Certificates awarded to one of the Yantai Nanshan University students, Ms SONG Di, by the university's Head of Textile Engineering and Design, Ms LIU Meina, and AWI's Dr Allan De Boos (online).
AWI teaches the science and technology of wool processing to textile engineering students in China to help ensure that the country's mills can manufacture quality products made from Australian wool.
Australian woolgrowers take great pride in producing the world's best quality wool, but to ensure consumers can buy quality end products, it is also important that Australian wool is properly processed.
Most Australian wool is processed overseas, mainly in China, and it is in the interest of Australian woolgrowers that the people who work with it there understand all about its attributes and the technology used to process it.
With well over 80% of the Australian wool clip being processed in China, AWI in 2014 initiated its Woolmark Science, Technology and Design Education program in the country. AWI's Dr Allan De Boos, who runs this education program, says it is vital that prospective technical people within the Chinese wool industry understand wool and its potential.
"AWI has developed the program to ensure that prospective technicians and scientists understand the qualities of Australian wool, how the fibre can be processed into high quality products, so they have the tools to innovate and make new types of wool products for the marketplace," he said.
The education program demonstrates AWI's commitment and dedication into fostering the next generation's education, ensuring that technical education about wool remains readily available in a market as important as China.
"AWI is very keen to make sure that Australian woolgrowers' efforts to grow premium quality wool is backed up by quality manufacturing of wool products from that raw wool."- Dr Allan De Boos, AWI
Wool education program with an industry focus
Typically occurring over three semesters, the program is usually delivered as face-to-face lectures, tutorials, practical classes, assignments and a series of written exams set by AWI. In addition, the students are required to successfully complete the same courses on the online Woolmark Learning Centre to supplement the course work at the university.
Currently the program has seven courses: Wool fibre science; Introduction to wool processing; Raw wool scouring; Worsted top making; Woollen and worsted spinning; Wool dyeing; Wool fabric finishing. AWI also delivers single courses intensively over periods of two days to two weeks.
A key institution at which the program is delivered is Yantai-Nanshan University in the township of Nanshan in the Shandong province. The University is set up to teach textiles and has a particular interest in wool due to the University's close connection with the Nanshan Group, one of the biggest weavers of wool in China.
"The Nanshan mill is just ½ km from the university which provides an excellent environment for learning the practical elements of wool processing technology," Allan said.
"The typical students that undertake courses on the program are 2nd and 3rd year textile engineering students. Those who have subsequently entered the wool industry have found the courses very beneficial."
AWI works closely with teachers at the University with the aim of integrating the wool courses as part of the general curriculum for textile engineers.
Components of the wool education program are also delivered at other Chinese universities, including Jiaxing University, which has strong ties with Xinao, one of the biggest spinners in China.
Woolmark certificates awarded at Yantai Nanshan University
In March this year, 81 textile engineering students from Yantai Nanshan University were awarded certificates for the successful completion of courses in 2020. Thirty 3rd year students completed the five advanced courses and 51 2nd year students completed the two introductory courses in the program.
Of the 252 certificates awarded, 23 students received one or more 'completion with commendation' awards requiring a grade of 80% or more in the combined result of their university requirements. Two students (Ms SONG Di and Ms JI Qianru) from the 3rd year achieved this level in all of the advanced courses studied.
Given the challenges in 2020 imposed by COVID-19 restrictions, which required periods in which students were required to study online at home, the results are a tribute to their tenacity and diligence as well as to the extra effort from university staff.
Dr Allan De Boos
Allan has worked in the wool industry, for his whole career, since 1967. Allan is a graduate of the University of NSW (Textile Chemistry) and the Victoria University of Manchester (Dept Chemical Physics). Prior to joining AWI in 2002, Allan was employed by CSIRO Division of Wool Technology conducting research initially into the machine washability of wool garments and then the finishing of wool fabrics.
At AWI, Allan's early focus was on management of R&D projects and, more recently, on education at tertiary level. Allan has also been Chairman of the IWTO Technology and Standards Committee.
This article appeared in the June 2021 edition of AWI's Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged, however prior permission must be obtained from the Editor.
