IRU members and their urban surrounds Across Australia IRU members are part of urban renewal whose common feature is to create new urban hubs distinct from the inner city centres of the major Australian cities. The campuses are changing from being Out of town to being a new town. There is considerable activity to alter the relationship of the IRU campuses with their surrounding, usually suburban, settings. IRU members have campuses in thirty three cities and towns across Australia and in two cities internationally (see Where IRU members are based below). Most of the campuses were created in a standard Australian university fashion sitting aside from, rather than part of, their host cities. Most were accessible by car and slow bus but otherwise had far from good public transport. There are various aspects to this with many features and challenges in common drawing together the individual challenges campus by campus. These are illustrated in the following sections covering: 1. creation of innovation hubs linking research and start up enterprises; 2. university health and hospital precincts; 3. apartments and other residential living in, or next to, university precincts; 4. bringing good public transport to the university; and 5. adding city campuses to provide an inner city option. There are likely other similar examples to those listed below. It is proposed to highlight this aspect of the universities more strongly in the IRU Statement of Strategic Intent, with a potential amendment included below at An urban mission: Refining the IRU statement of strategic intent Features of IRU campuses 1. R&D to innovation support inspiration Flinders Tonsley is the best known IRU member innovation hub, as part of a major expansion of the urban impact of the university. JCU is developing innovation hub buildings on its Townsville and Cairns campuses as gateways into the university. La Trobe s university city plan emphasises support for a research and innovation precinct integrating the universities into renewal of businesses in the northern region. Griffith Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct. WSU developing precincts in several places to connect effectively across its broad Sydney region iru.edu.au James Cook University // Griffith University // Western Sydney University // La Trobe University // Flinders University // Murdoch University // Charles Darwin University
2. Health and hospital integration The university to hospital link can engender a research precinct and brings together two major employment hubs for any town or city. Flinders was built alongside the Flinders Medical Centre, creating a link that is an exemplar for many other universities: The Gold Coast University Hospital, next to Griffith Gold Coast and the plan for the Gold Coast Health and Knowledge Precinct; The Townsville Hospital, which was set next to JCU Townsville in the 1960s master plan, built in the 2010s; The Fiona Stanley Hospital across from Murdoch South Street. There are similar links for other IRU members: CDU through Menzies institute of Health Research [confirm name] based on the Darwin Hospital precinct with Menzies taking up a site on the CDU Causurina campus; La Trobe s university city plan includes a health and wellbeing hub with links to the major health services in northern Melbourne; WSU has multiple links with the major hospitals across Western Sydney. 3. Campus residential living All the universities have traditional student hall and college facilities on the major campuses. The urban living focus includes residential options for people wishing to live on or near campus, whether to work there, or in associated employment or self-employment or to be part of the environment thus created. The significant element is where the accommodation is not limited to specific university connected residents but open to all. the JCU plan allocates significant section of the Townsville campus for residential development. La Trobe Bundoora is increasingly surrounded by medium density developments. Flinders Tonsley plans include residential developments. 4. The transport dilemma When established, the typical IRU campus was best accessed by road, leading most students and staff to drive or rely on unreliable bus services. This was a result of placement away from city centres and related districts for which most transport systems are designed. Inner city universities were not necessarily much better off but the likelihood of city transport systems bringing people near or to the campus was stronger. Some of the universities now have stronger public transport options either to or near to the campus: the city to Mandurah line in Perth created Murdoch station, 1km from the campus edge; the Gold Coast light rail network extends to the campus and is being connected to the main Brisbane Gold Coast rail network; the SA rail network is being extended to the Flinders Medical Centre and University; La Trobe Bundoora, carefully positioned between two rail lines, one five, the other two, kilometers from the campus, with a slow tram line nearby, is now part of a long term 2
announcement for a rail route circling Melbourne s middle ring suburbs, with stations at three universities Western Sydney has positioned its new campuses in the secondary business districts in western Sydney allowing access through the existing public transport hubs including rail. 5. The City campus IRU members are typically not city based universities in their founding campuses. Many have since acquired city based locations to broaden out their potential. Western straddles both issues using vertical campuses across the secondary Sydney central business districts in the centre and west of the city. La Trobe, Flinders, JCU have city campuses in Melbourne, Adelaide, Townsville and Cairns respectively. La Trobe and Western share premises in Sydney CBD through Navitas. CDU has proposals to strengthen its central Darwin presence, along with sites in Melbourne and Sydney. 1 October 2018 3
