Ian Hughes has qualifications and experience in social work, family therapy, community development, community health and action research. He taught action research face-to-face and on-line in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Sydney till his retirement in 2007, where he continues to supervise postgraduate research students and facilitate a Research Learning Circle. He is internationally recognised for his work on action research in health, and is editor or reviewer in four action research journals. He has published peer reviewed papers and authored the Action Research in Healthcare chapter in the 2008 Sage Handbook of Action Research.

He is involved in research in medication safety and decision making in health systems; and leadership and friendship in religious organisations using complex adaptive systems theory and action research approaches. Ian avoids narrow specialisation and integrates learning, practice, teaching and research in action research and systems thinking frames of reference. All of this is about relationships and communication.