Rural innovation centre for Gatton

Two of Australia's leading universities have formed a strategic partnership to oversee the establishment of a national centre for rural and regional innovation.

University of Queensland Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Alan Gilbert, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Services, John Anderson, Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government, Senator Ian Macdonald, and the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Dr David Kemp, said the new centre would promote the development of the capacity for innovation across rural and regional Australia.

"Securing a sustainable future for rural and regional communities is one of this country's most pressing national issues," Professor Hay said.

"This national centre will ensure that world-class research and innovation leads the rejuvenation of Australia's rural and regional communities.

"Our efforts will be directed towards a number of key areas including regenerating rural industries, enhancing environmental management, increasing community skills and improving global competitiveness.

"The University of Queensland and the University of Melbourne are the nation's two largest comprehensive research intensive universities with significant rural and regional interests.

"This month the University of Queensland Senate unanimously adopted a $13 million plan to make our Gatton campus a centre for excellence in teaching and research that is targeted towards the broad needs of rural industries and rural and regional communities.

"The proposal to establish a centre for rural and regional innovation was a key recommendation adopted by UQ's Senate and I am pleased that we have been able to join forces with our Universities 21 partner, the University of Melbourne, to make this centre a reality."

Professor Gilbert said the University of Melbourne had a diversified network of regional colleges which the University has been repositioning to build quality education and research into rural and regional issues.