UNSW Sydney has secured the highest number of Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage grants in the latest round, receiving more than $4.6 million in funding to collaborate with industry and government partners on research projects, several of which focus on advancing Australia’s manufacturing capability.
The university leads the nation with nine successful ARC Linkage Projects, covering areas such as solar energy, water treatment, biotechnology, quantum computing, and infrastructure development.
Many of these projects are geared toward enhancing large-scale manufacturing processes and sustainable industrial practices, the university said in a news release.
UNSW’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research & Enterprise, Professor Bronwyn Fox, said the strong showing reflects the university’s commitment to research partnerships that generate real-world impact.
“With nine ARC Linkage grants this round – more than any other Australian university – and across a range of disciplines, it’s wonderful to see UNSW at the forefront of innovative research partnerships that will drive benefits for all,” Professor Fox said.
Among the projects is a $670,000 initiative led by Scientia Professor Xiaojing Hao from UNSW Engineering to support the commercial manufacturing of perovskite photovoltaics.
In partnership with Phoenixolar Technology, the project aims to develop scalable manufacturing techniques and improve solar module durability.
In the biotech space, Associate Professor Christopher Marquis and Professor Kris Kilian from UNSW Science will collaborate with Smart MCs to develop next-generation micro-scale biomaterials for large-scale cell culture.
Their $554,000 project targets improvements in the manufacturing of therapeutic products, including vaccines and gene therapies, to strengthen Australia’s biologics manufacturing sector.
Quantum technology research is also being supported, with Scientia Professor Alexander Hamilton receiving $524,359 to work with industry partner Imec on silicon-based spin qubit fabrication at industrial scale.
The project seeks to address design and material challenges in scaling up quantum computing components.
Further grants awarded to UNSW Engineering researchers focus on wastewater treatment, sustainable construction materials, and intelligent transport systems.
Projects include developing green systems for wastewater reuse, evaluating high-strength steel for concrete reinforcement, and creating wearable radar systems for vision-impaired commuters.
Other research efforts include improving groundwater clean-up technologies in partnership with Orica and exploring Aboriginal-led models for community benefit on returned land with government and community stakeholders.
The ARC Linkage Projects scheme is designed to foster partnerships between universities and external organisations to translate academic research into practical applications.
