Two Sydney universities are angling for help in commercialising their research in return for their efforts to cultivate the city¡¯s geographic heart.

The University of Sydney and Western Sydney University (WSU) say governments, industry and community groups must do more to capitalise on the pair¡¯s combined A$1.2?billion (?640?million) investment in a central band of suburbs known as the Greater Parramatta and Olympic Peninsula region, or ¡°GPOP¡±.

In a joint vision statement released on 1?November, the two universities outline what is needed to realise ¡°one of the biggest near-term growth opportunities¡± in Australia. ¡°GPOP undertakes world class research, but could leverage it more,¡± the document says.

¡°More needs to be done to strengthen commercialisation. This requires new approaches to attract and engage a wider range of private companies.¡±

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The brainchild of a task force called the Greater Sydney Commission, GPOP marshals efforts to turn the central portion of the burgeoning metropolis into a ¡°successful inner-urban hub¡±. The commission has highlighted a health and education ¡°super-precinct¡±, located in the suburb of Westmead, as key to the region¡¯s prosperity.

The vision statement points out that the University of Sydney has committed A$500?million to the precinct, where it is developing its second comprehensive campus, while much of the A$700?million WSU has invested in the region in recent years has also been injected into the precinct.

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¡°While there is much to be proud of, there is more to do,¡± the document says, stressing the importance of ¡°continued investment, policy support and consistency¡±.

WSU vice-chancellor Barney Glover said western Sydney would be ¡°the epicentre of economic development in Australia for the next decade and beyond¡±, spurred by demographic growth, new roads and railways, hospital upgrades and a second international airport.

¡°That intense activity means that as the university of the region, we¡¯ve got a role to play to deliver the graduates of the future,¡± he said.

He said WSU and the University of Sydney would be doing a ¡°huge amount¡± in Sydney¡¯s central region, developing campuses and precincts and engaging with business and health. ¡°We¡¯re telling government, this is pretty impressive stuff and we need a few things from you to make sure this is connected and supported ¨C that the planning is right so we can achieve great outcomes for the central city.¡±

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The document says research commercialisation confers ¡°an ongoing source of competitive advantage for a region¡±, building export potential and creating ¡°a?magnet for talent and further investment¡±. But more businesses must be attracted to ¡°participate in commercialisation of research outputs¡±.

¡°A range of expanded strategies could be investigated to accelerate entrepreneurship and business growth,¡± the document says.

It lobbies for better access to ¡°de-identified public data¡±, shared access to high-cost laboratories and facilities, and public sector investment in ¡°specialised research assets¡±. ¡°There is also likely to be a role for conventional investor-attraction incentives,¡± it adds.

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com