Driving Social Innovation in Place and Community: The 2024 City North Compendium
RMIT University has released the 2024 City North Social Innovation Precinct (CNSIP) Compendium, showcasing more than 20 groundbreaking projects that are reimagining how universities, communities, industry, and government can work together to tackle society’s biggest challenges.
Located in Melbourne’s most densely populated square kilometre, the City North precinct is rapidly evolving into a living lab for innovation—a place where collaboration, creativity, and experimentation shape solutions for a more sustainable and inclusive future.
“Cities grow and change through movement—of people, ideas, and connections. Many important innovations happen not in grand plans, but in the everyday spaces where people come together to experiment, collaborate, and work out what’s possible.”
—Tom Bentley, Vice President, Strategy & Community Impact, RMIT University
What’s Inside the Compendium
The compendium is both a record and an invitation—a way to celebrate progress so far and invite new partners, students, and community members to get involved. The projects highlighted span five key impact areas:
- Social Care & Wellbeing – People-centred innovation to support health equity and resilience.
- Future Engineering & Technology – Harnessing emerging tech for adaptive, inclusive urban systems.
- Indigenous Recognition & Celebration – Embedding cultural leadership and knowledge into renewal.
- Clean Economy – Advancing circular design, renewables, and regenerative development.
- International Collaboration – Building global partnerships for shared learning and local impact.
A Snapshot of Innovation in Action
Some of the featured projects include:
- Our Street: Local primary school students reimagined Cardigan Street’s future using VR tools, envisioning greener and more inclusive public spaces.
- Enhancing Cyber Resilience: South Asian students co-designed culturally tailored strategies to strengthen digital safety.
- Student Wellbeing Week & Art Trail: A creative program that blended mindfulness, art, and community connection to support mental health.
- Indigenous Engagement Toolkit: A living resource embedding Woi Wurrung and Boon Wurrung cultural knowledge into precinct planning.
- PV Recycling Collaborative Showroom: Showcasing global and local innovations in solar panel recycling as part of a circular economy.
Why It Matters
The compendium demonstrates the power of place-based innovation. Each project brings together diverse voices—students, researchers, community leaders, industry partners—to create real-world solutions. Already, the initiative has helped spark new collaborations, accelerate existing projects, and inspire ideas that can be scaled far beyond the precinct.
Looking Ahead
With momentum building, the City North Social Innovation Precinct is positioning itself as a world-class hub for civic innovation. The compendium is just the beginning of a call to action for everyone who believes in shaping cities that are inclusive, sustainable, and resilient.
Explore the full compendium and discover how you can get involved.
