The University of Queensland (UQ), Australia and the University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada share a powerful vision to deliver world class teaching and research outcomes that will create lasting positive change.

To build a strong research network and increase engagement across UQ and UBC as well as encourage greater public awareness around key global pertinent challenges of our time, a series of public webinars are planned for 2021.

The webinars will focus on three key themes:

  1. Addressing indigenous health inequalities – Despite sustained efforts to improve indigenous people’s health, significant gaps, such as life expectancy and child mortality remain between the dominant and indigenous populations in Australia and Canada – clearly, reform is needed. The second webinar will look to some of UQ and UBC’s leading researchers to help us understand what more can be done to close the gap and improve indigenous health outcomes.
  2. Clean energy innovations in Australia and Canada - from the supply of critical materials to sustainable land and water usage, if we don’t start transitioning at greater speeds and in larger quantities to renewable energy systems, the human race may find itself with nothing left. The first webinar will bring together experts in their respective fields to identify positive action and sustainable practices applicable within and across Australia, Canada, and the Globe.
  3. What happens with innovation in a time of crisis? –Priorities are shifting and the way we harness technology, innovation, and cooperation to tackle socio-economic challenges is being reimagined. What are the opportunities in innovation post-COVID-19 and how can universities help their graduates to take advantage of them? The third webinar will focus on developing innovation ecosystems and university graduates of the future that are able to respond to the changing needs of society.

The three themes represent synergistic research and teaching strengths at both institutions. The webinars will also focus on the applicable Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), enabling UQ and UBC to align future joint research, as well as measure and manage contributions to the SDGs.