Where IRU members are based iru.edu.au James Cook University // Griffith University // Western Sydney University // La Trobe University // Flinders University // Murdoch University // Charles Darwin University
List of towns and cities with IRU campuses (by state) NT VIC WA Darwin Melbourne Perth Alice Springs Albury-Wodonga Mandurah Jabiru Bendigo Rockingham Katherine Hamilton Nhulunbuy Mildura NSW Tennant Creek Shepparton Sydney Yulara Warrnambool Lithgow QLD SA International Brisbane Adelaide Dubai Cairns Mount Gambier Singapore Gold Coast Murray Bridge Mackay Nuriootpa Mount Isa Port Lincoln Thursday Island Renmark Townsville Victor Harbor 5
An urban mission: Refining the IRU statement of strategic intent The substance of the IRU statement of strategic intent is below, followed by suggested amendments to emphasise the universities roles in contributing to the urban development of the cities and towns in which they are set. Full printed copies of the current statement will be available at the Forum: Current text Innovative Research Universities (IRU) is a coalition of seven comprehensive universities committed to innovation and inclusive excellence in teaching, learning and research in Australia. The members commitment and impact is both local and global with a focus on advancing communities through education, resources, opportunities, translational research and enterprise. Through its members working collectively, the IRU seeks to be at the constructive centre of Australian university policy making, influencing political developments beyond individual university capacities to do so. The IRU members research focus is on the translation and commercialisation of research on issues of critical importance to the communities in which they are based and addressing problems of national and global scale. Over time our members have developed their own particular research strengths, with multiple areas of research at and well above world standard. As an outward-looking network the IRU seeks to strengthen Australia s integration with the countries of Asia. IRU member universities: offer students welcoming, supportive and dynamic teaching environments. welcome students from culturally and socially diverse backgrounds, recognising the strength in ensuring our institutions are equitable and distinct. strive to be universities of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff, promoting understanding of Indigenous knowledges in education, research and policy. respond to local communities and endeavour to redress state and national gaps in access to higher education. know their communities deeply and accompany them in current, emergent and future opportunities. advocate policy that supports and enhances innovation and excellence in teaching and learning with a local relevance and global application. are committed to optimising academic opportunities and experiences that lead to globally respected qualifications, sought after graduates and vocational success. iru.edu.au James Cook University // Griffith University // Western Sydney University // La Trobe University // Flinders University // Murdoch University // Charles Darwin University
Proposed text (amendments highlighted) Innovative Research Universities (IRU) is a coalition of seven comprehensive universities committed to innovation and inclusive excellence in teaching, learning and research in Australia. The members commitment and impact is both local and global with a focus on advancing communities through education, resources, opportunities, translational research and enterprise. Through our presence in thirty three cities and towns across Australia we are reshaping urban environments integrating university with community and business. Through its members working collectively, the IRU seeks to be at the constructive centre of Australian university policy making, influencing political developments beyond individual university capacities to do so. The IRU members research focus is on the translation and commercialisation of research on issues of critical importance to the communities in which they are based and addressing problems of national and global scale. Over time our members have developed their own particular research strengths, with multiple areas of research at and well above world standard. As an outward-looking network the IRU seeks to strengthen Australia s integration with the countries of Asia. IRU member universities: offer students welcoming, supportive and dynamic teaching environments. welcome students from culturally and socially diverse backgrounds, recognising the strength in ensuring our institutions are equitable and distinct. strive to be universities of choice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and staff, promoting understanding of Indigenous knowledges in education, research and policy. respond to local communities and endeavour to redress state and national gaps in access to higher education. know their communities deeply and accompany them in current, emergent and future opportunities. advocate policy that supports and enhances innovation and excellence in teaching and learning with a local relevance and global application. are committed to optimising academic opportunities and experiences that lead to globally respected qualifications, sought after graduates and vocational success. 7