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AUT and NCLS Research Partnership
The Australian University of Theology (AUT) and NCLS Research have announced a long-term research centre partnership. The partnership will foster university research on church life based on the world-leading National Church Life Survey datasets.
“This partnership represents the coming together of two of the most important research organisations in Australian for church life,” said Professor James Dalziel, AUT Vice-Chancellor. “The AUT, founded in 1891, is the largest network for theological education and research in Australia. It is a university dedicated to serving God’s world and God’s church. We are thrilled to form this special partnership with the dedicated researchers of NCLS Research”.
“NCLS Research is delighted to partner with the AUT,” said Professor Ruth Powell, Executive Director. “We are excited to expand our research in collaboration with AUT academics and students,” she said.
The AUT Chancellor and former Governor General of Australia, General (Retd) David Hurley, praised the new partnership. “This is exactly what the Australian church needs to better understand itself and how it can faithfully serve God and society. The quality of what NCLS Research has produced is unparalleled across the globe and is a natural fit for the recognised world standard research of the AUT,” he said.
At a ceremony to mark the announcement of the partnership, members of staff and the governing bodies of AUT and NCLS Research celebrated the outcome of a long hoped-for partnership.
“After many years of outstanding work, we are pleased to join together with the AUT for our next generation of church life research”, said Dr Cheryl McCallum, Chair of the NCLS Research Board of Directors.
NCLS Research examines wellbeing, spirituality, effective leadership and church health. NCLS Research and AUT share a vision for thriving Christian communities understanding their role and mission within a changing society.
Later in 2026, NCLS Research will conduct the eighth of its five-yearly national surveys of Australian churches, with over 3,000 local churches from more than 22 denominations expected to participate. Each of the seven previous national surveys have had hundreds of thousands of participants, making it the largest survey of its kind in the world.
Under the partnership, NCLS Research becomes a research centre of the AUT while retaining its distinct identity and organisational structure. This aligns with similar research partnerships at public universities such as with medical research institutes.
The AUT was founded in 1891 as the Australian College of Theology. It has 15 theological colleges and over 2,500 students across Australia. In December 2024 it became Australia’s 44th university.
