The NSW Government has signed historic five-year Innovation Partnerships with a further 10 NSW public universities to boost innovation, attract investment and strengthen collaboration across the sector and state.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) agreements are a first for NSW and will cement Sydney’s reputation as the smart city down under.

“NSW is home to some of the world’s leading universities and we want to strengthen our working relationships with the sector to commercialise research and develop world-leading local precincts where people live and create jobs,” Mr Perrottet said.

“What you’ll see from our government through these agreements is a framework that takes NSW university collaboration to an unparalleled level.”

The agreements contain a pipeline of more than 100 current and potential strategic opportunities to support innovation across areas such as big data, artificial intelligence, cyber security, clinical innovation, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, regional development and more.

Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Stuart Ayres said the signature event was historic, as never before had the state government and NSW universities engaged so comprehensively.

“We know how important research institutions have been during the pandemic and we want to continue to work closely with our unis,” Mr Ayres said.

“Last year our impressive collaboration with NSW Universities saw us become the first state in Australia to announce a pilot manufacturing facility to spearhead the establishment of a local RNA industry. That was just the tip of the iceberg.”

“With universities committed to Western Sydney expansion in the coming years, students are set to have access to more top-ranking universities within 30 minutes from home, which will only increase the opportunities for us to make lasting impact through these agreements.”

Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology and Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the agreements were a critical part in positioning NSW as the leading Australian state for university and industry collaboration.

“We don’t just want to rival other states for our collaboration, we want to lead the way across the Indo-Pacific,” Mr Henskens said.

“It’s exciting that this agreement will facilitate our world-leading university minds to collaborate with industry to harness unprecedented collective firepower.”

Convener of the NSW Vice-Chancellors’ Committee Professor Barney Glover AO of the universities said the sector welcomed the Government’s vision of a thriving NSW and a powerhouse Sydney being built on a flourishing university sector.

“This is a significant step forward not only in strengthening government collaboration with the sector but also in fostering collaboration between universities, so we can translate our collective strengths to achieve real impact for the communities we serve.”

The University of Sydney, a member of the NSW Smart Sensing Network, was the first university in NSW to sign the MoU in October 2021. The other NSSN member universities now added to the overall agreement include:

Charles Sturt University
Macquarie University
University of New South Wales
University of Newcastle
University of Technology Sydney
Western Sydney University

The historic agreement builds upon the objectives set out in the NSW Government’s 2040 Economic Blueprint, NSW Higher Education Strategy 2021 – 2025, Three Cities Plan, COVID-19 Recovery Plan and Global NSW Strategy.

The NSW Smart Sensing Network (NSSN), a consortium of eight leading universities across NSW and the ACT, is a not-for-profit innovation network funded by the NSW Government through the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer. The NSSN brings together universities, industry and government to translate world-class research into innovative smart sensing solutions that create value for the economy, environment and society of NSW and beyond.

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NSW signs historic Innovation Partnerships with universities