enrich the broader education system.
One of the best things about the doctorate is that you are afforded the opportunity to build strong relationships with all those around you, including your supervisory team, and by doing so there is scope to continue to work together post-completion.
What are your plans having undertaken this research and how will this build on your thesis?
I plan on continuing with rural school leadership research under the umbrella of the International Successful Principalship Project. Myself and Professor David Gurr will continue this work, researching a successful rural school together in New South Wales in 2026.
This is perhaps the best thing about doing the doctorate at the Faculty of Education; you don’t just finish the degree and then everything stops and you are on your own. One of the best things about the doctorate is that you are afforded the opportunity to build strong relationships with all those around you, including your supervisory team, and by doing so there is scope to continue to work together post-completion.
I was blessed with such an amazing and supportive supervisory team at the Faculty of Education, and I still continue to learn from them by doing research projects together in the name of advancing the field of educational leadership further. We continue to present at conferences together, write book chapters together, work on research projects together, and catch up regularly to talk all things educational leadership. You end up building such a strong professional network, and it really does emphasise that a significant part of the doctorate at the Faculty of Education is continued collaboration and support.
I have also just come to the end of a project whereby I have interviewed 12 principals of rural schools in New South Wales, investigating their perceptions of rural school success and what it means to lead a rural school well. This builds upon my thesis by speaking to more and different rural principals, further developing my understanding of leading rurally. I anticipate that I will continue to publish papers in high-quality educational leadership journals from this research, and I may even look to publish a book on rural school leadership with Springer or Routledge with this dataset.
What key piece for advice would you give to a new graduate researcher in FoE?
My key piece of advice is to proactively immerse yourself in research from day one. Read early and widely in your field to build a strong theoretical foundation and identify key debates. For me personally, I read as many educational leadership journal articles as I could when I first started so that I could understand the latest trends in what other researchers were looking into.
Perhaps even more crucially, I would advise a new graduate researcher to write often, even if it's just a paragraph a day summarising a paper or outlining your evolving thoughts. You may never use this writing in your actual thesis but it is good practice to get into the habit of writing early. I have hundreds of pages of writing on the scrapbook floor but I look at it as part of the process of doing the doctorate.
Last, I would recommend you download some theses in your chosen field from the University of Melbourne repository. Doing this allows you to see how other researchers have structured their chapters, what methodology they have used, and how they have analysed their results and written their discussion. There are many great theses on this repository and it is great professional learning looking at them!
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