Student exchanges, joint research projects and mutual bids to work with some of the world’s biggest businesses and funders, will be part of a new post-COVID alliance between the Universities of Melbourne, Manchester and Toronto.
Announced 16 November, the Alliance sees the Universities - which have a combined 187,000 students, 45,000 staff and are all in the world top 50 - commit to collaborate more closely than ever, drawing on joint expertise and resources, and capitalising on new ways of studying, working and collaborating that have emerged during the pandemic.
For students this means global classroom programs that provide interaction with world-leading teachers and researchers on three continents via lectures, seminars, and practical classes. There will be exchanges providing global experiences to boost career prospects and joint PhD programs with opportunities to visit the third institutions.
Researchers will also gain access to specialist facilities and the opportunities to work on joint research programs on areas of interest such as environmental sustainability, cancer treatment and advanced materials. Several of these are already in place (see case study below).
This will be supported by access to global experience in funding, links to industry and researchers at the other member institutions. There will also be support for mutual sabbaticals, exchanges, visits, and residencies between the Alliance members.
Professor Duncan Maskell, University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor said: “The new alliance between Melbourne, Manchester, and Toronto universities will create opportunities to address global challenges across all fields of education and research. The alliance will enable existing funding projects, joint research programmes and PhD programmes to grow in scale across all three institutions and their regions.”
Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “Manchester is a global university and the pandemic has shown more than ever how collaborative working can solve our greatest challenges. This new alliance between three of the world’s leading universities will embed that spirit of collaboration and provide world-class opportunities for our researchers and our students.”
Professor Meric Gertler, President of the University of Toronto, said: “The University of Toronto is excited to build on its strong, long-standing relationships with our peer institutions in Melbourne and Manchester. This new collaboration will amplify our individual strengths and enhance our collective contributions in teaching, research and innovation across a wide range of disciplines.”
CASE STUDY: Sharing knowledge on cities across three continents
One area of cooperation between the Universities of Melbourne, Toronto and Manchester is already in place through the staff and students researching the huge challenges and opportunities facing our cities.
Urbanists have been holding joint online workshops to address questions on the ways cities build (and build back) infrastructure. Faced with a combination of economic, environmental, health and social challenges, cities are learning from each other, experimenting and innovating with strategies in an increasingly uncertain world.
Entitled Reconfiguring Future Urban Infrastructures, these webinars are attended by academics and postgraduate students from all three universities – as well as tens of others - and have led to a healthy exchange of ideas.
There are plans for joint research grants and research papers, building upon a recent intervention in Urban Geography by Theresa Enright (Toronto) and Kevin Ward (Manchester). Each webinar consists of presentations by an academic from each of the three universities.
Professor Michele Acuto, Director of the Melbourne Centre for Cities, said: “It’s great to be working together with the Universities of Toronto and Manchester to have these important discussions about building and bettering our cities.
“Between our three institutions, there is so much potential for collaboration and development. We are building a new generation of internationally minded urbanists in research and practice and advocating for the value of a ‘global’ urban imagination at a time of international disruptions.”
Professor Kevin Ward, Director of the Manchester Urban Institute said: “Our three cities are already having to contend with climate change and its effects. All of us have expertise to help cities adapt, emerge from the pandemic and become better places to live.
“Most importantly our universities all place a strong emphasis on working with our communities whether that be the public or local and regional policy makers.”
Following the success of the webinar series Professor Ward is hoping the new strategic alliance will provide even more opportunities for collaboration.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing how we can develop new ways of working together like joint studentships or accessing funding to do even more to tackle these issues,” he said.
Find out more about the webinar series on the Manchester Urban Institute website.
Banner image: Universities of Manchester, Melbourne and Toronto