UNSW platform helps strengthening technology cooperation

The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) is expected to expand cooperation with Chinese partners in clean energy, health and biotechnology, water treatment and environmental technologies, as cross-border research commercialization gains importance in supporting industrial upgrading, officials and university leaders said.

Such cooperation has been supported by the Torch Innovation Precinct at UNSW Sydney, which marked its 10th anniversary in Beijing recently. Launched in 2016, the platform has served as a channel linking university research with industrial demand.

Over the past decade, the precinct has supported more than 280 industry-research projects and worked with more than 130 companies from China, Australia and other markets.

Chinese companies in sectors ranging from water treatment to renewable energy, including Beijing OriginWater and China Coal Technology Engineering Group, have expanded their presence in Australia through related cooperation, helping facilitate cross-border flows of technology, capital and market resources.

Zheng Yuqi, director-general of the New Technology Center under China's Ministry of Science and Technology, said the program has provided a practical channel for cooperation among enterprises, universities and research institutions in the two countries.

Future work should focus on improving full-chain services for technology transfer and building a more open innovation ecosystem based on long-term cooperation mechanisms, Zheng said.

Attila Brungs, vice-chancellor and president of UNSW Sydney, said cross-border cooperation among universities, industry and government can help address complex global challenges more effectively.

"When we bring together universities, industry and government across borders, we can move faster and go further," Brungs said.

He said clean energy, health and biotechnology, and water and environmental solutions are among the sectors where UNSW Sydney sees strong potential for deeper cooperation with Chinese partners.

David Waite, chairman of the UNSW Center for Transformational Environmental Technologies, said long-term partnerships with Chinese companies have helped build trust and move research closer to industrial use.

He cited UNSW Sydney's cooperation with OriginWater on artificial intelligence, machine learning and digital twin technologies to improve wastewater treatment efficiency.

The project uses operating data from wastewater treatment plants to predict membrane performance and optimize cleaning schedules, helping reduce energy use and water consumption, he said.