Australia and India join forces on new tech research institute

Swinburne University of Technology and the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) launched a joint research institute to tackle global technology challenges, according to an announcement from the universities.

The Swinburne-IITH Manufacturing, Materials, Energy and Communication Technologies (SIMMECT) Joint Research Institute will focus on three primary areas: advanced materials and manufacturing, energy transition solutions, and next-generation communication technologies.

Professor Karen Hapgood, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research at Swinburne, called the partnership “a significant milestone” that will expand opportunities for groundbreaking global research.

“The establishment of the SIMMECT Joint Research Institute will further strengthen the existing ties between Swinburne and IITH and will enable us to expand the opportunities for groundbreaking global research and research training into new areas,” Hapgood said.

The collaboration will feature partnered PhD programs, joint PhD supervision, and researcher exchanges between the two countries. Both institutions have committed initial seed funding to kickstart the initiative.

The partnership builds on an already strong foundation – the universities have been running partnered PhD programs since 2017, with 38 scholars already completing the program.

Director of IITH, Professor B.S Murty, said the institute would enhance innovation output and real-world contributions to industry and society.

“This partnership will establish a sustainable framework for long-term cooperation between IITH and Swinburne, ensuring research outcomes have a meaningful impact on addressing global challenges,” Murty said.

Research teams will tackle cutting-edge technologies including surface coating advancements, digital manufacturing, decarbonisation for heavy industry, critical minerals recovery, e-waste recycling, 6G communications, and quantum sensors.

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