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Media
Release
New
marine venture gains momentum
December 10, 2003
A major agreement has been reached on a
new scientific joint venture that will cement North Queensland’s
position as the world’s leading provider of education, expertise,
and discovery in the field of marine science.
The Chief Executive Officer of the
Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Professor Stephen Hall,
and the Vice Chancellor of James Cook University (JCU), Professor
Bernard Moulden have signed a ‘heads of understanding’ on the new AIMS
@ JCU initiative announced in the last Federal Budget.
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While the two
organisations already have close collaborative arrangements in
place, the partnership will provide a framework for developing a
more strategic long-term association.
 L-R,
Professor Bernard Moulden,
Professor Stephen Hall and
Mr.
Peter Lindsay MP.
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The two organisations will now proceed
to detail operational terms, with a view to formally launching the
joint venture in March 2004.
Prof Moulden said it will enable the
intellectual capabilities and facilities of the two organisations to
be more effectively utilised and further drive the development of
Townsville as a world-class centre of excellence for research and
teaching in marine science.
Three research programs will form the
core activities of the union -: aquaculture, coastal processes and
marine modelling, and marine biotechnology. Other programs may be
added next year.
"The two institutions are already
considered to be global leaders in marine science, but our geographic
proximity and the high degree of common ground in our research
strengths have always made a union the obvious next step in our
development," Prof Moulden said.
"With the appropriate level of
support from government AIMS @ JCU
has the capacity to become, at a stroke, the unquestioned global
leader in its field, and to make northern Queensland and Australia the
world’s leading provider of education, expertise, and discovery in
the field of marine science, especially tropical marine science".
Professor Stephen Hall of AIMS said the
partnership will bring together the largest concentration of tropical
marine scientists in the world.
"I’m confident it will be a
successful venture and I am delighted with the progress made in making
AIMS @ JCU a reality."
A consensus has also been reached on
two priority areas for application of the $2.9 million provided by the
Australian Government to AIMS to facilitate the partnership:
- A fibre optic cable link, which will
be a state of the art communication link between the two
institutions. It will also promote shared use of infrastructure,
including the supercomputer facilities at James Cook University.
It will provide long-term and unlimited low cost connectivity
between the University and AIMS. With a proposed budget of around
$1.3 million, the work will be completed in the early part of
2004.
- Extra research student places will
bolster the already strong world-wide reputation of North
Queensland in marine science research.
Other initiatives under the new
agreement will be announced early in the new year.
Media
contact
Professor
Stephen Hall, Director, AIMS
Tel: 4753 4490
Professor
Bernard Moulden, Vice-Chancellor & President, JCU
Tel: 4781 4165
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web@aims.gov.au
Last updated - December 10, 2003
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URL http://www.aims.gov.au
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