Education Minister Alan Tudge visits Western Sydney University

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Western Sydney University has welcomed Federal Minister for Education and Youth, the Hon Alan Tudge MP, to its Werrington Park Corporate Centre, where he has met with members of the University community.

The Minister had the opportunity to see first-hand how the University’s research and commercial enterprise is transforming the western Sydney region into a globally competitive tech and innovation hub that can help lead in the nation’s post-pandemic recovery – creating new knowledge jobs and driving industry innovation, in partnership with government and local business.

Joined by Member for Lindsay, Melissa McIntosh MP, the Minister toured the University’s facilities and met with local entrepreneurs from its ground-breaking start-up incubator, Launch Pad, along with researchers from the University’s world-leading International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems (ICNS).

Vice-Chancellor Professor Barney Glover AO said the Minister’s visit comes at a critical time for the economy and Australia’s post-COVID recovery, underscoring the vital role that universities play in forging links with government and industry to promote large-scale job creation.

“The University’s research and business development ecosystem here in Penrith is playing a pivotal role for the region, generating economic uplift and smart job growth that can help realise the key objectives of the Western Sydney City Deal – in particular, connecting residents and transforming western Sydney into a thriving hub of technological innovation, world-leading research and commercial enterprise,” said Professor Glover.

“The University’s Launch Pad business accelerator is all about fostering a vibrant startup community in the heart of Western Sydney. In partnership with government and industry, the University is supporting local startups and scaleups, and through harnessing digital technologies, is helping them grow and expand their business solutions, particularly in areas such as advanced manufacturing, aerospace, defence and agribusiness.

“Similarly, our world-leading centre in neuromorphic systems combines interdisciplinary research across electrical engineering, computer science, signal processing, and neuroscience. With its strong local and international partnerships its applied research has far-reaching applications across Australia’s space and defence industries.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase our University’s unique research and business development capabilities to the Minister, and demonstrate how this ecosystem is set to be major boost to some of Australia’s largest infrastructure projects currently underway on our doorstep, including the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the surrounding Western Sydney Aerotropolis.

“Through applied research and development partnerships, universities, business and government can work together to solve real world challenges and forge new industries and entrepreneurship that has a major long-term economic benefit for our communities and our regions.”

ENDS

20 May 2021

Media Unit

Photo credit: Sally Tsoutas