The ACORD 2026 Workshop — the Australia and Asia Pacific Clinical Oncology Research Development Workshop — runs from 20 to 25 September 2026 at Novotel Sydney Olympic Park. Convened by the Medical Oncology Group of Australia with ESMO support, ACORD is an intensive residential workshop rather than a conference: participants arrive with a research concept and leave with a protocol they can actually run.
Over six days, a small cohort of clinical cancer researchers works one-to-one and in small groups with experienced trial faculty to turn an idea into a fully developed clinical trial protocol. Sessions cover study design and endpoint selection, statistical considerations and sample size, translational and biomarker components, ethics and regulatory requirements, funding strategy, and the practical mechanics of running a trial through to publication. Participants present and defend their evolving protocols throughout the week, with faculty feedback at every stage.
Eligibility is deliberately broad across oncology disciplines: medical, surgical and radiation oncology, palliative care, pathology, oncology nursing and allied health are all represented. Preference is given to applicants nearing the end of training or within five years of specialisation, and a limited number of places are held for applicants from outside the Asia Pacific. Applicants must be fluent in English and comfortable working on computers throughout the workshop.
Selection is competitive. The Workshop Steering Committee reviews applications against the quality and feasibility of the proposed research concept, the applicant's career stage and competence in clinical cancer research, and the strength of institutional and departmental backing. Required documents include a concept outline on the provided template, a full curriculum vitae with publication list, a personal letter covering background, career goals and motivation, and a supervisor's letter of support with an institutional commitment.
The committee's assessment principles favour promise over track record: applicants with limited research experience are welcomed if they show genuine enthusiasm and potential, and feasible, scalable proposals — a well-designed pilot or phase 1-2 study — are preferred over over-ambitious phase 3 designs. Supervisory support and the likely wider benefit of participation carry real weight in scoring.
Applications for the 2026 cohort closed at 5:00 pm AEST on 9 April 2026, with first-round offers issued in mid May and second-round offers between 2 and 9 June. Applications are open primarily to researchers based in East Asia and the Pacific.
For oncology trainees and early-career consultants in the Gulf considering a structured route into investigator-initiated trials, ACORD is worth tracking for future cycles — it remains one of the few workshops in the region that ends with a written, reviewed protocol rather than a certificate of attendance.
