The University of Queensland (UQ) has strengthened its engagement with the University of Alberta (UoA) to address shared global challenges including energy transition, health, and Indigenous futures, while strengthening collaboration across emerging and enabling technologies.
An agreement was signed during a two‑day visit by a UoA delegation, led by President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Bill Flanagan and hosted by UQ President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry AC. The memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishes a framework for an expanded program of activity from 2026, including themed workshops, joint research proposals, and increased student mobility.
The partnership will leverage major funding schemes in Australia and Canada, while building on initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Scholarships and Fellowships for Canadians, supporting graduate and postdoctoral exchange through 2028.
Priority disciplines include health and medical sciences, biotechnology and advanced manufacturing, critical minerals and the energy transition, and Indigenous engagement, alongside emerging capabilities in artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, and defence innovation. Sport science and human performance also featured prominently, reflecting UQ’s Olympic and elite sport engagement and UoA’s international leadership in kinesiology.
With a strong history of collaboration in research and education, the new agreement signals a shared ambition to scale up engagement and deliver impact across disciplines.
Both universities are members of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), which brings together leading institutions to address global challenges through collaborative, interdisciplinary and culturally grounded research.
WUN places a strong emphasis on Indigenous futures, supporting social justice, sustainability and community‑engaged approaches, and provides a platform for universities to connect, co‑design research agendas and share best practice where Indigenous peoples are actively shaping future pathways.
For more information on UQ’s engagement with North America, please contact Global Partnerships
