Events
Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education at the University of Melbourne
The University is committed to hosting events and activations on its campuses in a COVIDSafe way, in accord with government restrictions and guidelines. Some of our events are presented on campus, others online – be sure to check the details. Find out more about the University’s COVIDSafe plans
Featured events
May
8
7:00pm - 8:00pm
Public Lecture
A national urban policy for Australia - what can we learn from global experience
Please join us for our next Melbourne School of Design Dean’s lecture with Professor Greg Clark.
We are entering the 5th decade of the Century of the City.
From 1980 to 2080 the world population is doubling the percentage of urban dwellers from 40% to 80%, quadrupling the number of people living in cities from 2.3 billion to 9.3 billion, and multiplying by 6 the number of cities with 1 million or more residents, from 275 to 1,600.
Humankind is becoming an urban species. More than 197 countries now have major cities, but less than 25% of Nation States have explicit national policies. Other national policies might be implicitly pro-urban (Public Transport, Affordable Housing, Knowledge Economy) or implicitly anti-urban (pro Cars and roads, pro-sprawl, or anti-density). Urban voters grow more quickly in number than rural voters, but political systems are slow to reflect changed demographics.
We’ve seen three great cycles of national urban policies in recent times: the urban expansions and new towns of the 50s, 60s, and 70s; the age of urban regeneration in the 80s, 90s, 00s; and the phase since 2010 with the focus on urban governance and leadership to address climate change, inequality, and acceleration of urban change.
After the pandemic, a new kind of national urban policy may evolve.
In this lecture, Professor Clark will discuss what that policy could look like. After the pandemic cities need to be reinvented. Can the National and Federal Governments help? What does Australia need now and how can it be created?
May
10
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Other
Monarchy v Republic Debate
The Robert Menzies Institute is delighted to invite you to attend our Monarchy vs Republic Debate on Wednesday 10 May 2023 5:30pm - 7:00pm to coincide with the coronation of King Charles III which is taking place on Saturday 6 May 2023.
While Menzies was famously a Monarchist, the Institute is committed to fostering free and open discussion, so come along and decide for yourself what Australia’s future should be.
Light refreshments will be served in our museum space in the Old Quad from 5:30pm with formalities commencing in Old Arts at 6:00pm.
We have assembled an impressive line up of speakers for both the Affirmative and Negative sides.
