Urban Research Centre

Latest News

The Urban Research Centre has been awarded a prestigious Australian Research Council Discovery Grant for 2010-12. The project, to be led by Director Phillip O’Neill will evaluate the directions in infrastructure spending in Australian cities with a view to more effective, sustainable outcomes.

The success means the Centre currently holds funding to undertake the following major project grants.

1. ARC Discovery Grant, Developing criteria to help solve Australia’s urban infrastructure crisis. Investigator: Phillip O’Neill, 2010-12
   
2. ARC Discovery Grant, Achieving urban vitality: skills & employment development in shrinking cities. Investigator: Cristina Martinez-Fernandez, with international collaborators, 2009-11
   
3. ARC Discovery Grant, The production and contestation of airport territory. Investigator: Donald McNeill, 2008-10
   
4. ARC Linkage Grant, Enabling inter-agency data sharing to support the spatial analysis of social vulnerability in a transforming region. Investigator: Phillip O’Neill, with Pauline McGuirk and others at the University of Newcastle, 2007-10
   
5. AHURI-DHA Grant, Lessons of Defence Housing for Affordable Housing Provision. Investigator: Peter Phibbs, 2009
   
6. DADHC Grant, Local Government and Ageing: towards 2030. Investigator: Peter Phibbs, 2009

Welcome

Welcome to the Urban Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney.

The Urban Research Centre aspires to be an international leader in research and teaching initiatives involving cities and urban management. Our approach is interdisciplinary, collaborative and innovative. Our methods and data are comprehensive, precise and effective. We take much pride in our work and seek to be known for our quality, creativity and effectiveness.

The centre has as a priority the development of a team of excellent doctoral researchers and the provision of high quality, relevant academic studies in its Master of Urban Management program and associated short courses.

On behalf of the staff of the centre, I invite you to contact us if you have any questions about our research, our courses or the many other activities that make working with us a challenging and exciting experience.

Professor Phillip O'Neill
MA (Hons), Dip Ed, PhD Macq
Director, Urban Research Centre

^ Back to top

About Us

Advancing Knowledge
The Urban Research Centre is ideally located in the geographical, economic and socio-cultural heartland of Sydney - a laboratory to understand the challenges and devise solutions about contemporary urbanisation. The Urban Research Centre undertakes world-class research involving a large team of interdisciplinary, adventurous and engaged academics. The centre has high-level expertise in spatial economic analysis, urban performance indicators, demographic change, innovation studies, policy development and evaluation, community consultation, qualitative and quantitative research techniques, and in the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Research Activity
The Urban Research Centre engages in research relating to Sydney's urban growth, its rapid infrastructure development, its water supply and consumption, public-private partnerships, housing issues, economic development pathways, sustainability and governance. Our staff also bring expertise and interests in corporate power, urban design, innovation, spatial indicators and critical insights into green- and brown-fields developments.

Contact Us

Office Location
Level 6, 34 Charles St Parramatta

Postal Address
Urban Research Centre
University of Western Sydney
Level 6, 34 Charles St
Parramatta NSW 2150
Australia

Centre Enquiries
Contact Kelly Lanfranca

Urban Research Centre Staff
See Staff Directory

^ Back to top