Local government and university partnership in managing the knowledge cycle and addressing the workforce challenges of the fulture

Local government plays an integral role in the Australian economy with cumulative annual expenditure of over $20 billion, which represents around 2% of the Australian GDP. Local government authorities employ around 1.3% of the Australian labour force, providing a wide range of services and infrastructure. There is lack of appreciation amongst Council staff of the value of collaboration with universities and vice versa. However, staff at Kogarah Council who have been involved in partnership projects with universities strongly value the benefits of these collaborations. Councils can provide a one-stope-shop for research and its application for a range of disciplines from science and technology to arts and policy studies.