Interested in bringing about positive behaviour for social good? Join the UTS Business School as it launches a new research centre: Change for Good at UTS.
Change for Good at UTS
Change for Good at UTS adopts transdisciplinary, strategic, systems thinking, critical, participatory and multi-level approaches to develop real world behaviour and social change solutions to address complex health and social problems.
Inaugural centre director Professor Ross Gordon said that the new centre will focus on researching, designing, implementing and evaluating real world solutions that are based on scientific evidence, behaviour and social change principles, social justice values and critical methods.
“The launch of this exciting new centre at UTS comes at a time when countries around the world are investing more into behaviour and social change science,” he said.
Human behaviour is often at the heart of these problems, but through researching, understanding, supporting and facilitating behaviour change for social good - it is also part of the solution.
“For example, UK Research and Innovation, the national funding body in the United Kingdom, recently invested £17 million over the next five years to build world-leading capability in interdisciplinary behavioural research.”
“While Australia currently lags in this important area, the need for high quality behaviour and social change research is prescient given that we live in an age of wicked problems that are multiple, persistent and complex.”
These include but are not limited to:
- climate change
- non-communicable diseases
- gambling
- alcohol
- drugs & tobacco harm
- infectious disease pandemics
- economic, health, social & political inequalities
- impairment and disability
- achieving healthy ageing
- automation & job insecurity
- equity, diversity & inclusion
- Indigenous rights
- democracy in decline.
“Human behaviour is often at the heart of these problems, but through researching, understanding, supporting and facilitating behaviour change for social good - it is also part of the solution,” Ross said.
Current projects
Change for Good at UTS has a focus across four key areas:
1. climate change and action
2. mitigating harmful consumption
3. better public and mental health and
4. equality and overcoming discrimination.
The Centre works with a variety of partners who are at the cutting edge in bringing about transdisciplinary positive behaviour and social change.
No matter how big or small the project, our team can assist with any aspect of your behaviour and social change work, from providing expert advice, scoping and formative research to design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
“No matter how big or small the project, our team can assist with any aspect of your behaviour and social change work, from providing expert advice, scoping and formative research to design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation,” said Ross.
Current projects include:
- understanding the behaviour change and social justice implications of the transition to electric vehicles
- understanding the household energy practices and challenges experienced by international students in private rental accommodation
- mapping the evidence of social marketing interventions addressing violence against women
- sports betting practices
- addressing gambling harms
- a systems analysis of childhood obesity in Slovenia.
Attend the launch celebrations
All are welcome to attend the exciting launch event with special guests Professor Carl Rhodes (UTS Business School Dean), Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research Professor Kate McGrath, Professor Kathy Walsh (UTS Business School Associate Dean, Research and Innovation) and centre director Professor Ross Gordon.
Join an expert panel in an interactive discussion: What are the biggest behaviour and social change challenges facing Australia now and into the future?
Guest speakers:
- Professor Maria Raciti, Co-Director, Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre at University of Sunshine Coast,
- Estelle Grech, Policy Manager at the Committee for Sydney, and
- Belinda Duckworth, Australian Association of Social Marketing.
When: 5.30pm – 7.30pm, Wednesday 19 February 2025
Where: UTS Business School
Learn more about Change for Good at UTS.