UQ to strengthen industry-ready workforce with ARC funding

The University of Queensland has secured more than $9 million from the Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Research program to support a more productive and sustainable agriculture sector in Australia.

The ARC Training Centre in Predictive Breeding for Agriculture Futures, led by Professor Lee Hickey, will develop cutting-edge plant and animal breeding technologies and deliver world-class training, to support a future-ready predictive breeding industry in Australia.

The ARC Research Hub for Engineering Plants to Replace Fossil Carbon, led by Professor Robert Henry, will create plant varieties to enable the development of renewable carbon products from plant biomass. The Hub aims to translate this into cost-effective sustainable aviation fuel, creating a decarbonised pathway for Australia’s critical flight, freight and defence connections.  

The ARC awarded a total $64.8 million to 8 ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centres and 5 ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs in 2023.

The Training Centres and Research Hubs will enable researchers to access the latest technology and facilities, and support partnerships between universities and industry to strengthen Australia’s industrial priority areas.