ABSTRACT

This chapter examines the range of activities in the sphere of urban sustainable futures that Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University has undertaken with partners over the last five years. It elaborates the strategic direction of RMIT and the rationale behind its urban engagement in Melbourne and in the other cities where RMIT has a presence-Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Barcelona, Singapore, Hong Kong, Kuala and Lumpur. This exploration of knowledge co-production covers the university's strategic direction and transdisciplinary approach to urban futures. The chapter focuses on the urban opportunities and challenges in Southeast Asia and Australia from the perspective of a university committed to urban education and research. The strategy was developed in response to a provincial government Green Government Building Program (GGBP) that invited applicants to submit proposals for transforming government buildings into sustainability demonstration sites of that category of facility. The chapter outlines the policy and planning outcomes of examples of research within the SURF-RMIT program.