Call for Papers
The Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO) is pleased to invite submissions for its Call for Papers (CFP) for the 35th Annual National Conference – Intelligence 2026, taking place at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins from 26–28 August 2026.
The conference theme, ‘Intelligence in Action: Strategy to Delivery’, will examine how intelligence capabilities are conceived, operationalised, and measured. Within this overarching theme, we will explore three critical sub-themes:
Operational Agility
Partnerships
Impact and Integration
Each sub-theme reflects a core component required to sustain, evolve, and future-proof the intelligence profession in Australia.
AIPIO now invites abstract submissions that are clearly aligned with the Intelligence 2026 theme. We welcome contributions from intelligence practitioners, academics, students, and industry professionals from Australia and abroad. Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to prepare a full paper and deliver a presentation at Intelligence 2026.
A detailed synopsis of all presentations will be included in the post-conference Intelligence Proceedings. In addition, selected papers may be considered for publication in the peer-reviewed AIPIO Journal, subject to scholarly merit and the outcomes of a blind review process.
Overview
Intelligence 2026 will explore the next evolution of intelligence practice: taking great responsibility for turning knowledge into action and insight into impact. Building on the momentum of 2025’s theme, ‘A Thriving Intelligence Profession,’ the 2026 theme focuses on the practical application of closing the gap between strategic intent and operational delivery. In a world increasingly defined by volatility, interconnectivity, and escalating risk, intelligence must do more than inform - it must enable decision-makers to act swiftly, confidently, and with precision.
AIPIO recognises modern intelligence professionals operate at the intersection of complexity and urgency. Whether it's anticipating threats, navigating geopolitical shifts, safeguarding communities, or informing executive decision-making, the value of intelligence is realised only when it moves beyond analysis and into execution. In 2026, we will investigate how intelligence is actively shaping policy, guiding operations, and reinforcing organisational resilience across public, private, and hybrid domains. The 2026 theme challenges us to redefine the purpose and process of intelligence: not just as a product, but as a continuous function embedded within the structures that drive action.
Areas of Interest
In an era of accelerated decision-making and persistent disruption, intelligence functions must become faster, smarter, and more adaptive. Operational Agility explores the transformation of intelligence operations to meet contemporary demands through new mandates, agile methodologies, emerging technologies, and modern tradecraft. Learn how intelligence can become more proactive and predictive in shaping outcomes through faster collection and analysis cycles, near-real-time assessments, innovation production, and anticipatory frameworks that enable decision-making advantages.
Today’s intelligence success depends on our ability to collaborate securely, strategically, and across traditional boundaries. Partnerships explores successful models of inter-agency, cross-sector, and international collaboration that break down silos and unlock new intelligence capabilities and outcomes. From joint taskforces to public-private partnerships, learn how shared intelligence, joint frameworks, and trusted partnerships are enhancing situational awareness and strategic alignment.
For intelligence to be impactful it must be integrated into the core of organisational strategy, policy, and risk management, ensuring it shapes direction, drives action, and strengthens resilience. Impact and Integration explores how organisations measure the effectiveness and influence of their intelligence capabilities, using those insights to drive continuous improvement. Learn how intelligence is being embedded into enterprise strategy, risk management, and national resilience frameworks through emerging domains of intelligence practice
Whether you are a seasoned professional or looking to enter the intelligence field, it is vital to build, review, and master the fundamentals of the intelligence discipline. These practical sessions will provide insight into the range of duties for intelligence professionals in different practice domains while strengthening your soft, technical, and leadership skills.
Important Dates
10 April 2026: Abstract Submission Deadline
8 May 2026: Contributors to be notified
17 July 2026: Selected full papers due*
26-28 August 2026: Deliver presentation in person at Intelligence 2026
*Please note that submissions selected to present at Intelligence 2026 must submit full papers by this deadline. Failure to submit your paper will result in your withdrawal from the conference program.
Further Information
Submission Guidelines
Each author must prepare an abstract (200-300 words maximum) outlining the paper and addressing the theme of the conference and one of the four sub-themes. Abstracts should be sent to journal@aipio.asn.au.
Intelligence 2026
Opportunities to present at Intelligence 2026 are very limited and competitive. A selection committee will consider all abstracts. Those authors selected to present their paper at Intelligence 2026 are also required to prepare and deliver a 30-minute presentation based on their papers. A synopsis of all presentations at Intelligence 2026 will be included in an Intelligence Proceedings. Authors presenting at Intelligence 2026 will receive complimentary registration for the day of their presentation and the option to attend the entire conference at a discounted rate. Failure to submit your completed paper by the deadline will result in your withdrawal from the conference program.
International Journal of Contemporary Intelligence Issues (IJCII)
All selected papers are eligible for publication in the AIPIO Journal - International Journal of Contemporary Intelligence Issues (IJCII) - subject to undergoing a blind review process. Once a paper has been accepted, it should not be published elsewhere before being published in the AIPIO Journal. Authors will be asked to sign a copyright transfer form to transfer the copyright over to the AIPIO Journal. From that point on, the author may no longer reproduce the work or publish the work elsewhere without permission from the Managing Editor of the AIPIO Journal. Papers selected for publication in the AIPIO Journal must comply with the Submission Guidelines (see https://www.aipio.asn.au/aipio-journal).