UNSW–China partnership to support 10 innovation projects

UNSW Sydney and Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute have signed an agreement that will support 10 major technological innovation projects.

The UNSW-Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute Collaboration Fund is an $8 million investment part of the Torch Innovation Precinct, a $100 million partnership launched in 2016.

The fund will support technological innovation undertaken by UNSW researchers and Chinese institutes. 

The precinct, based at UNSW, will see collaboration between Australian research teams and major Chinese companies with the capacity, capital and access needed to translate research breakthroughs into new products, technology and services. The UNSW–JITRI collaboration will provide a springboard for Chinese and Australian collaboration that will bring industry, academics, entrepreneurs and investors together.

Two of the first 10 projects funded will be with JITRI’s Institute of Water Environmental Engineering and Technology (Yixing) and JITRI’s Institute of Membrane Science and Technology. The first project is ‘The Development of Advanced Treatment and Toxicity Reduction Technology and Equipment for Wastewater Effluent’ and the second project is ‘The Development and Use of Conducting Ceramic Membranes for Fouling Prevention, Contaminant Degradation and Ion Removal by Electrosorption’. Both projects will be led by Scientia Professor David Waite, who is also the Executive Director of UNSW Centre for Transformational Environmental Technologies, UNSW’s first research centre outside Australia.

Professor Ian Jacobs, President and Vice-Chancellor of UNSW Sydney, said, “The announcement highlights the importance of Australian–Chinese collaborations, national innovation planning and Australia’s bilateral relationship with China, our largest trading partner.

“One of the major projects under the new collaboration will offer new opportunities to scale up UNSW’s new Centre for Transformational Environmental Technology, the university’s first research base outside Australia that will translate environmental research into industrial application in China.”

The signing of the collaboration fund was followed by tours of UNSW research facilities, including the Solar Industry Research Facility, ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites (AMAC) and Mark Wainwright Analytical Centre.

Image caption: JITRI President Professor Qing Liu and UNSW Sydney President and Vice-Chancellor Ian Jacobs.