简体中文
EnglishWhat Is the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI)?
Updated
AHURI is an independent Australian research institute dedicated to housing, homelessness, cities and related urban research. It works through a national network of university research partners and collaborates with government partners to inform policy and practice across a range of sectors. If you need credible, policy-oriented evidence on Australian housing and urban issues, AHURI is a primary place to look.
What AHURI does
AHURI's core function is to commission and publish research that speaks directly to policy and practice questions. Its work is not purely academic: it is structured around informing decisions in government and industry.
Key characteristics:
- Independent research institute focused on housing, homelessness, cities and urban research.
- National university network: research is undertaken with a network of university research partners across Australia.
- Government partnerships: findings are designed to inform policy and practice in multiple sectors.
- Policy and practice orientation: the stated purpose is to inform, not just to publish.
Main topic areas
AHURI's remit covers a broad set of interconnected urban and social policy domains. Based on its stated focus, these include:
| Topic area | What it typically covers |
|---|---|
| Housing | Housing markets, affordability, tenure, supply and policy settings |
| Homelessness | Causes, service responses and policy approaches |
| Cities | Urban development, planning and city-level issues |
| Urban research | Broader urban policy and practice questions |
Because these areas overlap, a single AHURI research project may touch on housing affordability, urban development and homelessness simultaneously.
How to find and use AHURI research
AHURI publishes its research through its website, ahuri.edu.au. The practical workflow for using it:
- Go to the AHURI website (ahuri.edu.au).
- Browse or search the research output by topic — housing, homelessness, cities and urban research.
- Read the report or summary for the policy question, method and findings.
- Use the findings to inform policy, practice or further research in your own context.
The expected result is that you locate evidence relevant to a specific housing or urban policy question and can cite it in a policy, practice or research setting.
Common sticking points
- Matching your question to the right topic: AHURI's topics overlap, so a homelessness question may sit within a broader housing or urban research report.
- Distinguishing research from advocacy: AHURI is described as an independent research institute, so treat its outputs as evidence inputs rather than campaign material.
- Knowing who the research is for: the intended audiences are policy and practice sectors, so reports are framed around decision-making rather than general interest.
Who uses AHURI research
AHURI research is aimed at informing policy and practice across sectors. Its government partnerships indicate that public-sector decision-makers are a primary audience, alongside practitioners working in housing, homelessness and urban policy. University research partners also use the network to connect academic work with policy questions.
If your task is to understand Australian housing, homelessness or urban policy evidence, AHURI is the starting point — go to ahuri.edu.au, identify the topic closest to your question, and read the relevant research output.