University of Queensland

The University of Queensland (uq.edu.au) is well placed to understand and address the water challenges ahead
to achieve sustainability. UQ’s breadth of experience ranges from engineering, chemical and biological sciences,
to economic policy, climate and environmental research. Water researchers at UQ are guiding our water future
through scientific discovery, technological innovation and policy development. Their social, political and
economic expertise promotes best practice and guides quality education programs. Water research is
represented by five faculties and six centres and institutes:
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology
• Faculty of Business, Economics and Law
• Faculty of Health Sciences
• Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN)
• Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI)
• Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC)
• Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI)
• Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR)
• International Water Centre (IWC)
The UQ Global Change Institute’s Sustainable Water Program brings together researchers and others ‘enablers’
on water-related challenges for new, bigger-picture, cross-disciplinary projects across the university to develop a
path to impact and change from the research outputs, and bring together end-users with researchers and
funders at each crucial stage of the project. This ensures appropriate and maximum adoption, dissemination and
uptake of the research outputs, and effective translation of research outputs to policy and adoption outcomes.

Organisational Capability

• Wastewater treatment and management covering the breadth of the urban industrial water cycle, achieving
sustainable outcomes for the global water industry (AWMC).
• Waterways governance and social dimensions research to examine water management, climate change
adaptation, and community resilience (SAFS).
• Transdisciplinary water research to address the complexities of the global water challenge through innovation,
education and engagement (GCI).
• Evaluation and report cards produced annually to understand and communicate waterway health (GCI and
IWC).
• Environmental health research and teaching, underpinned by Environmental Health Impact Assessment and
management, and specifically water and human health. (SPH)
• Integrated Water Management capacity-building through training, education, institutional capability
development, partnerships, and managing applied research (IWC).
• Toxicology analysis to assess human use and exposure to chemicals through the systematic collection and
analysis of wastewater.
• Measurement, monitoring and modelling of water in the context of mine operations, their surrounding
environments and regional communities (SMI).