The NUW Alliance – a grouping of four leading Australian universities, alongside partner, the University of Technology Sydney – will today launch its vision for a research collaboration to be centred on the Western Sydney Aerotropolis at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility.
The University of Newcastle, the University of Wollongong, UNSW Sydney and Western Sydney University – collectively, the NUW Alliance – in partnership with the University of Technology Sydney have developed a combined research vision statement to accelerate collaborative innovation for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
The coming Western Sydney International Airport and Aerotropolis promise step changes in technology, job creation and community wellbeing. The NSW Government funded Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility – to be established within the Aerotropolis – will be an important focal point for those objectives. Realising these opportunities requires collaboration on an internationally significant scale.
The NUW+UTS consortium's research vision will be launched at an online event today.
Professor Alex Zelinsky AO, Chair of the NUW Alliance and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Newcastle said: "Combined, the NUW+UTS consortium constitutes Australia's largest, highest-quality, and most industry-engaged research entity. This is an unprecedented grouping of world-class researchers, and a step-change in research capacity."
University of Technology Sydney, Vice-Chancellor, Professor Andrew Parfitt said: "The most transformative research breakthroughs universities are responsible for are almost always forged through collaboration. Experience tells us that commitment from all partners is vital, as is diversity of expertise and scale."
Professor Andy Marks, CEO of the NUW Alliance, added: "The Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility (AMRF) is the ideal site to bring the NUW+UTS consortium's research vision to life. This is about creating a world-leading innovation ecosystem in partnership with industry, the Western Sydney community and Government."
Jennifer Westacott AO, Chair of the Western Parkland City Authority said: "The Advanced Manufacturing Research Facility in the heart of Bradfield City Centre will redefine collaboration, bringing Western Sydney small and medium businesses, multinationals and research institutions together with in-house expert engineers and cutting-edge manufacturing equipment to solve industry challenges. It will also boost the capability and competitiveness of advanced manufacturing in Western Sydney."
Together, the consortium marshals a network of specialist facilities and expertise; driving in-excess of $1.4 billion in industry and community partnered research, backed by nearly 18,000 staff, and over 240,000 students across technology-infused teaching and research infrastructure and precincts.
From innovations in composites, fabrication, through to breakthroughs in neuromorphic science and quantum, the NUW+UTS consortium will catalyse leaps in Australia's advanced manufacturing capability through the AMRF where the very best of these specialisations will be brought to bear.
World-leading capabilities will be augmented by the intensive and accelerated application of research and development in cyber security, robotics, automation, virtual reality, augmented reality, and human- machine interaction.
"We will do these things together – not for the sake of research, not to fuel economic growth, and not in service of policy or planning agendas. We collaborate, as the NUW+UTS consortium, to bring purpose, create opportunities, to transform lives and, ultimately, to do good," said Professor Zelinsky.
