Notable in 2020 was the University’s continued commitment to convening critical conversations on global sustainability policy, community and ecological resilience. There remains, however, significant opportunity to leverage our considerable expertise to become a prominent actor in global sustainability policy development. Greater effort is also required to foster and leverage connections between the University’s sustainability research agenda and our campus operations and planning, to advance a living labs approach to our core teaching and research activities.

Future directions

Advancing Melbourne articulates a renewed focus on research translation to tackle global ‘grand challenges’, with none more pressing than global sustainability and climate change. Agreed in 2020 and launched in March 2021, Melbourne Climate Futures (MCF) emerged in response to calls for a more streamlined and holistic approach to the University’s climate change research agenda. MCF aims to accelerate the transition to a positive climate future, leveraging our research capability and expertise, growing impact, demonstrating leadership and empowering the next generation of students and researchers. MCF will bring researchers together to contribute to greater action on climate change and is emblematic of the University’s commitment to growing inter-disciplinary knowledge and action across the social, ecological and economic dimensions of sustainability.