Academy hosts 16th Australia–China Symposium

The Academy recently hosted the 16th annual Australia–China Symposium on the topic of marine sciences for sustainable development.

The symposium brought together leading scientists from Australia and China to share knowledge and discuss innovations in marine science and climate change research.

Since 2004, the Australia–China Symposia Series has been a flagship event for the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE), and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

It is supported through the Australia–China Science and Research Fund (ACSRF). The ACSRF is jointly managed by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.

This symposium included 18 delegates from China, led by Professor Yaping Zhang, Vice President of CAS, along with the Directors of the Institute of Oceanology, the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, and the Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research.

The symposium showcased the research and innovation excellence from both countries and was an important opportunity to foster research collaborations between Australia and China.

For the first time in this series, there was a session dedicated to listening to and learning from Traditional Owners and Knowledge Holders with a yarning circle.

It was a valuable inclusion in the program underscoring how Australia’s first scientists and other scientists can build on each other's understandings and knowledges to create great outcomes across marine sciences and other sectors.

During the symposium, there was a meeting between the Vice President of CAS, Professor Zhang, the President of the Academy, Professor Chennupati Jagadish AC, and the President of ATSE, Dr Katherine Woodthorpe AO.

Potential topics for the next symposium of this series—to be hosted in China in 2024—were discussed.

The Academy looks forward to growing the strong bilateral networks and increasing international research collaborations between Australia and China. 

The Academy thank the Australian Government DISR and the CAS for their continued and generous support of the symposia.

Since 2004, the two governments have put their trust in their respective national academies to bring together outstanding researchers to discuss problems that can only be properly addressed through international research efforts.