An international research partnership that has forged powerful links between the UK and Australia has been celebrated at a two-day conference at the University of Exeter.
Researchers, PhD students, industry representatives and professional services colleagues from the University of Queensland travelled to the city for the symposium, which reflected upon nearly a decade of international reach and growth for the UQ-Exeter Institute.
The symposium, titled 'Collaborative Research in Action: Shaping a Positive Future', explored new opportunities to translate world-leading research into tangible benefits for society through closer engagement with industry, government and international partners.
Since its establishment in 2017, the UQ-Exeter Institute has secured more than AUD$30 million in competitive external research funding and generated more than 300 jointly authored publications directly attributable to the partnership. In that time, Queensland has also become Exeter's leading international publication partner by both volume and citation impact, with more than 1,000 co-authored outputs.
Professor Richard Follett, Vice-President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement at Exeter, said: " We were delighted to welcome our friends and colleagues from the University of Queensland to this year's UQ-Exeter Institute Symposium. The Institute brings together two world-class universities with a shared ambition to bring our outstanding research talent together to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time across health, sustainability, digital innovation, and mineral security.
"The symposium was a great opportunity to reflect with pride upon on how much we have achieved together, but also to focus on what comes next. It created new connections between our researchers and joint PhD students, and generated exciting new ideas for engagement with businesses, policymakers, and research councils to ensure that our research will continue to lead to real-world impact."
Over the course of the two days, the symposium showcased research addressing a broad range of global challenges, from antimicrobial resistance, biomedical innovation, and climate resilience to artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, critical minerals, and responsible mining. Interactive workshops explored topics like hybrid work and AI, international research funding, research commercialisation, and building effective partnerships with industry and government.
There was a Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition in which PhD candidates presented their research in just three minutes. Topics ranged from modelling neural tube development and tackling antimicrobial resistance to quantum-secured communications, sustainable mining and digital Holocaust testimony.
The Symposium also marked the launch of the next phase of the UQ-Exeter Institute's collaborative funding model through its refreshed Accelerator Grant Scheme. Building on the success of the Institute's Workshop Grants, the scheme is designed to help established collaborations develop ambitious proposals for major external funding, strengthening pathways to research, policy and societal impact while encouraging deeper engagement with industry and government partners.
Senior figures within the Institute say it will continue to expand its international research activity through initiatives including the development of an International Responsible Mining Consortium. This will bring together leading universities, industry and policymakers to support more sustainable approaches to critical minerals, responsible mining and the transition to a low-carbon future.
