UQ celebrates a 25-year collaboration

The University of Queensland (UQ) and Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen (EKUT), Germany have celebrated 25 years of collaboration with an international research workshop.

The inaugural UQ-EKUT International Research Workshop aimed to further foster the shared vision of the two universities, and cultivate mutually beneficial areas of research.

Seven EKUT researchers and staff came from Germany to UQ in Brisbane, Australia.

They were joined at the two-day research workshop by 21 Brisbane researchers from the UQ School of Medicine, UQ Centre for Clinical Research, the Queensland Children’s Research Institute, the Queensland Brain Institute, the Centre for Advanced Imaging, UQ Diamantina Institute, Queensland Health, Queensland Institute of Medical Research and Griffith University’s Eskitis Institute for Cell and Molecular Therapies.

Basic and translational research aspects of neuroscience and oncology were discussed, as these are areas of interest and strength at each institution.

Guest speakers discussed the support available for developing international collaborations, through joint research funding opportunities, joint research higher degrees and researcher exchanges within the Australian and the European research environment.

Professor Peter Davies, Deputy Head (Research) at the UQ School of Medicine said: “The structured workshop provided an environment for global participants to speak to like-minded people about their research interests.

“As a result, the two-day workshop was extremely fruitful with detailed timelines established for 12 joint research projects.”

Four potential joint research higher degree opportunities were identified.

The two universities also signed an additional partnership agreement (clinical exchange) providing UQ and EKUT medical students the opportunity to complete clinical rotations in Germany and Australia.

The UQ Faculty of Health Science and the UQ School of Medicine hosted the research workshop on the 15th - 16th May 2012 at UQCCR Herston.

It is planned that a follow up workshop will be held in Germany in 2013.

About Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen
Founded in 1477, Eberhard Karls University, Tübingen is a public university located in the city of Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of Germany's oldest universities, internationally noted in medicine, natural sciences and the humanities. EKUT counts 10 Nobel Laureates among its staff and alumni including 3 in medicine or physiology, with the initial discovery of DNA occurring in its research facilities.

MEDIA: Brian Mallon, Communication Officer School of Medicine, 0403621109/07 3365 5254 b.mallon@uq.edu.au