UQ partners with HBIS to develop sustainable steel

26 April 2022

The University of Queensland (UQ) has renewed its partnership with Chinese steelmaker HBIS to research and develop more sustainable minerals processing and steel manufacturing.

Now in its sixth year, the HBIS-UQ Innovation Centre for Sustainable Steel (ICSS) will deliver research, training and executive education to develop high-value, low-carbon products and technologies that can be deployed by HBIS.

Steel materials are critical to the construction, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors in Australia and globally, with increasing pressure to decarbonise to ensure the sustainability of these industries and economic development.

UQ Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Deborah Terry said she was delighted to continue to partner with HBIS to deliver both innovation and social impacts to society.

“This agreement will enhance our reputation as a globally engaged university that partners with industry to deliver R&D outcomes that have both social and environmental benefits,” Professor Terry said.

“We need great partners and strong partnerships to have real impact. And we greatly appreciate the value of this collaboration with HBIS.”

The partnership, which enters its second five-year agreement, was reaffirmed at a virtual signing ceremony on 12 April with a HBIS delegation including Dr Xindong Wang, Vice-President and Chief Technology Officer of HBIS Group Co. Ltd.

Director of the ICSS, Professor Geoff Wang said the partnership had already delivered many sustainable improvements for the steel industry.

“The establishment and successful operation of the ICSS has not only accelerated the research collaboration with HBIS, but has also significantly enhanced the influence of the University in terms of transferring research capacity to industrial applications,” Professor Wang said. 

Since 2017, HBIS have invested more than $5 million in environmental engineering, metallurgical and advanced steel manufacturing research, and has provided collaborative training for HBIS and Higher Degree Research students at UQ. 

Contact: Professor Geoff Wang, gxwang@uq.edu.au
 

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