Report: Advancing University Living Labs

If you're working in a University or with a University in and around Living Labs, this one is for you. This is a report which has been in production for awhile and I'm delighted to say has now been published by Monash University.

The report takes a look at the growing array of University Living Labs, as something distinct from other Living Lab forms - urban, technology, and otherwise. In this report we look to our experience over the last decade with Living Labs started in research, education and operational contexts at Monash University, and draw out learnings for a new type of university infrastructure.

What are University Living Labs?

University Living Labs are a relational infrastructure which provides a framework to orchestrate and catalyse portfolios of place-based, interdisciplinary, and impact oriented research, education, operations, and enterprising initiatives in collaboration with societal partners. University Living Labs provide a platform to both strategically and organically drive and implement transformative institutional responses to societal challenges and opportunities.

In short, they are an institutional infrastructure to orchestrate activity across the university utilising living lab principles and practices. They act as a crucial front door and wayfinder for partners - an interface to navigate the complexity of working effectively with universities, to accelerate impact.

What are University Living Labs, not?

University Living Labs are not the same as Living Labs which a university is involved in, such as through a research project.

University Living Labs are not the same as a Campus Living Lab, which is primarily concerned with improving university operations and in some cases - offering the campus as a testbed to test and trial new initiatives with partners.

Whilst University Living Labs are not the same as Campus Living Labs, we see them as stronger together - and in some cases you will see a university establish both over time as it realises the unique role each can play.

What roles do Universities play?

The report lays out roles which universities play across living labs more broadly (observed from our case studies), and integrates these into a framework to better understand University Living Labs.

Download the Report

Download free and open access at:

Suggested citation

Rye, S., Donaldson L., French, M. A., Jasieniak, J., and Raven, R. (2025) Advancing University Living Labs: Relational Infrastructure for Transformative Impact. Monash University; Melbourne, Australia. Accessed at: https://www.monash.edu/research/living-labs

Deep thanks!

As we say in the report, the authors are grateful for many meaningful exchanges on Living Labs, Social Innovation Labs and other challenge-led approaches, and extend additional thanks to: Ione Ardaiz Osacar, Kristy Bard, Ben Beck, Iain Begg, Christoph Brodnik, Geraldine Cahill, Aaron Davis, Marta I. De Los Ríos White, Miquel De Paladella, Tim Draimin, Matteo Dutto, Monika Engelhard, Kristy Faccer, Daphne Flynn, Helena Fitzgerald, Martin Galvin, Seon Geobey, Richie Khoo, Tanvi Maheshwari, Troy Mcgee, John Metras, Melissa Miles, Sonja Miokovic, Maryam Mohiuddin, Andrea Nemtin, Amelia Olsen-Boyd, Lauren Pearson, Loretta Piccenna, Gareth Priday, Darcy Riddell, John Robinson, Alex Ryan, Dimitri Schuurman, Nick Scott, Jamil Tye, Ben Weinlick, Brent Wellsch, Kirsten Wright and Fiona Zimmerman.

And of course huge thanks to our case study leads; Srikanth Velandai, Lily Chisholm, Diego Ramírez-Lovering, Paris Hadfield, Darren Sharp, Helena Teede, Amanda Hamilton, Peter Graham, Craig Burton, Kashumi Madampe, Briony Rogers, Marilyn Fleer, Kendra Wasiluk, Vanessa Graham.

This really was a collaborative effort 🔥

Feedback welcome!

As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts, requests for clarification, or any other feedback. Message me here, over at Monash, or on Linkedin.