Compassion Symposium

This cross-disciplinary symposium is designed to bring together academics, clinicians, researchers, and students from different disciplines within The University of Queensland and from the community, to present on how compassion is or could be a part of their research, studies, or practice.

The compassion symposium consists of the free keynote address, and the full-day conference.

Call for presenters

The UQ School of Psychology's Compassionate Mind Research Group is pleased to invite submissions for paper and/or poster presentations for the 2023 UQ Compassion Symposium conference on Saturday September 9.

We are interested in research and practical applications of compassion across the lifespan (children, teens, adults, older adults) and in multiple contexts (therapy, workplace, school). Topics of interest include (but are not limited to): 

  • Compassion
  • Self-compassion
  • Mindfulness
  • Empathy
  • Altruism
  • Morality
  • Positive psychology
  • Forgiveness
  • Emotions (e.g. shame, anger)
  • Intervention research
  • Assessment research

Application requirements

Applications to present should include the following information:

Personal Information 

  • Full name
  • Organisation/affiliation
  • Email address
  • Contact number
  • Brief professional bio (250 words max) to be included in the conference program

Presentation/Poster Information 

  • Presentation or poster title
  • Abstract/summary (250 words max)
  • Focus (research, practice, philosophy, etc.)
  • Format (lecture, workshop, demonstration)

Submission and review

Please submit your completed application via the link below. Submissions close Friday 2 June. All submissions will be notified via email of the status of their application. All accepted speakers will receive free admission to the Symposium.

Submit application

Compassion Keynote 2023

Compassion Keynote 2023

8 September 2023 6:00pm
At our 2023 Compassion Symposium Keynote Address, we are excited to welcome Dr Marcela Matos, Clinical Psychologist and Auxiliary Researcher at the Center for Research in Neuropsychology and Cognitive and Behavioral Intervention (CINEICC), University of Coimbra, Portugal. Marcela will open the symposium with her talk titled 'The compassion (r)evolution: From easing suffering to awakening flourishing'.
Compassion Conference 2023

Compassion Conference 2023

9 September 2023 9:00am
The School of Psychology at The University of Queensland is delighted to announce the return of the UQ Compassion Symposium for 2023. The eighth iteration of this beloved event, the Symposium will bring together researchers, clinicians and students from a range of disciplines to showcase compassion-based research and practice. 

Compassion Conference 2022

17 September 2022 9:00am4:00pm

Compassion Keynote 2022

16 September 2022 6:00pm8:00pm
hands holding

Compassion Conference 2019

7 September 2019 9:00am4:30pm
Dr Gerner

Compassion Keynote 2019

6 September 2019 6:00pm8:00pm

Compassion Conference 2018

8 September 2018 9:00am4:30pm
The 5th Annual UQ Compassion Symposium

Compassion Keynote 2018

7 September 2018 6:00pm8:00pm
'Developing Compassionate Resilience' presented by Dr Deborah Lee
trees in a forest

Compassion Conference 2017

23 September 2017 9:00am5:00pm
Full-day conference on compassion
Professor Roy F Baumeister

Compassion Keynote 2017

22 September 2017 6:00pm8:00pm
'Toward a Scientific Theory of Free Will' presented by Professor Roy F Baumeister