The University of Western Australia (UWA) is tackling global challenges to health, climate change, and environmental resilience through collaborative and innovative approaches that leverage advanced technology and partnerships.

The University of Western Australia is a research-intensive university with a distinctive global outlook, shaped by its location at the crossroads between Europe, the Indo Pacific and the Indian Ocean region.

Our research is driven by the belief that the world’s most complex challenges – climate change, health inequity, environmental degradation, social transformation and technological disruption – require collaborative and international responses.

UWA brings together disciplinary excellence, shared research infrastructure, and strong partnerships to move knowledge from discovery through to translation and societal impact.

Our research strengths align strongly with the ambitions of Horizon Europe, particularly in addressing global challenges, strengthening innovation ecosystems and industry competitiveness, and delivering tangible benefits for society. We combine frontier research with advanced digital and artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled methods, a strong commitment to co-design, and effective uptake through policy, industry, and community partners.

Our research community works across disciplines and borders, partnering with leading universities, research infrastructures, governments and industry to deliver solutions that are globally relevant, locally grounded, and internationally scalable.

Transforming health through discovery, data, and design

UWA is internationally recognised for its research in health and biotechnology, spanning cancer, infectious disease, mental health, ageing, early life health, cognition and Indigenous health.

A defining strength of our approach is the integration of biomedical discovery with advanced analytics, machine learning and data driven methods. Our researchers develop new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat disease by combining laboratory science, clinical insight and digital innovation.

UWA’s health research is designed to be translatable. Researchers collaborate closely with clinicians, health systems, industry and communities to ensure that new knowledge leads to better health outcomes for people worldwide. This includes the development of novel diagnostics, digital health tools, AI assisted decision support, and new models of care.

Our leadership in population health and Indigenous health research brings a unique global perspective to questions of equity, ethics and inclusion. UWA researchers work in genuine partnership with Indigenous communities, creating research models that are increasingly relevant worldwide as health systems seek to serve diverse populations fairly and effectively.

Repairing the body with nature in mind

As the population ages, the need for treatments that can repair and regenerate damaged material by promoting the body’s natural healing processes is expected to become more prevalent. Professor Minghao Zheng is an expert in the translation of science to clinical practice. Through UWA and his partnership with Mr Paul Anderson, biotechnology companies Orthocell and Marine Biomedical were founded to develop and commercialise surgical technologies. Their innovations are now offering surgeons practical and effective treatment solutions for difficult cartilage, nerve, dental and bone repair for Australian patients and globally.

Climate, oceans, and the future of a living planet

UWA is a global leader in research on climate change, environmental resilience, oceans, food systems, energy, and natural resources.

Located in the Indian Ocean and embedded in one of the world’s most biodiverse regions, UWA brings unparalleled expertise in marine science, oceanography, coastal systems, agriculture, biodiversity and ecosystem restoration. Our researchers are at the forefront of efforts to understand how natural systems respond to climate pressures, and how societies can adapt.

Managing blackleg in Canola

Blackleg is a real problem for canola growers, resulting in an average of 10% yield loss per year. Led by Professor Jacqueline Batley, the UWA Batley Lab team has developed an accurate screening platform to identify resistance genes, which can be routinely deployed in breeding programmes. They are also finding novel and sustainable sources of resistance genes, which can result in enhanced productivity, profit, stable yields and a reduction in the need for farmers to apply fungicide on their crops.

A hallmark of this work is the use of large-scale data integration, modelling, and AI-enabled analysis to tackle environmental challenges at scale. From predicting climate impacts to managing marine ecosystems and securing sustainable food systems, UWA researchers apply cutting edge methods to real world problems.

UWA’s research in this domain is inherently international. Environmental systems do not recognise national borders, and our collaborations reflect this reality. Alongside our international collaborators, we deliver research that supports climate adaptation, sustainable resource management, and the protection of oceans and biodiversity – contributing directly to priorities central to Europe’s green transition and global environmental leadership.

Help for kelp

Kelp forests play an important role in the health of our temperate marine environment and in the economy. A team led by Professor Thomas Wernberg, The University of Western Australia, has been instrumental in building recognition of The Great Southern Reef of Australia — an ecosystem of interconnected temperate rocky reefs dominated by kelp forests. Their research has shown how 40-60% of the world’s kelp forests have declined over the past 50 years due to human activity and climatic events such as extreme marine heatwaves. They are now providing novel solutions such as green gravel, helping to rebuild damaged kelp forests around the globe.

Society, culture, and innovation in a changing world

UWA’s research excellence extends beyond science and technology to the social, cultural, and institutional foundations of resilient societies.

Our researchers in the humanities and social sciences address issues of democracy, governance, cultural heritage, creativity, social cohesion, and inclusion. This work provides critical insight into how societies respond to change, whether driven by climate impacts, technological disruption, or global uncertainty.

A distinctive contribution of UWA is its leadership in Indigenous research and knowledge systems. Working in partnership with Aboriginal communities, UWA researchers advance ethical, co designed approaches that recognise Indigenous knowledge as a vital part of global understanding. These perspectives are increasingly relevant internationally as research systems seek more inclusive and responsible ways of working.

Across all disciplines, UWA places strong emphasis on research translation and international uptake. We support this through platform-based research, embedded industry partnerships, open and interoperable data practices, and strong links to national and international research infrastructure. At UWA, innovation is not an endpoint, but a pathway that connects ideas with people, markets, and policy.

A natural partner for Horizon Europe

UWA offers Europe a research partner that combines:

• Excellence in frontier and applied research;
• Research that is translatable and impactful – whether it is medical (from benchtop to bedside), agricultural (from paddock to plate), or social (from person to policy);
• Strengths in global challenges central to Horizon Europe;
• Leadership in AI-enabled and data-intensive science;
• Extensive experience in international, inclusive, and ethical collaboration; and
• A unique bridge between Europe and the Indo Pacific.

As Australia moves toward deeper engagement with Horizon Europe, UWA stands ready to contribute as a trusted, outward-looking partner, committed to collaboration, innovation and impact at a global scale.

Please note, this article will also appear in the 26th edition of our quarterly publication.