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

4.3              Institute Model 3.
Synopsis
This is the most detailed of the proposed models for the Sustainability Institute. While the Institute is
established and owned by Council, there is direct involvement of the community and research
partners in the decision-making processes and a Board is established to oversee operations. This
provides a transparent level of independence from the day to day activities of Council. Such a
structure also ensures that research activities can take a broad, long-term view of sustainability of
the Noosa region, rather than being seen to be tied to the current needs or targets of the Council.
The day to day operations of the Institute is administered by a full-time dedicated Manager who
reports directly to the Board.
The Board oversees the operations of the Institute and approves all of the research and associated
activities undertaken within the Institute. The composition of the Board comprises Council members
or staff, noted community members and senior research representatives from Research Agencies.
The membership of the Board is approved by Council although nominations are sought from the
community and research partners. The Chair of the Board should be an appropriate non-affiliated
member of the Noosa community (i.e., not from Council or a partner research agency). The Board
can also directly invite affiliate members to participate for short-term periods where needed for their
expertise on specific topics, e.g. indigenous matters or specific community issues. Membership of
the Board is for set for fixed time periods (e.g., two years) after which nominations for new members
is sought. Existing Board members are free to renominate at this time.
While consideration of submitted unsolicited projects is a possibility, the majority of approved
research is through calls for proposals by the Institute. The Institute Board periodically sets preferred
research topics after close consultation with Council and the community. Members of the community
are actively encouraged to put forward ideas and concepts for research topics.
The Institute actively encourages the development of Collaborative Research Agreements (CRAs)
with research agencies interested in engaging in research within the Institute. This assists the quick
awarding of projects to researchers belonging to these research agencies as the CRAs already cover
all the background research legal approval requirements. Researchers from agencies that do not
have a CRA with the Institute are not precluded from being awarded research projects but will be
required to comply fully with the usual Institute requirements.
Under this option the Institute potentially has a physical location that can be used as a place by
researchers to work on research projects while in Noosa; a place to display active and completed
research projects; and a site that provides a location where the community can interact with
researchers and research projects. While not essential, this location can also be used as a site for
other community activities on topics relating to the broad sustainability goals of the Institute (e.g.,
school activities, community sustainability classes, etc.). All non-research activities are approved
and overseen by the Institute Manager
In addition to the physical location, the Institute maintains a strong virtual presence and leverages
other Council-supported initiatives such as the Digital Hub and associated networks. This on-line
presence provides a gateway to others both within Australia and internationally by promoting the
research undertaken within the Institute and advertising upcoming research topics and calls for
proposals. The on-line activities of the Institute also provide links to other sustainability activities
occurring elsewhere in Queensland, Australia, and internationally. This platform provides the
community, amongst other things, with an opportunity to bench mark the activities of the Institute
with what is happening elsewhere.
All research projects undertaken within the Institute are overseen and advised by Project Steering
Committees consisting of people with expertise, knowledge or understanding in the topic area
associated with the research project. The Project Steering committee is selected by, and reports to
the Board (usually through the Institute Manager) and ensures that an active research project
remains on track or approves any required variation from the original project plan.




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