����ֱ��

Split-site success: studying two international cities from the inside

“There’s so much to gain from just living life in a different place, even in the mundane day-to-day things we do. Watching how people interact with the city and seeing the rhythm of a place is so insightful. People often compare Manchester and Melbourne, so I expected them to be quite similar. But actually, the culture and the politics is quite different.” Dr Caitlin Morrissey

Comparing city life

Living and studying across two international cities for a PhD in urban studies was a golden opportunity for Caitlin. She was already working professionally in London as an urban advisor, and when her boss introduced her to the dual Manchester-Melbourne PhD opportunity, it was a perfect fit. 

Her PhD explored how cities around the world approach public transport projects and how that connects with their aspirations as global cities. It focused on the Metrolink tram system in Manchester and Melbourne Airport Rail.

“Physically being in Manchester and Melbourne gave me first-hand experience of the public transport and the politics of each city. In Manchester I used the tram every day, and I was a user of the airport in Melbourne. Sometimes when you study a place, you’re aware of the projects, but in a detached way. Having the chance to really be there benefitted my research so much.”

Before her PhD, Manchester and Melbourne were both unknown to Caitlin – she had only been to Manchester for one afternoon.

Tackling time zones

Caitlin had four supervisors during her PhD – two in each city – giving her varied input, access to established international networks and introductions with local practitioners and policy makers. 

“I’m so lucky because every core theme of my research is covered by one of my supervisors.

“Michele Acuto is an Honorary Professor in Urban Politics at the Melbourne Centre for Cities and the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, and has done lots of research into the idea of global cities, and how this is understood and measured. Crystal Legacy is an Associate Professor in Urban Studies and is a pioneering female scholar in Melbourne who has really contributed to the transport debate there.

From the Manchester side, Aurora Fredriksen, a Senior Lecturer in Geography, is an expert in the value of infrastructure, and Kevin Ward, Professor of Human Geography, is really knowledgeable on the governance of cities.”

Working across two continents does come with challenges, says Kevin Ward. 

“The time zones were tough at times. International partnerships are great intellectually, but there are limits to their practicality.”

Meeting in person is not often an option, and even meeting virtually across such different time zones requires students and supervisors to work out-of-hours. 

Through dedication and flexibility, the team harnessed digital capabilities to ensure everyone got the best possible experience, despite the physical distance.

Caitlin set up a reading group for scholars looking at urban studies from different perspectives, and the team leveraged a whole webinar series with Manchester, Melbourne and the University of Toronto. 

“The webinar was an unexpected spin-off from the collaboration. It was great to have a critical mass of people working on similar issues around infrastructure, cities and transport.”

Keeping up momentum

Maintaining international collaborations can sometimes be challenging, especially with the ever-changing landscape of research. 

For Kevin, the key to making international collaborations work is long-term, formalised partnerships.

“Universities are already out there in the world, with international workforces and international students doing research all around the globe. Formalising that by binding together universities with a similar ethos is a no brainer.”

Caitlin now lives and works in Manchester, developing the research she began during her PhD. She co-leads a project called the DNA of Cities, hosts a podcast and has been commissioned to write a book on it. Since finishing her PhD, her ties with the international research community have only strengthened. She continues to work with her supervisors and has become an Honorary Research Associate at ����ֱ��. 

“The fact that I’m still in close contact with my supervisors and working collaboratively with them just shows how those three years created lifelong connections that helped shape my next chapter.”