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China’s Baosteel recommits to research partnership

February 9, 2015

China’s Baosteel recommits to research partnership

A delegation from China’s largest steel manufacturer, Baosteel, visited the University of Wollongong (UOW) on 5 February to discuss future research collaboration opportunities.


Dr. Jian Yang, Mr. Yongzhu Ma, Professor Geoff Wang, Mr. Zhaohui Ma, VC, Dr. Laizhu Jiang, Prof. Joe Chicharo, Mr. Yue Yu, Ms. Jessica Sun

At the meeting, Dr Laizhu Jiang, Vice President of the Baosteel Research Institute, confirmed that it will extend the Baosteel-Australia Joint Research and Development Centre (BAJC), for another five years with an investment of $2 million per year.

The Centre, a world-first joint venture between Baosteel and four leading Australian universities, including UOW, is focused on exploring and developing new knowledge and technologies relevant to Baosteel's longer term, strategic development and business activities. While at UOW, the delegation met with researchers from the Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences and the Institute for Superconducting and Electronic Materials (ISEM), which is already actively involved in the BAJC projects.

UOW Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Wellings CBE said the visit was an opportunity for the two organisations to discuss changes to the BAJC and how to optimise outcomes.

“Baosteel has been undertaking research and development work with UOW researchers since 2007 because our research strengths and priorities match well with Baosteel’s needs in research and development.

“Many of our major research facilities and, particularly, the Global Challenges project suit Baosteel’s objectives in advanced manufacturing and sustainable environment,” Professor Wellings said.

The 5 February meeting, which was also attended by Deputy Vice- Chancellor (Global Strategy) Professor Joe Chicharo and Ms Jessica Sun, Senior Coordinator of Transnational Education & Alliances Unit, follows on from a November 2014 meeting in Shanghai, China.

Led by Vice President of Baosteel Research Institute, Dr Laizhu Jiang, the delegation included a number of high profile people, including Dr Jian Yang, Senior Engineer Baosteel Research Institute (R&D Center), Mr Zhaohui Ma, Director of Technology Development at Baosteel Group Corporation, Mr. Yue Yu, Sales Manager at Bao Australia Pty Ltd, Mr. Yongzhu MA, Collaboration Manager at R&D Center, and Professor Geoff Wang, Deputy Director of Baosteel – Australia Joint R&D Centre.

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