NO! In fact we encourage non-members to apply to be a Mayfielder. All Mayfielders are gifted an LEA membership.
Applications for our Mayfield Cohort usually open mid year, the year prior to the Keynote conference presentation.
IE: Applications for our 2027 Mayfield Cohort will open mid 2026, and announcements of our successful Mayfielders will likely be made by the end of September 2026.
For our 2025 Mayfield Cohort, applications opened July 2024, closed in August 2024 and successful applicants were announced in September 2024. The 2.5 day workshop was held in Sydney in March 2025, and the Keynote conference presentation was in May 2025.
The Mayfield Project is Learning Environments Australasia (LEA)’s collaborative research experience for emerging professionals. Running every two years, it brings together early career educators, architects, interior designers, landscape architects, planners, education administrators, consultants and policy makers.
A diverse group is formed to investigate themes relevant to educational design, with a major presentation conveying the group’s research presented at the annual LEA Conference. Themes are set by the organising committee and are generally designed to encourage creative thought and enhanced design outcomes.
Architects, Teachers, Planners, Researchers, Suppliers, Interior Designers, Graphic Designers, Consultants, Facility Managers, Estimators … anyone with a passion for education and design, and enhancing their own knowledge base. We are looking to bring together ‘emerging professionals’, so those that have been involved in the design and use of contemporary learning environments for under 10 years.
Group members will work together to research their topic over a period of months, then will present this information in a creative and engaging way at LEA’s Conference. During the research period, you will learn how to collaborate online, who to talk to about innovative solutions, where to find mentors and how to work together in a team of diverse individuals, from diverse locations.
An over arching theme is set by the Mayfield Project SubCommittee but it is then up to the group to coordinate and organise how they are going to respond to the theme, developing and then answering a key critical question.
You will be engaging in deep inquiry, contributing to current discourse on educational design in Australasia. Your involvement may help uncover new designs, concepts, technologies and theories that will help advance the development of educational facilities. The project is also an opportunity to build relationships and make long-term connections with LEA’s diverse network of professionals.
Some of the financial costs of the program will be covered by LEA. However, participants will be expected to contribute their own time for all meetings, workshops and conferences.
2027 Project
LEA will pay for economy flights and accommodation, at a hotel sourced and booked by LEA, to attend the face to face weekend workshop in Sydney and the 2027 LEA Conference (location to be announced in May 2026).
In addition, LEA will cover 50% of the registration cost for the 2027 Conference (Young Professional rate), with the other 50% being covered by individual Mayfielders. The registration cost will be announced by November 2027, the Young Professional registration rate is anticipated to be within the range of $900 – $1,200 ex gst.
Mayfielders will be required to pay for meals, local travel and incidental costs during their stays. Mayfielders will receive a complimentary 24 month membership to their local LEA Chapter from November 2026 – November 2028.
As the early phase of this project will involve time spent in schools, we highly recommend that participants obtain a Working with Vulnerable People/Working with Children Check in their relevant state or territory.
This is a mandatory requirement in a number of jurisdictions, and it is the responsibility of applicants to determine the rules as they apply to their home state. Any associated costs are the responsibility of individual participants.
