The flagship gathering for Economic Development Australia (EDA), the conference will be held at Adelaide Oval between October 25 and October 27.
The Adelaide meeting has the backing of the City of Adelaide and Adelaide Economic Development Agency as host sponsors and Business Events Adelaide as a funding partner.
EDA’s chief executive, Jacqueline Brinkman, said the organisation’s 20th conference, known as NEDC27, was especially important.
“Economic development has changed enormously over the past 20 years – and so has the scale and complexity of the challenges our profession is being asked to address,” she said.
“Economic development professionals are at the forefront of some of the biggest issues facing Australia’s communities: economic transition, productivity, investment, workforce development, technological change and creating places where people and businesses can prosper.
“Adelaide is a city with a compelling story of transformation, investment and innovation, making it the perfect place for that conversation. Against the backdrop of Adelaide Oval, NEDC27 will celebrate two decades of progress while setting our sights firmly on the future.”
Adelaide’s Lord Mayor, Dr Jane Lomax-Smith AM, sees the conference as an opportunity to platform the economic development of her city.
“Adelaide is the perfect backdrop for Australia’s economic development leaders because we are at the centre of rapid transformation and change,” said Lomax-Smith.
“This is a chance to showcase how Adelaide is managing growth while protecting the things that make our city such a liveable place, from our built heritage and unique parklands to our vibrant city centre and diverse cultural life.
“It is also an opportunity for Adelaide to learn from the people shaping economic development in cities and regions right across Australia and to build the partnerships that will help drive our city’s next chapter.”
As the peak body for economic development in Australia, EDA has around 2,500 members.
