As Australia's population continues to evolve—with declining birth rates and increasing life expectancies contributing to an ageing society—planning for the future has never been more critical. In response, The Australian National University (ANU) has launched The Population Lab (Poplab), a cutting-edge research initiative designed to equip government, industry and the not-for-profit sector partners with the insights needed to anticipate and adapt to shifting demographic trends. 

Poplab, housed in the ANU School of Demography, will leverage the unparalleled expertise of Australia’s largest concentration of researchers specialised in population issues, all based at ANU.  

“Our lab will collaborate with researchers from other disciplines, offering advice and evidence to organisations that need to assess how a changing population impacts their services,” said Poplab Directors Professor Edith Gray and Professor James Raymer. 

With a bespoke approach, the Lab will offer demographic analyses, model frameworks, reporting and short courses to help stakeholders plan more effectively and efficiently.  

“Demography affects all sectors, from private businesses to local government to international coordination. The Lab is prepared to support the distinct needs of each” said Gray and Raymer.  “During the past several years, most of our work has been targeted at the local level. For example, we have been working with the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Education Directorate to produce better models to predict public school enrolment change in the ACT. 

“This partnership underpinned the largest capital investment in ACT schools to date and is a prime example of how demographic models can enhance our understanding of population changes affecting society –while also providing more accurate and unbiased projections for planning.” 

With the vision to strengthen Australia through data-driven, evidence-based solutions, Poplab is poised to ensure its research has a positive impact on society. “We hope that the Lab will increase the capacity to address complex issues that are affecting our everyday lives,” said Gray and Ramer. 

“This capacity is fundamentally about building better models and frameworks that take into account Australia’s population needs, and ultimately will be used to improve access to services and enhance social cohesion across our communities.”  

For more information or to explore partnership opportunities, email poplab@anu.edu.au today. 

This article was first published in the ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences website.