Universities are more than centres of learning—they can serve as epicentres for inclusive urban transformation. With their research expertise, intellectual capital, and convening power, universities are uniquely positioned to address entrenched social and environmental challenges. Sunway University’s Desa Mentari Community Development Programme illustrates this potential, revitalising a marginalised, high-density urban community through data-driven solutions, student involvement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.

This workshop explores how universities can become anchor institutions for urban resilience, partnering with communities, local governments, and businesses to co-create solutions for urgent social issues such as poverty, housing insecurity, and systemic inequality. It showcases how academic research can influence policy, inspire innovation, and deliver practical support beyond campus walls. Participants will engage in hands-on work to design adaptable, community-focused frameworks for transformation, tailored to local needs. The session also highlights the importance of embedding real-world challenges into curricula, nurturing student leadership, and practising inclusive governance.

It poses a powerful question: What if a university’s legacy was not in rankings, but in the lives and neighbourhoods it transformed—through bold, collaborative Public–Private–People Partnerships that begin just beyond its gates?