AUT strengthens global research ties
AUT is further boosting its research and teaching capability with the signing of two new research agreements with four of China’s top-ranked universities. The agreements will provide AUT students and academic staff with a range of teaching, learning and knowledge exchange opportunities and grow our links to research institutions and universities around the world.
The first agreement opens a joint research laboratory between AUT and Shandong Academy of Sciences (SDAS) and is the first of its kind between AUT and a Chinese partner university. The laboratory will focus on Intelligent and Connected Technology including computer vision, artificial intelligence and supercomputing. The signing ceremony was held at AUT and hosted by Vice Chancellor Derek McCormack. Mr Sun Jiye, Vice-Governor of the Shandong Province who witnessed the signing of this agreement, expressed his good wishes for the cooperation between SDAS and AUT as well as the joint laboratory will jointly develop the marine economy and launched the NZ-Shandong Innovation Forum. AUT PhD and postgraduate students have already begun working with their fellow researchers at Shandong. The official signing ceremony and plaque unveiling was followed by a lunch where further ideas of deepening cooperation, scientific research, teaching and joint training of graduate students were discussed.
Founded in 1979, the Shandong Academy of Sciences is a research institution focusing on the research and development of new technologies. It has cooperative relations with more than 30 universities, research institutes and technology companies across Europe and the United States.
The second signing ceremony took place in Shanghai and created the China-New Zealand Tripartite Research Collaboration between AUT, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Fudan University in Shanghai and Xinjiang University in western China. Fudan University and Shanghai Jiao University are the 3rd and 4th ranked universities in China respectively and both are members of Universitas 21, a global network of research-intensive universities.
Professor Nigel Hemmington, AUT Pro Vice Chancellor, authorised Associate Professor Jun Lu, the principal investigator of this tripartite agreement on behalf of AUT alongside senior representatives from the New Zealand government and the other universities. Professor Jianxin Liu, of the School of Pharmacy Shanghai Jiao Tong University hosted the ceremony and spoke warmly of the opportunities between the universities and for further research collaboration. NZ Consular General Andrew Robinson highlighted the agreement covers the health research area which is a strength of New Zealand.
With this agreement, the universities will facilitate participating researchers to have student exchanges, research visits and graduate students’ co-supervision. This is particularly useful to AUT because universities in China have internal grants that can be used to cover student exchange costs. There are already three joint projects underway including exploring natural products’ bioactivity in cancer chemotherapy and immunotherapy, a population study about autism in different populations and finally looking at rational design of antibodies. An AUT PhD student is already being co-supervised by professors from Fudan University and Xianjiang University.