ARC Research Network for Sustainable Cities and Regions (RNSCR)

About ARC RNSCR

Research Strengths and Opportunities

The Network research priority is An Environmentally Sustainable Australia but it will also necessarily explore the city and regional aspects of research in other research priority areas while emphasising the social and economic benefits that would flow to Australia from a multi-disciplinary approach to them.

Under its environmentally sustainable research priority the Network will pursue multi-disciplinary research in a number of themes including:

The urban and regional environment, including health impacts of city form and structure;
Infrastructure planning, development and management including transport, water, sewerage and drainage, information and communication networks and energy distribution;
Employment, its distribution and potential new opportunities;
Housing;
Administration and urban and regional governance;
Urban and regional planning;
The role of politico-cultural factors in shaping the demand side of sustainability issues such as water use, transport options, changing household forms and house and neighbourhood design.
The Network is developing strong relationships with government agencies engaged in city and regional issues. It is also seeking to establish continuing relationships with industry especially with urban service providers and the finance industry active in city and regional Australia.

The annual National State of Australian Cities Conference provides a stock-take of research and identifies research needs in the field. Involving government agencies and private institutions in the work-in-progress seminars of the Network's nodes together with the annual Conference will develop a better understanding of the research capacity in the field. It also stimulates research and engages industry and government agencies in the opportunities open to them of a better understanding of the issues facing the cities and regions in Australia flowing from better research and an enhanced national research capacity in this area.

Contact Details

Network Convenor: Professor P N Troy
Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, Building 43
The Australian National University ACT 0200
Tel: +61 2 6125 229
Fax: +61 2 6125 0757
E-mail: patrick.troy@anu.edu.au

Network Coordinator: t.b.a.
Network Administrator: t.b.a.
How to join Network: t.b.a.

Structure of the Network

The Network is multi-nodal, that is, it may be seen as a matrix or a 'nested' set of networks developing initially around the existing perceived strengths and concentration of scholars in each node. There are nine nodes.

Each node provides both a national and local focus. Each node fosters interest in the full range of research interests covered by the Network but they each have a distinct character to them. They have a 'cast' to them that reflects existing strengths and will be attractive to scholars nationally who wish to engage with others with similar interests. They each also sustain a local workshop program that facilitates local engagement of scholars with those interests and those affiliates from government agencies and private institutions who wish to engage in the general and specific activities of the Network.

The initial nodes, their 'cast' and their initial node Managers are:

Connections to National Networks

Social Network for Sustainable Rural Communities (SNSRC)

Connections to International Network

Network Enquiries: Professor Patrick Troy Website last updated: April 2004 Website comments: Site Manager