Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

ARC Centre of Excellence for Renewable Fuels set to lead global clean energy transition

The University of Wollongong will lead a new $72 million Australian Research Council (ARC) Centre of Excellence for Renewable Fuels in a landmark national collaboration that aims to position Australia as a global leader in the clean energy transition. 

The centre brings together world-class researchers from 7 Australian universities with 16 industry and international partners to develop next-generation sustainable fuel technologies. Led by ARC Industry Laureate Distinguished Professor Gerry Swiegers, the collaboration will accelerate the shift from fossil fuels to renewable sources, including green hydrogen, green ammonia and green methanol. 

‘Our vision is to make Australia a world leader in renewable fuels,’ Distinguished Professor Swiegers said, adding the centre would drive the country's shift from a major fossil fuel exporter to a leading exporter of renewable energy.  

The initiative will unite expertise in electrochemistry, energy systems, and chemical and materials engineering to design and scale technologies for producing and processing renewable fuels.  

‘Our research will underpin new industries and jobs, strengthen national energy independence, and decarbonise sectors that cannot easily be electrified, such as steelmaking, shipping and aviation,’ Distinguished Professor Swiegers said. ‘It will enable Australia to export renewable fuels and green products, ensuring prosperity while reducing emissions.’

This initiative is supporting:

• Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• Goal 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Goal 13: Climate Action
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

UOW leads the charge on AI ethics in health research

The University of Wollongong will lead a $2.25 million national initiative to address the ethical challenges posed by artificial intelligence in health research, following a grant through the National Health and Medical Research Council’s (NHMRC) Partnership Projects scheme. 

Led by UOW's Australian Centre for Health Engagement, Evidence and Values (ACHEEV), the project will develop innovative solutions and practical resources to help committees and governance units make informed decisions about AI-related health research. 

‘The pace and volume of AI research is extraordinary, and it's creating new ethical questions and challenges,’ said Professor Stacy Carter, former director of ACHEEV. ‘Our goal is to support human research ethics committees and research governance professionals to assess and oversee AI-related research in health and ensure public trust and confidence in these oversight processes.’ 

The project will engage stakeholders and the public to co-design and test resources aligned with community values, with UOW's Senior Professor Annette Braunack-Mayer and Dr Yves Saint James Aquino working alongside an interdisciplinary team from the University of Tasmania, Macquarie University and the University of Sydney.  

Backed by $1.05 million in NHMRC funding and $1.2 million in industry partner contributions, the project has the potential to set a new benchmark, both in Australia and internationally, for the ethical governance of AI-related research.

This initiative is supporting:

• Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
• Goal 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
• Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

UOW and APPI announce strategic partnership

The University of Wollongong announced a partnership with the Australian Public Policy Institute (APPI), formerly the James Martin Institute for Public Policy (JMI), enhancing its ability to deliver transformative outcomes and real-world impact for the public good. his significant partnership positions UOW to contribute expertise to complex societal challenges on a much larger scale.

As a joint venture between government and universities, APPI enables policymakers to harness multidisciplinary expertise to drive policy innovation and tackle complex public policy challenges. The partnership with UOW brings vital regional perspectives to policy discussions, which is important in developing responses that take the requirements of large regional cities into account.

The partnership provides UOW researchers with access to Policy Fellowships and the APPI Policy Challenge Grant pool. This competitive program gives experts a chance to generate research-informed policy innovations, with the potential to address Australia's most significant public policy challenges.

This initiative is supporting:

• Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Illawarra Cancer Carers continues vital support of UOW research

In 2024, the long-term partnership between UOW and Illawarra Cancer Carers (ICC) continued, with the not-for-profit organisation providing a generous donation of $47,500 to UOW’s Molecular Horizons to support the research of innovative cancer treatments. The University and ICC’s 18-year partnership demonstrates the transformative power of community-supported research. Over this time more than $1.2 million has been gifted to UOW to support cancer research through local fundraising events such as stalls, raffles and an annual banquet.

Senior Professor Marie Ranson from Molecular Horizons and the School of Science noted that the long-term support from the ICC helped drive cancer research conducted by her team, as well as research and clinical collaborators in the Illawarra region as a whole.

Two UOW research projects that received early and crucial support from ICC donations have gone on to attract commercial support. The most advanced of these is the Deflexifol project, which was picked up by local pharmaceutical startup FivepHusion, enabling clinical trials in Wollongong that demonstrated promising results in 60 people with advanced cancer.

This initiative is supporting:

• Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing
• Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals