A Charles Sturt University research project has been shortlisted to receive a share in $242.7 million in federal government funding under the Trailblazer Universities Program, to create a Food and Beverage Commercialisation Hub.
The project, entitled “Reshaping Australian Manufacturing: Food and Beverage Commercialisation Hub,” would support Australia’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Researchers from the Charles Sturt School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences would work with industry partners to create jobs within the food and beverages manufacturing industries to boost the economy.
“Charles Sturt will partner with Food Innovation Australia Limited (FIAL) and other key university partners, such as the University of New England and Central Queensland University, to create world-class leadership in research commercialisation and university-industry collaboration,” Charles Sturt deputy vice-chancellor (Research) Professor Mark Evans said.
“It is our intention to create a Food and Beverage Commercialisation Hub at Charles Sturt in Wagga Wagga, to foster collaborations that supercharge world-leading capability in Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing sector, while accelerating innovation at speed and at scale.”
According to Evans, the FIAL-Charles Sturt partnership represents strong connections with industry, including agricultural growers and producers who provide the critical inputs into food and beverage manufacturing.
“This represents a total of 180,000 businesses across the food and agribusiness sector. Examples of key industry partners include Teys Australia, Wine Australia, IBM and KPMG,” he said.
“Such a strong, independent, industry-led, multi-disciplinary Hub will build on Charles Sturt’s existing capability and world-class research and teaching excellence in agriculture, food, horticulture and wine to unlock commercial potential and develop new products and services for the market. Charles Sturt’s Trailblazer Hub initiative will provide a major contribution to the regional growth agenda in NSW and beyond.”
The Charles Sturt Hub is one of eight projects shortlisted to compete for funding under the Trailblazer Universities Program. The project proposals were selected by a panel of university, industry, science and research leaders.
The Hub supports the federal government’s goal of helping to achieve the Ag2030 target of setting the foundations for the agriculture sector to grow agriculture to $100 billion by 2030.
The proposal is also aligned with the federal government’s Food and Beverage National Manufacturing Priority road map, which aims to double the value of Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing through a focus on smart food and beverage manufacturing; innovative foods and beverages; and food safety, origin and traceability systems by 2030.
The four proposals that succeed in receiving funding will lead Australia’s efforts in research commercialisation and support critical national manufacturing priorities.
Acting Minister for Education and Youth, Stuart Robert, announced the eight programs shortlisted for funding under the Trailblazer program on 28 January.
“The program will see the best minds in research and industry work together to develop Australian technologies, products and businesses to create jobs and boost the economy,” Robert said.
“The four selected projects that succeed in receiving funding will help demonstrate what it takes to build successful and enduring partnerships between university and private sector researchers that prioritise a focus on the national interest.”
Outcomes of the selection process will be announced in late March.