UQ-UZH Symposium: Challenges and Opportunities for Social and System Change

Connected Futures — A UQ-UZH Symposium Showcasing Shared Goals, Global Impact, and Academic Exchange

The University of Queensland (UQ) and the University of Zurich (UZH) are proud to host the 2025 UQ-UZH Symposium. Taking place in Brisbane from Tuesday, 7 October to Wednesday, 8 October 2025, the symposium will bring together leading researchers, early career scholars, and key collaborators to showcase joint initiatives and explore both existing and emerging themes.

Event details

Date: Tuesday 7 – Wednesday 8 October 2025
Venue: Level 2, 308 Queen Street, Brisbane City

Register to attend


Current themes

Paediatrics
Agriculture
Criminal law
Healthy ageing

Emerging themes

Big data/ AI
LGBTQIA+
Global History

Program 

TimeAgenda 

8:30–9am

Registrations open

9-9:20am

Welcome address:

9:20–9:30am

Agreement signing ceremony

9:30-10am

Presentation: Overview of the UQ-UZH Strategic Partneship

10-10:30am

Morning tea break with optional bilateral meeting opportunities

10:30-11am 

Presentation: Funding Oppunities; Switzerland, European Union, Australia and internal funding

11-11:15am

Testimonial: Exchange visit to Switzerland

  • Ms Angela Michaelis, ThinkSwiss Research Scholarship and Research Assistant, School fo Psychology, UQ
11:15am-12pm
Current theme: Healthy Ageing

PresentationInnovations for Lifespan Science - Healthy Longevity Innovation Centre - moving towards a new paradigm within a new discipline

12-12:45pm
    Emerging theme: LGBTQIA+

    Presentation: Health and wellbeing in LGBTQIA+ populations: A global challenge

    • Professor Fiona Barlow, Professor, School of Psychology, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, UQ
    • Dr Tabea Hässler, Senior Researcher and Lecturer, Department of Social Psychology, UZH
    • Dr Léïla Eisner, Senior Researcher and Lecturer, Department of Social Psychology UZH
    12:45-2pm

    Networking lunch with optional bilateral meetings opportunities

    2-2:30pm
    Emerging theme: Global History

    Presentation: Provenance Histories

    2:30-3pm
    Emerging theme: Big Data / AI

    Presentation: The role of AI in democracy

    3-3:10pm

    Day 1 close: Closing remarks by Professor Tim Kastelle

    TimeAgenda 
    8:15-8:30amRegistration opens

    8:30–8:45am

    Welcome session and recap: Professor Tim Kastelle, Centre Director, Andrew N. Liveris Academy, Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, UQ

    8:45- 9:30am
    Current theme: Criminal Law / Law

    PresentationTransnational Organised Crime: global classrooms tackling global problems

    • Professor Susanne Reindl-Krauskopf, Professor of Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure and Criminology, Faculty of Law, University of Vienna and Honorary Professor, School of Law, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, UQ
    • Associate Professor Gian Ege, Assistant Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure Law, Faculty of Law, UZH
    • Professor Andreas Schloenhardt, Professor, School of Law, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, UQ and Honorary Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Vienna
    • Ms Ella Woods, Bachelor of Laws (Honours) candidate, School of Law, Faculty of Business, Economics and Law, UQ

    9:30-10am
    Current theme: Agriculture

    Presentation: To be announced

    • Professor Ian Godwin, Centre Director of Centre for Crop Science, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food innovation, UQ
    • Dr Karen Massel, Research Fellow, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, UQ

    10-11am

    Morning tea break with optional bilateral meeting opportunities

    11-11:45am
    Current theme: Paediatrics

    Presentation: To be announced

    • Professor Kristen Gibbons, Professorial Research Fellow – Epidemiologist, Child Health Research Centre, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences, UQ
    • Professor Luregn Schlapbach, Professor, Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine and Senior Physician, Intensive Care, University Children’s Hospital, UZH
    • Mr Niklas Raehse, Early Career Researcher and PhD Candidate, UZH

    11:45am-12pmDay 2 close: Closing remarks by Professor Tim Kastelle
    12-12:40pmLunch break with light refreshments provided

    Contact

    For partnership enquiries, please contact Tamara Weissflog at globalstrategy@uq.edu.au.

    For event enquiries, please contact Jessica Court at international.visits@uq.edu.au.

    Public Lecture

    Join us on Tuesday 7 October at 5:15pm at UQ's Brisbane City campus for a Public Lecture, A Toolbox for Human-AI Collaboration in Lifespan Health Analysis, held as part of the UQ-UZH Symposium.

    Registrations will open soon.

    This is a UQ sustainable event