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Research approach

It is the applied, policy focused nature of research funded by the NHRP that differentiates it from other sources of research funding. The Policy Development Research Model facilitates engagement between the research and policy communities.

Policy Development Research integrates the traditionally separate processes of evidence building and policy development into one set of practices.

Policy development research demands a high degree of collaboration within and between the research communities and the policy and practice community. This occurs through an AHURI Inquiry, which is established to address a priority policy issue or a Research Project which involves the conduct of research on a contained research topic.

Each Inquiry is guided by a panel of experts, who are informed by the integrated suite of supporting research projects. These supporting research projects build the knowledge and ideas critical to addressing the policy question.

  • AHURI Inquiries

    Figure 1: Inquiry process

    Inquiry process

     

    Figures 2: inquiry panel

    Inquiry panel

  • Research methods

    AHURI funds a variety of research using a range of methods, from broad exploratory analysis of emerging issues through to evaluative research around current policy.

    AHURI funds research that:

    • draws on different disciplines, including economic, geographic, sociological, anthropological and architectural perspectives
    • utilises a range of data sources, including government administrative data, secondary survey data, investigator initiated surveys, focus groups, informant interviews and stakeholder workshops
    • uses innovative analytical methods, including statistical modelling, qualitative analysis and natural experiments
    • uses data sourced from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the Australian Bureau of Statistics, AURIN and longitudinal data sets such as the Housing, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey and Journeys Home: Longitudinal Study of Factors Affecting Housing Stability.

  • Indigenous housing research

    Indigenous housing research is a strategic priority. AHURI maintains the principle that all funded research should include an Indigenous focus. Funding applications that do not include an Indigenous focus should provide a compelling justification for not including an Indigenous focus.

  • Editorial process

    AHURI publishes high-quality, double-blind, peer-reviewed research that provides an accessible and relevant evidence-base for the development of policy, which is available publicly on the AHURI website.

    Peer review

    The Final Report series is subject to two double-blind peer reviews prior to publication. AHURI has an Editorial Board of international peer reviewers, specialising in a range of housing-related subject areas.

    Editorial board

    The AHURI Editorial Board is made up of leading international housing and urban researchers, all of whom are eminent in their field. This Board conducts peer reviews of AHURI reports on a double blind basis, and uses a comprehensive set of criteria to assess the quality of the research and its policy relevance.

    The majority of members on the Editorial Board panel are based overseas, and come from countries such as Ireland, England, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales, USA, Canada and the People’s Republic of China.

    AHURI Final Reports and Positioning Papers are both refereed series presenting the results of original research to a diverse readership of policy-makers, researchers and practitioners.

    Every AHURI Final Report and Positioning Paper published after November 2007 is a peer-reviewed publication, identified by an icon on its front cover.