National Cities Research Program

An integrated national program

AHURI established the National Cities Research Program to support the reform agenda of all governments seeking solutions to the fundamental economic, social and environmental challenges that face Australian cities. A high-quality evidence base focused on cities will ensure better integration of transport policy and infrastructure provision, and improve the response to challenges of sustainable population growth.

  • Solutions based on evidence

    • The Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) can deliver a high quality, independent, evidence base that can be used to underpin constructive engagement on these critical issues across federal, state and local government, the community, and the private sector.
    • The need for integrated solutions that can produce good outcomes across housing, land supply, urban infrastructure and economic development is critical to the future of our cities—hence this proposal to work with governments to deliver a National Cities Research Program.
    • AHURI delivers solutions based on evidence.
    • The objectives of the National Cities Research Program will be to:
      • Deliver an evidence base that will be relevant to and integrative across urban issues.
      • Deliver an evidence base that will be unimpeachable and independent.
      • Engage the policy and research communities.
      • Facilitate dialogue between business, community, and government.
      • Engage international experts on comparative work.
      • Inform public discussion of these important issues.

  • How we deliver national research programs

    • AHURI’s expertise is in delivering high quality, policy relevant research programs. With an existing research infrastructure and it’s not-for-profit management company, AHURI has the capability to cost-effectively implement research programs immediately.
    • AHURI Limited currently manages the National Housing Research Program, an annual $4 million program focussed on housing policy on behalf of the Federal, state and territory Housing Ministers and their housing departments.
    • The National Cities Research Program will be supported as a parallel program by our existing infrastructure, with additional resources provided as required. It will be:
      • Policy relevant
        • Brokered engagement from priority setting to dissemination.
        • Project advisory groups established to provide policy advice.
        • Dissemination of research involves both presentations of findings and presentations from policy makers about policy development implications.
      • High quality
        • Network of universities nationwide.
        • Merit selection of competing funding bids by an independent panel of policy makers and academics.
        • Peer review of published outputs—international peer review panel.
      • Timely
        • Effective management of research projects tailored to fit the purpose.
        • Research synthesis in weeks.
        • Essays and panels in months.
        • Major research projects in a year.
        • Larger scale projects.
      • Cost effective
        • Use existing infrastructure, concentration of effort.
        • Co-investment leveraged funding model.
        • Academic salary rates—less than consultancy rates.
        • Intellectual Property rights retained by the researcher.

  • Developing a research agenda

  • National Urban Policy Conference 2013

  • Current activities of the Program

For further information

Dr Ian Winter
Executive Director, AHURI
Ph: (03) 9660 2300
Email: ian.winter.ahuri.edu.au

File Download: Download the National Cities Research Program information brochure

Download the National Cities Research Program information brochure
PDF file, 244KB


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