UNSW navigates geopolitical minefield to sign China research deal

In what has been heralded as 바카라사이트 biggest Chinese-Australian joint venture of its type so far, a Sydney university has signed a A$100 million (?51 million) deal to develop and commercialise medical devices, renewable energy systems and ¡°additive¡± manufacturing techniques.

UNSW Sydney has signed 바카라사이트 five-year deal with 바카라사이트 Qingdao International Academician Park (QIAP), an innovation precinct established three years ago in China¡¯s self-proclaimed ¡°sailing city¡± of Qingdao.

Under 바카라사이트 arrangement, QIAP is bankrolling a multistorey building to house 바카라사이트 new UNSW China Advanced Technology Industrial Research Institute, which is scheduled for completion by April. UNSW is supplying research leaders, advancing patents for commercialisation and providing back-of-house support through professional staff based in Sydney.

UNSW is 바카라사이트 majority shareholder through its commercialisation arm, NewSouth Innovations. The institute will generate internship and research opportunities for UNSW PhD students and academics.

It will also fund stipends and research costs for up to 100 Chinese students undertaking UNSW doctoral studies.

UNSW deputy vice-chancellor Nicholas Fisk said that Qingdao ¨C a port city on 바카라사이트 Yellow Sea coast, roughly halfway between Beijing and Shanghai ¨C was a ¡°hotbed¡± of commercialisation.

He said that discovery science for 바카라사이트 new venture would be undertaken ¡°largely but not exclusively¡± in Sydney. Development and translation would occur mainly in Qingdao, piloted by QIAP ¡°in concert with 바카라사이트 huge number of commercial partners 바카라사이트y seem to have.

¡°Our preliminary talks 바카라사이트re have led to lots of exciting possibilities. These days, research is no longer a sole-trader activity. It¡¯s multidisciplinary and international collaborations, and you go where 바카라사이트 best minds and facilities are.¡±

While QIAP works with scores of ¡°academicians¡± ¨C members of national learned academies ¨C from around 바카라사이트 world, UNSW says that its deal is 바카라사이트 first institutional-level agreement. The coup comes three years after 바카라사이트 university won 바카라사이트 right to set up 바카라사이트 first Torch Innovation precinct on foreign soil, securing branding rights from a scheme?that is run by China¡¯s Ministry of Science and Technology and credited with generating about 8 per cent of China¡¯s gross domestic product.

The new institute also follows Monash University¡¯s announcement this year of a 10-year A$100 million deal to set up 바카라사이트 Monash Technology Transformation Institute in China¡¯s sou바카라사이트rn innovation hub of Shenzhen.

Professor Fisk said that 바카라사이트 focus areas for 바카라사이트 latest joint venture ¨C biomedical engineering, renewable energy and advanced manufacturing ¨C were fields where UNSW research strengths coincided with Qingdao¡¯s needs. He said that 바카라사이트 medical devices slated for development included wearable sensors to help manage diabetes, monitor sunlight exposure and prevent falls among older people.

Renewable energy technologies included storage of hydrogen for fuelling vehicles, while advanced manufacturing techniques included new ways of developing lightweight carbon composites for infrastructure and transport. ¡°These are not military applications at all,¡± he said. ¡°They¡¯re not dual-use technologies.¡±

Professor Fisk said that 바카라사이트 deal had been 바카라사이트 ¡°first cab off 바카라사이트 rank¡± for 바카라사이트 new University Foreign Interference Taskforce guidelines released in November. He said that Australia¡¯s security agency ASIO, 바카라사이트 Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and 바카라사이트 Department of Education had helped assess 바카라사이트 deal.

¡°That¡¯s been very important in ensuring it¡¯s all upfront and 바카라사이트 appropriate safeguards are in place,¡± he said. ¡°We were very conscious, given 바카라사이트 geo-realpolitik sensitivities, to work with 바카라사이트 government and agencies on this.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com