Key points
- We've partnered with United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) to increase the research and innovation impact of our two nations.
- Our collaboration will help strengthen economic, innovation and research connections between Australia and the UK, aligning with government priorities to enhance mutual scientific impact.
- This partnership includes initiatives addressing climate change, clean energy, water quality, and net zero targets.
There are a few things Australian and British people have in common, including a love of BBQs, the desire to bend it like Beckham, and secretly watching Bluey during naptime. And, in the case of our researchers, a passion to make the world a better place.
This joint passion has led to a collaboration between United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO. The purpose is to increase the research and innovation impact of our two nations, making yesterday’s science fiction today’s reality.
By connecting our two research ecosystems, we will address global challenges and drive innovations that not only benefit the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia, but also the global community. This partnership underscores each country’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of scientific research and supporting a sustainable and thriving future.
Our two organisations are already partnering in the areas of energy and space research. Now we have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will help to strengthen economic, innovation and research connections between Australia and the UK. It will also aid in meeting government priorities and ambitions to bring mutual value through increased science impact.
Collaborating for impact
UKRI CEO, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said like CSIRO, UKRI is dedicated to advancing knowledge, nurturing innovation, and building deep partnerships to address the world's most pressing challenges.
"This partnership with CSIRO aligns perfectly with our strategy to amplify the impact of the research and innovation we support. By collaborating on key areas like earth observation and clean energy, we can deliver transformative solutions that tackle global challenges and enhance prosperity for both the UK and Australia," Ottoline said.
"This partnership not only strengthens our national capabilities but also fosters and enables a sustainable and prosperous future for our citizens and the global community."
Our Chief Executive Dr Doug Hilton said the MoU enables us to work together to accelerate and scale impact across the research and innovation ecosystems.
He said it will provide access to technical expertise not found in each other’s countries and enable sharing of resources, equipment and facilities to drive change and bring mutual benefit to both countries.
"Science and research are strengthened by broad networks and deep connections, so sharing those between CSIRO and UKRI will lift the benefit to both our nations," Doug said.
"CSIRO is proud to contribute to global research efforts to solve problems facing our environment, economy and people, delivering solutions that can lead to greater equality and prosperity for all.
"These challenges are global challenges, and we can’t tackle them alone. Collaboration across the global research ecosystem is crucial to solving these challenges, pioneering future industries and delivering benefit to our communities."
Enabling collaboration
The MoU allows for a streamlined approach to collaboration between UKRI and CSIRO. Here are some of the programmes already in progress.
Aquawatch
Australia’s AquaWatch, our system to develop regular updates and forecasts for water quality, is the basis for development of a similar system in the UK. This is the result of shared support and co-funding from the two countries’ space agencies.
The creation of AquaWatch UK is the first time the initiative will be rolled out by another country on a national scale. It expands on an initial test site at Plymouth Sound, which was a collaboration between us and UKRI Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) RAL Space laboratory.
A second collaboration, which includes the Aberystwyth University, is exploring development of mapping tools the condition of coastal ecosystems. RAL Space is the UK’s national space laboratory with over 60 years of involvement with space missions covering fields such as climate science and solar observations. The broader development of AquaWatch UK will be led by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd.
Energy Systems Catapult
The UK Government, through UKRI Innovate UK and the Energy Systems Catapult, has provided our Smart Energy initiative with £30,000 in-kind support to set up the National Energy Analysis Centre (NEAC) Living Lab.
The living lab will be like a real-life energy laboratory in thousands of Australian homes. It will accelerate our pathway towards decarbonisation and foster innovation in the energy transformation.
National Science Foundation (NSF) Global Centers in climate change and clean energy
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Global Centers Program is an ambitious initiative to fund international, interdisciplinary and collaborative research centers. These centers will apply best practices of broadening participation and community engagement to develop use-inspired and applied research on climate change and clean energy, leading to clear benefits to society.
This round of the Global Centers Program is a collaboration between us, UKRI, the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
Together, these agencies have pledged more than A$118 million in investment in the NSF Global Centers program over five years to tackle challenges posed by climate change as the world moves towards net zero.
Towards net zero
Australia and the UK are working together to achieve net zero emissions. The two countries recently funded seven green hydrogen projects through the Clean Tech Partnership, which was signed in 2021.
UKRI's Faraday Battery Challenge team, with help from Innovate UK's global team, is partnering with our Battery Manufacturing team in Melbourne and our Green Critical Minerals team in Perth.
This partnership includes a visit from nine UK battery technology companies to Australia in early October. They will participate in workshops and business meetings at our Clayton site in Melbourne, Brisbane’s new Battery Precinct, and Perth’s Future Batteries Cooperative Research Centre.
This global business innovation program aims to strengthen and expand collaboration between the UK and Australia in battery technology.
What could the future hold?
As we look to deepen engagement, the possibilities for advancements across the fields of science, research and technology are endless. By working towards shared goals, we can make life better for people, families, businesses and communities across the UK, Australia and the globe, thereby improving lives, creating jobs and driving economic growth.