Building partnerships – Building our future
Partnerships between Government and Universities have never been more important. They present educators, students, regulators, policy creators and decision-makers with real opportunities for growth and positive change.
To share experiences and insights; to challenge the popularly accepted position; to openly debate in a constructive and effective way – these are just the beginning of the benefits of mutually favourable partnerships.
This is why the Centre for Work Health and Safety has recently signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the University of Wollongong and the University of Newcastle. These MoUs demonstrate the commitment the Centre and the Universities have in working together to develop work health and safety research expertise in Australia.
The Centre’s Director, Skye Buatava said the research collaboration will provide opportunities for university students and academics to generate new knowledge by engaging in bona fide work health and safety research.
“The Centre is about world-class research using the latest data, evidence and insights to develop smarter, more innovative solutions to work health and safety challenges,” she said.
“By strengthening our ties with these universities, we can make work health and safety research a well-regarded syllabus and career choice. After all, keeping people safe and healthy in their workplace should be in the hands of tertiary trained specialists.”
University of Wollongong Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paul Wellings CBE said the partnership with the Centre would provide outstanding opportunities for researchers and students.
“This collaboration will see the University and the Centre work cooperatively to apply research to real-world challenges that will have a positive impact on workers and potentially prevent accidents and help save lives,” he said.
Executive Director of the University of Newcastle’s Institute for Energy and Resources, Professor Alan Broadfoot, said the agreement will play a significant role in bringing about behaviour change in work health and safety in NSW.
“Work health and safety is something that impacts every individual and underpins the core objectives and practices of all workplaces. This agreement will create more impact through innovative research that will ultimately improve the safety of workers across the state,” Professor Broadfoot said.
The Centre is now actively seeking relationships with other universities across Australia to provide further work health and safety research opportunities.