Bavaria and Queensland Research Alliance
Launch of funding program to support collaborative research projects
23 April 2024
On 12 April 2024, the first round of two funding programs to support collaborative research projects as part of the Bavaria-Queensland Research Alliance was launched.
The Research Alliance was established by the Bavarian Ministry of Sciences and the Arts in cooperation with the Queensland Government to support research projects between Bavaria and Queensland. The aim of the alliance is for the two governments to work together at university level, in collaboration with industry and business partners, on research topics such as cleaner fuels, energy storage and emission reduction technologies, and the wider bio-economy. It builds on existing research and industry links between the two countries.
The two funding programs are open to all researchers from Bavarian universities and colleges in collaboration with Queensland universities:
- Seed Grants of up to €10,000 over a 12-month period, with an application deadline of 10 May 2024.
- Developer Grants for the expansion of existing research collaborations, with funding of up to €80,000 and an application deadline of 10 July 2024. These will fund practical research to develop innovative projects for Bavaria and Queensland over a 24-month period.
The Funding programs cover a wide range of topics, including additive manufacturing, aerospace, artificial intelligence, cleantech and emission reduction technologies, sustainable energy, quantum technology, health, life sciences, biomedical research and the bio-economy.
Researchers from universities and colleges in Bavaria and Queensland developed these themes at a workshop held in Brisbane from 26 to 29 February 2024 as the first activity of the Bavaria-Queensland Research Alliance. Nearly 30 researchers from Bavarian universities and universities of applied sciences travelled to Brisbane, including two researchers from the University of Regensburg, Prof. Dr Christine Ziegler and Prof. Dr Stefanie Sprunck, both from the Faculty of Biology and Preclinical Medicine.
Participants of the workshop organised by the Bavaria-Queensland Research Alliance and QUT Brisbane. © Irina Herschler, Universität Bayreuth
The two-day workshop, hosted by Queensland University of Technology (QUT), discussed the potential for collaborative research projects in additive manufacturing, artificial intelligence, bio-economy, clean tech, energy and health, and defined global challenges. "It was enlightening to see that our problems and challenges, caused by the consequences of climate change, are so close in many areas, even though we are about 15,000 kilometres apart. Already at this first meeting, very good synergies and ideas for joint research projects emerged, for example in my field of climate-resilient plants," says Stefanie Sprunck (Cell Biology and Plant Biochemistry). Christine Ziegler (Biophysics II) adds: "The various sites in Queensland have an excellent (electron) microscopy infrastructure. We have been able to establish initial collaborations which, in addition to the transfer of expertise, will also focus on projects related to the RUN research". Both researchers see great potential in the new research alliance with regard to the internationalisation of doctoral training, e.g. through the Travel Seed Grants.
Information/Contact
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Sprunck
Lehrstuhl Zellbiologie und Pflanzenbiochemie
Tel.: +49 (0)941 943-3005
E-Mail: stefanie.sprunck@biologie.uni-regensburg.de
Prof. Dr. Christine Ziegler
Biophysik II
Tel.: +49 (0)941 943 3030
E-Mail: christine.Ziegler@ur.de
