University of Sydney's international push
Attendees at the University of Sydney's inaugural Sydney Summit
Held from the 14th to 16th of November, the inaugural Sydney Summit focused on collaboration for impact, exploring themes that are crucial to all universities working to thrive in a globalised society:
- Multidisciplinary research and teaching
- Engaging with the economy, industry, government and the community
- Planetary health and the Anthropocene; diving into the impact human activity has on the planet
"This is the first time so many of our international partners have gathered together under one roof. We are pleased to already be partnering with 18 universities across three continents,"
"This is the first time so many of our international partners have gathered together under one roof. We are pleased to already be partnering with 18 universities across three continents," Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) Professor Kathy Belov said.
"Every major challenge facing the planet – including climate change, the rise of AI, chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes, or deep structural inequality and discrimination – requires global collaboration in research.
"The creation of knowledge has never been more transnational than it is today – shaped by and dependent upon global networks of researchers, students, universities, industry and community organisations.”
New partnerships
During the summit, university-wide partnership agreements were signed with University of California San Diego and the University of Glasgow, further cementing the University of Sydney’s place as a leading institution for global outlook and internationalisation.
“I am delighted that the University of Glasgow has now entered into a strategic partnership with the University of Sydney, which is not only Australia’s oldest university – it was founded in 1850 – but one of the world’s leading research universities. The Memorandum of Understanding we have signed will lead to closer cooperation and collaborations across research, teaching and academic exchange," Principal of the University of Glasgow Professor Sir Anton Muscatelli said.
"The University of Glasgow and the University of Sydney also plan to launch a joint Partnership Collaboration Award to support research and other collaborative activities, with each institution allocating A$100,000 (£56,000) annually for three years to support five joint projects or collaborative activities each year. I look forward to a fruitful and productive relationship as we form a closer bond with the University of Sydney.”
“The University of California San Diego has joined the University of Sydney in a joint effort to expand scholarly collaborations and student exchanges between our two institutions. Each of our two institutions is committed to a tradition of academic excellence and a strong commitment to cutting edge research that impacts the planet we share. We share coastal locations on a warming planet and expect our relationship to provide critical insights into improving planetary health and wellbeing," University of California San Diego Senior Director of International Affairs Robert T. Schooley said.
"Through our newly executed Memorandum of Understanding, we plan to invest A$180,000 (US$150,000) in a half-dozen joint projects over the first year of our partnership that will accelerate the depth and breadth of existing relationships between the University of Sydney and the University of California San Diego. We are extremely excited about this opportunity to collaborate with one of the world’s most vital universities.”
