Melbourne Centre for Cities : Find an Expert : The University of Melbourne

Our Research

Cities are on the frontline of today's most pressing global challenges. The way we manage and study cities, and how city leadership is thought of in an interconnected but disrupted world, are critical to our collective futures. This is where the University of Melbourne's new Melbourne Centre for Cities comes in with an explicit focus on urban governance as its main area of research, action and training, and a distinct purpose to foster and foreground cities research in and from Melbourne with a clear cosmopolitan outlook.

Researchers

Researchers in the research group. Showing 12 of 24.

Dr Alexei Trundle

Prof Alison Young

Mr Andrew Irvin

Dr Anna Edwards

Dr Anna Kosovac

Dr Ashraful Alam

A/Prof Bianca Fileborn

Prof Brendan Gleeson

A/Prof Cathy Oke

Prof Dan Hill

Dr Daniel Pejic

Dr Hannah Robertson

Projects

Projects conducted by research group members

Displaying 10 projects from 133 for the research group.

Scholarly Works

Scholarly Works by research group members

Displaying 10 scholarly works from 1564 for the research group.

The city as actor in UN frameworks: formalizing 'urban agency' in the international system?

Michele Acuto, Anna Kosovac, Daniel Pejic, Terry Louise Jones

Journal article | 2023 | TERRITORY POLITICS GOVERNANCE

Cities have been recognized as important players in some of today’s most visible global agendas, from the Paris Agreement on clima..

Fragmentation and urban knowledge: An analysis of urban knowledge exchange institutions

A Dickey, A Kosovac, S Fastenrath, M Acuto, B Gleeson

Journal article | 2022 | Cities

Open access

Silo-ed thinking, fragmented knowledge systems and short-termism remain key challenges in transforming urban systems and policy ma..

Networking Australia's Urban Governance

Michele Acuto, Daniel Pejic, Cathy Oke

Book Chapter | 2022

In this chapter, we advocate for planning scholars and practitioners to appreciate the urban governance of Australian cities from ..

Editorial: Addressing urban inequalities: co-creating pathways through research and practice

C Cociña, AA Frediani, S Butcher, C Levy, M Acuto

Journal article | 2022 | Environment and Urbanization

Potential and limitations of digital twins to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

A Tzachor, S Sabri, CE Richards, A Rajabifard, M Acuto

Journal article | 2022 | Nature Sustainability

Could computer simulation models drive our ambitions to sustainability in urban and non-urban environments? Digital twins, defined..

The gifted city: Setting a research agenda for philanthropy and urban governance

P Fuentenebro, M Acuto

Journal article | 2022 | Urban Studies

With billions worth of funding to city-based projects, urban dwellers and city leaders the world over, philanthropy is no small ma..

A transformative mission for prioritising nature in Australian cities

N Frantzeskaki, C Oke, G Barnett, S Bekessy, J Bush, J Fitzsimons, M Ignatieva, D Kendal, J Kingsley, L Mumaw, A Ossola

Journal article | 2022 | Ambio

Open access

Australia is experiencing mounting pressures related to processes of urbanisation, biodiversity loss and climate change felt at la..

Cities and the SDGs: Realities and possibilities of local engagement in global frameworks

A Leavesley, A Trundle, C Oke

Journal article | 2022 | Ambio

Open access

City action is critical to achieving global visions for sustainability such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Howe..

Exorcising Malthusian ghosts: Vaccinating the Nexus to advance integrated water, energy and food resource resilience

PS Kemp, M Acuto, S Larcom, D Lumbroso, MR Owen

Journal article | 2022 | Current Research in Environmental Sustainability

Open access

Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus interactions vary from seemingly negative and intractable wicked problems to opportunities for enhan..

“Emancipatory Circuits of Knowledge” for Urban Equality: Experiences From Havana, Freetown, and Asia

S Butcher, C Cociña, AA Frediani, M Acuto, B Pérez‐castro, J Peña‐díaz, J Cazanave‐macías, B Koroma, J Macarthy

Journal article | 2022 | Urban Planning

Open access

Feminist, Southern, and decolonial thinkers have long argued that epistemological questions about how knowledge is produced and wh..

News

News by research group members

Displaying 10 news articles from 104 for the research group.

Australia's elusive rakali is hiding and thriving in Melbourne's waterways

Kylie Soanes, Anna Edwards

The places people see rakali are often far from pristine – rocky edges, concrete drains, artificial lakes. But just because a rakali can ri..

July 29, 2026

pursuit Article

We can grow our way out of this building crisis

Dan Hill

Our built environment – everything human-made that surrounds us; our buildings, parks, infrastructure – is the single largest driver of glo..

