The University of Melbourne’s research strategy – Advancing Research 2030: Excellence for Impact – charts our path to continue to deliver research excellence, collaboration and impact. Bold, ambitious and comprehensive, it will guide our decision-making, enable our research to expand the boundaries of knowledge, and deliver enduring positive impact.
The research strategy responds to the complex challenges of the global landscape, considering social, environmental, political and economic imperatives.
In our research strategy, we outline our aspirations, which focus on empowering our people, harnessing the power of our enabling environments and demonstrating the depth and breadth of our impact.
At the heart of our research are our people – our academic and professional staff, our students and graduate researchers, and the many communities we serve.
Download the research strategy (accessible PDF)
About the cover image
Cochlear implant in situ. Light sheet microscopy / micro-CT image by University of Melbourne researcher Kate Brody, Department of Otolaryngology.
The University of Melbourne is a world leader in developing neural technologies. In 1978, our researcher, Laureate Professor Graeme Clark AC, pioneered one of Australia’s greatest bioengineering achievements.
The multi-channel cochlear implant was the first device to allow severely-to-profoundly deaf people to understand speech. This innovation has had enduring impact, with over one million people now using a cochlear implant in over 120 countries.
Strategy in brief
Building an ambitious research culture of excellence
Advancing Research 2030: Excellence for Impact will help us focus our efforts and unite our research community around common goals and ways of working. Four key themes help us articulate our aspirations.
Culture of belonging and boldness
Our people thrive when they feel supported, trusted and inspired to pursue ambitious research endeavours. We’ll build a diverse and inclusive culture where our people feel like they belong yet remain globally connected.
Advancing the boundaries of knowledge
Investigator-driven research is the engine of discovery. Our people will pursue research of the highest quality. We will recognise and reward research excellence and impact in all its forms. We’ll share our research to contribute to informed intellectual discourse.
Ensuring our research has enduring positive impact
We will proactively pursue research opportunities to deliver social, cultural, environmental, health and economic benefits. We’ll support interdisciplinary and co-designed research, research translation and Indigenous partnerships.
Trusted collaborator and partner of choice
We’ll deepen relationships with research institutions, communities, government and industry. We'll be recognised as a leader in innovation, entrepreneurship and commercialisation, and for the value and integrity of our research.
Accelerating research impact to make a difference
Drawing on our existing areas of strength and capability, our Impact Accelerators will identify and engage key partners and communities to co-design strategies, programs and approaches to achieve shared ambitions, outcomes and targets.
Climate sustainability and ecosystem health
Solutions that address climate change mitigation, resilience and adaptation will be crucial to ensuring the survival of our planet and health of our ecosystems. Our research will support new energy transitions, improve biodiversity, help reverse habitat loss and contribute to effective policy.
Democracy, civil society and inclusion
Universities have a crucial role to play in bolstering democracy, upholding trust and supporting freedom of speech. We will address modern social and cultural challenges to better understand the human condition and how we live as humans in our city, country and region.
Indigenous knowledges and research
Indigenous knowledge systems provide valuable insights and compelling approaches for addressing social, environmental and economic challenges. We’ll promote and elevate the recognition of Indigenous knowledges and contribute to improved outcomes for Indigenous Australians.
Health futures
Our research will accelerate medical, social and cultural interventions to improve the health and wellbeing of our society. We’ll embrace interdisciplinary approaches to help people from all backgrounds to live full and healthy lives. We’ll help shape public health policy to achieve more equitable outcomes.
National security
In an increasingly complex geopolitical environment, research plays a pivotal role in securing Australia’s interest and safety. We contribute to enhancing our national security and defence with integrity and ethics at the forefront. We’ll work across national and cyber security, defence and crisis management.
Transformative technologies
Understanding the ethical and moral challenges and sustainability concerns of technology is critically important. Being at the forefront of emerging technologies means we will be able to explore the use of technologies for society’s benefit. They’ll underpin our practices in bringing our research to those who need it most.
Empowering our people
Our people make our vision possible and are the foundation of our achievements. Academics, professional staff and graduate researchers are catalysts for innovation. Their talent and dedication to excellence are driving forces that will shape the future.
Graduate researchers
Graduate researchers contribute new and unique perspectives, bringing an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to turn knowledge into influential ideas. They are vital to our research and education mission.
We’ll attract and recruit the best graduate researchers who come from a wide range of backgrounds and reflect the diversity of our global community. We will enhance the consistency of graduate researcher experiences and nurture them through high-quality supervision and opportunities that enrich their research experience and capability.
Academic and professional staff
We will foster a research culture that enables our academic and professional staff to strive for and deliver excellence. We’ll reward and celebrate achievements, affirm academic freedom and ensure a safe, accessible and inclusive environment.
We will define and instil a shared research culture that respects the curiosity, determination and integrity of our people and is demonstrated through actions, behaviours and practices. We’ll bring out the best in our people by supporting our academic and professional staff to have the skills, resources and capacity to flourish across all career stages.
Read stories of research excellence for impact
Read how our researchers and graduate students are bringing innovation to life in real world settings.
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Transformative genomic research for cancer in the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct
Located in the heart of Parkville, the Melbourne Biomedical Precinct is the third largest biomedical precinct in the world. Place-based research has the advantage of concentrating knowledge and experience, bringing like-minded people together for mutual benefit.
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Cripps Foundation support enables cultural heritage conservation research
The Robert Cripps Institute for Cultural Conservation will exist as a new type of community and industry-aligned research institute in the humanities, addressing understanding of what cultural materials – from rock art to easel paintings – are being lost, why it is important and why it matters.
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Graduate researchers and academics gain a connected global experience
At the University of Melbourne we’re committed to preparing the next generation of graduate researchers, and International Collaborative Research Academies are a flagship tool for enabling both international collaboration and global research training experiences.
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Virtual production technology brings Hollywood to Southbank
World-leading research and teaching, both science and art, come together in the University of Melbourne. Advanced virtual production technology, equivalent to what is being used in Hollywood, is available to students and industry practitioners at our Southbank campus.
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Breakthrough in understanding the link between brain and heart health
Heart and brain health are tightly linked and age-related changes in our cardiovascular system can selectively influence brain networks and alter function in the brain, researches from the University of Melbourne’s Departments of Psychiatry and Biomedical Engineering have discovered.
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Community Fellowships support research for social impact
The Melbourne Social Equity Institute established its Community Fellows Program to support the important work of community organisations. The program enables leaders in SME community organisations to investigate issues of importance for their organisation, mentored by a University of Melbourne researcher.
First published on 30 July 2025.
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