- Posted on 1 Dec 2025
Designing a practical statewide training program to address transport and community needs in New South Wales.
The challenge
NSW is home to more than 8 million people, with the population projected to reach approximately 10 million by 2041. Creating roads and transport networks that meet the competing needs of movement (moving goods and people from one location to another) and place (the locations of our homes, work and leisure spaces) is an ongoing challenge.
The NSW Government’s Movement and Place Framework has been developed to guide the planning, design and management of these transport networks. It aims to foster consultation, analysis and decision-making among practitioners throughout the life cycles of movement and place projects. The challenge is how to train practitioners throughout NSW to apply the Framework to real-world projects to improve urban planning and design outcomes.
The solution
Transport for NSW (TfNSW) commissioned the UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance (IPPG) to deliver a series of one-day workshops on the Movement and Place Framework. The course formed part of TfNSW’s comprehensive Framework training ecosystem.
The aim of the course was to provide participants with the opportunity to practically apply the Movement and Place principles they had acquired through the TfNSW Framework eLearning modules. The workshops were designed to foster collaboration and co-design among practitioners from diverse professional backgrounds and organisational contexts.
Between 2022 and 2024, 31 face-to-face workshops were delivered throughout metropolitan and regional NSW. The course attracted 741 participants, including state and local government staff and consultants who specialise in movement and place, such as urban designers, planners, architects, engineers, transport planners, safety specialists, communication experts, and even members of community organisations.
Learning content
The workshops provided participants with a unique opportunity to apply the Movement and Place principles acquired through the eLearning course in a practical setting.
The course tackled the practical challenges inherent in coordinating and planning places, land use, amenity and movement and transport options. The course used a mix of innovative teaching approaches and practical exercises, including site visits and case studies.
Participants utilised a local street as a case study and worked in small, diverse groups of practitioners. They applied knowledge from the eLearning course and workshop to develop innovative alternatives for transforming the street into a more people-responsive and transport-efficient place. The groups then presented their proposed solutions to gather feedback from peers.
The outcome
Post-course surveys revealed that the course successfully met participants' expectations, with over 90% expressing high overall satisfaction.
Many described the workshop as practical, interactive and engaging. The hands-on learning, site visits, collaborative approach and strong rapport between facilitators and participants were identified as the most valuable aspects.
Feedback also showed a significant increase in knowledge. Before the course, only 20% of participants rated their knowledge as high, but this increased to 75% after completing the course.
Student testimonials
The mix of theory and practical was great, really useful to have to apply the knowledge on the spot.
It was collaborative and interactive. I liked getting out and practically applying the skills. Loved speaking with different people about how we thought things could be improved, and for what purpose.
Very applicable to the real world and work that my agency and other agencies are involved in.
TfNSW Project Sponsor testimonial:
“IPPG’s systems, staff and expertise made course enrolments and administration a straightforward process for participants. The team that IPPG brought together to refine and deliver the training was world-class. From the start of the engagement, the team included experts in learning design who reviewed and improved on our draft lesson plans.”
Ben Cebuliak, Manager Movement and Place, Transport for NSW
Impact on professional practice
By the end of the workshop, participants could describe how they would use the Framework in the workplace to collaborate, structure meetings and guide community focus and connectivity. They also reflected on how their new knowledge would influence their professional practices in the future.
Participants valued the chance to strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration and engage with diverse stakeholders. They reported improved understanding of stakeholders' roles, greater confidence in communicating community insights and values during planning meetings and a clearer ability to manage stakeholder expectations.
By equipping practitioners with the necessary tools to navigate complex movement and place-based challenges, the course empowered them to drive meaningful impact and contribute to the development of vibrant, sustainable communities throughout NSW.
Insights from in-class reflections and post-workshop feedback revealed a significant increase in participants’ understanding of what “place” means in a policy context and why it is important. Participants also indicated a stronger awareness of their role in promoting collaboration across teams and developing more people-centred approaches to policy and project delivery.
This impact was particularly noticeable among professionals whose core expertise has traditionally centred on movement outcomes — such as transport planners and road engineers — who reported a shift in mindset towards integrating broader place outcomes into their work. One participant reflected:
“As a transport planner, I believe I now have a key role in my Council to champion a shift away from focusing solely on traditional movement outcomes and to incorporate broader place outcomes too.” (Transport Planner, Metropolitan Council, 10 November 2022)
The course was a successful collaboration between IPPG and TfNSW, demonstrating how IPPG can develop practical, large-scale training to complement eLearning courses.
Enrol now in the Movement and Place Course – tailored for government, consulting and industry professionals driving urban planning and development. For more information, to enrol or speak to us about an in-house customised program, visit the IPPG website or contact the IPPG team.
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