Lismore will host the Northern Rivers’ first Raising the Bar event next year, bringing researchers and experts into a local pub for a night of free public talks.
Lismore City Council and the University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH) at the University of Sydney have partnered to bring the internationally recognised program to the region, with the inaugural event to be held at the Metropole Hotel in May 2027.
Raising the Bar transforms pubs and bars into informal “pop-up classrooms”, giving the community an opportunity to hear from researchers and experts in a relaxed setting.
The one-night event will feature accessible talks exploring new ideas, discoveries and technologies, as well as issues with local and global significance.
The partnership comes as UCRH marks 25 years of learning and teaching in the Northern Rivers through its Lismore campus.
The program is expected to provide another avenue for the community to engage with University of Sydney research and expertise.
Lismore City Mayor Steve Krieg said the program was a natural fit for the city.
“Lismore has long been recognised as a city of creativity, culture and big ideas, so Raising the Bar feels like a natural fit.”
“We’re excited to partner with the University of Sydney and UCRH to bring this globally recognised program to our community. It will add another fantastic event to Lismore’s already impressive May calendar, alongside major drawcards such as Groovin the Moo, while also supporting local businesses and bringing people into the heart of our CBD.”
“Perhaps most importantly, it creates an opportunity for people to come together, hear new perspectives and be part of conversations about issues that matter to our region.”
Head of UCRH, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Professor Vicki Flood said the event would build on the organisation’s long-standing connection with the Northern Rivers.
“For 25 years, UCRH has been part of the fabric of the Northern Rivers. We are more than a partner in this region, we are a vital part of how we deliver education, research and community engagement.”
“As we celebrate that milestone, we’re also looking ahead. Raising the Bar is about opening our expertise more widely to the communities we serve, bringing ideas, expertise and conversation into community spaces and creating new opportunities for connection.”
“We’re proud of what we’ve achieved together over the past 25 years, but we’re just as excited about what’s next. Bringing Raising the Bar to Lismore creates a new way for community members to have a fun night out in the pub with food and engaging talks on the latest ideas and research.
The Lismore event will initially operate as a pilot, with the potential to become a regular feature on the city’s events calendar and form part of broader efforts to connect university expertise with regional communities.
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