UniSQ and Queensland Futures Institute partner to tackle trust gap in major projects

The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) has partnered with the Queensland Futures Institute (QFI) to deliver a new executive education initiative focused on one of the most significant risks facing major projects: community trust.

The partnership will see UniSQ and QFI jointly design and deliver a broader suite of practical, industry-focused executive education programs aimed at strengthening leadership capability across Queensland, particularly in infrastructure, energy, and regional development.

UniSQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Paul Mazerolle said the collaboration responds to a growing challenge for governments and industry.

“Across Queensland, we are seeing that technical excellence alone is no longer enough to guarantee success,” he said.

“Without community confidence, even well-designed projects can face delay, resistance, or failure.”

Professor Mazerolle said the partnership was designed to deliver programs that are practical, applied, and grounded in the realities of industry and community.

“This is about more than professional development. It’s about building capability and equipping leaders with the tools, insight and confidence to navigate complexity and deliver real outcomes,” he said.

The first program delivered through the partnership is centred on the relationship between trust, social licence, and infrastructure project outcomes, equipping leaders with practical strategies to engage communities early and deliver outcomes that are understood and supported.

The program is designed for practitioners working across sectors where public trust is critical, providing applied learning grounded in real-world challenges.

Partnerships like this are central to UniSQ’s approach, where the University works alongside organisations like QFI to connect education, industry, and community in ways that create impact.

The UniSQ–QFI partnership will support leadership capability across Queensland, particularly in regions experiencing rapid growth and transformation.