May 12, 2026

pursuit Article

‘Only if we help shall all be saved’: Jane Goodall showed we can all be part of the solution

Euan Ritchie, Kylie Soanes, Marissa Parrott, Vanessa Pirotta, Zara Bending

With the passing of Dr Jane Goodall, the world has lost a conservation giant. But her extraordinary achievements leave a profound legacy. ..

October 2, 2025

conversation Article

Earth has an Outer Space Treaty, but is it time for an Orbital Activity Treaty?

Andrew Irvin

Where next for space exploration? The location of the Near Space boundary itself is contested – but falls somewhere between 80 kilometres t..

September 8, 2025

pursuit Article

Don’t be fooled by Melbourne’s Fool’s Spring

Linden Ashcroft, Kylie Soanes

While the ‘12 seasons’ list is generally shared as a joke, there’s a lot of truth to it. The traditional western four seasons don’t map ont..

September 1, 2025

pursuit Article

Why we all need a 'climate safe room’ (and how to create one)

Sarah Bell

Home should be a place where people feel comfortable and safe. But the poor quality of many Australian houses means this isn’t possible fo..

August 14, 2025

pursuit Article

Ghana’s 24-hour economy could be a lesson for Australia

Anna Edwards, Ishmael Bekoe, Daniel Amenuvor

Keeping our cities working The success of Ghana’s approach will depend on several factors: the ability to provide adequate worker protectio..

June 26, 2025

pursuit Article

How much should parasitic gig companies contribute to city resources?

Lutfun Nahar Lata, Andrew Copolov

The gig economy is rapidly reshaping urban life. The way we shop, eat and travel has been transformed by apps and the workforce behind them..

May 27, 2025

pursuit Article

Will a second Trump presidency help or hinder relationships between local leaders?

Daniel Pejic

As Donald Trump commences his second term as president, countries around the world, including Australia, are considering the impact his lea..

February 13, 2025

pursuit Article

Graffiti removal isn’t the enemy of art. It’s part of a vibrant dialogue on life in the big city

Sabina Andron

Thanks Radical Graffiti for informing me where my next job is! This is the message I woke up to on January 26, as one of my research par..

February 4, 2025

conversation Article

Support Our Research

Urban research is an inherently collaborative endeavour and we welcome partnerships plus have a number of opportunities available for visiting fellows, centre associations and more.

Contact Us

Emailconnected-cities@unimelb.edu.au

Melbourne Centre for Cities

Designed to foster responsible and cosmopolitan city leadership, and the information it needs, in an interconnected and increasingly urbanised planet.

Our Research

Researchers

Projects

Sexual Violence Against Older Women: Enhancing Recognition and Response

Building the Financial Capacity of Australia's Cooperative Housing Sector

Visual Governance in the City: Rethinking Graffiti and Public Images

Co-Designing Housing for First Nations Prosperity

Bottom-Up Urban Resilience: Community Networks in Infrastructure Governance

2026 Research Impetus Grants

2026 Research Impetus Grants

Responding to Sexual Harm: An Australian Historical Criminology Approach

ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families Over the Life Course

Enhancing Australia-China City Partnerships to Address Shared Challenges

Scholarly Works

The city as actor in UN frameworks: formalizing 'urban agency' in the international system?

Fragmentation and urban knowledge: An analysis of urban knowledge exchange institutions

Networking Australia's Urban Governance

Editorial: Addressing urban inequalities: co-creating pathways through research and practice

Potential and limitations of digital twins to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

The gifted city: Setting a research agenda for philanthropy and urban governance

A transformative mission for prioritising nature in Australian cities

Cities and the SDGs: Realities and possibilities of local engagement in global frameworks

Exorcising Malthusian ghosts: Vaccinating the Nexus to advance integrated water, energy and food resource resilience

“Emancipatory Circuits of Knowledge” for Urban Equality: Experiences From Havana, Freetown, and Asia

News

Australia's elusive rakali is hiding and thriving in Melbourne's waterways

We can grow our way out of this building crisis

‘Only if we help shall all be saved’: Jane Goodall showed we can all be part of the solution

Earth has an Outer Space Treaty, but is it time for an Orbital Activity Treaty?

Don’t be fooled by Melbourne’s Fool’s Spring

Why we all need a 'climate safe room’ (and how to create one)

Ghana’s 24-hour economy could be a lesson for Australia

How much should parasitic gig companies contribute to city resources?

Will a second Trump presidency help or hinder relationships between local leaders?

Graffiti removal isn’t the enemy of art. It’s part of a vibrant dialogue on life in the big city

Support Our Research

Contact Us

Acknowledgement of Country