2019-05-07 P&E Agenda - Item 3 - Attachment 1 - Noosa Sustainability Institute - Concepts and Options Report

2                Research Methods
2.1              Project Stages
The process to undertake this project was best achieved through breaking the work into set of stages.
Importantly progression to the next research stage is contingent upon the previous stage
demonstrating that it is suitable to progress, or requires adjustment prior to moving to the next stage.
This report focuses on Stage 1. The aim of this Stage is to examine what other sustainability institutes
are already in existence in Australia and internationally, how these institutes operate, and what
factors of these institutes may be of use for a Noosa Institute. Other activities also undertaken in this
stage was to interview Council staff and a small number of local community members for their
opinions and thoughts of the value on a “Noosa Institute”. From these activities, as set of potential
models were to be formulated for consideration by the Noosa Council.
A Stage 2 is designed to follow on from Stage 1 taking the most preferred developed Institute models
(which can be more than one at this stage) and further testing and developing these models with a
broader range of the Noosa community, interest from Universities and other research institutes and
Government agencies. This should result in the final selection of a preferred model (which may be
a modification of one of the models developed in Stage 2).
Stage 3 will involve setting of the operating protocols, governance structures, management plan of
the selected Institute model including business case development.




2.2              Assessment of Existing Sustainability Institutes
A web based search of institutes was conducted with a total of 54 case studies being identified. All
of the identified sites are outlined in Appendix A.
Of the 54 sites, nine international and seven Australian “Institutes” were selected for a more detailed
analysis based on an assessment of the information provided on the website and how this
information fitted the criteria set out in Appendix B. This included whether the institute had a virtual
or physical presence; the level of educational and research activities; funding sources; and the level
of community engagement.
The information extracted from these shortlisted sites was then collated and analysed to determine
the attributes that could either be useful or avoided for the prospective Noosa Institute.




2.3              Interviews with Selected Community Members and Council
                 Staff
Two group meetings were held with Noosa Council staff who already had a role in research activities
funded or supported by Noosa Council. These meetings were used to gauge the extent of current
research undertaken or funded by Council and the perspectives of the staff members on the value
of a Noosa Institute; what was important to be included; what should be avoided; and views on how
the Institute could be structured and operated. The important salient points brought up in these
meetings were recorded and added to the information gathered from the analysis of existing
institutes.



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