The International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management (ICE WaRM) - of which CQU is a member - has won another major national business and education award for its innovative professional development programs.

ICE WaRM has been handed the Business/Higher Education Round Table's (B-HERT) 2007 Award for Outstanding International Collaboration in Education and Training for its ground-breaking professional development program with China's Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC).

The YRCC program is managed by ICE WaRM, and has involved extensive collaboration with its 5 founding partner universities in 3 states - led by the University of South Australia, with the University of Adelaide, Deakin University, Flinders University and Central Queensland University - as well as the water industry and other key stakeholders in Australia.

The year-long program - which includes English language training, postgraduate academic studies, an industry placement and a technical study tour - is specially designed to meet the needs of the YRCC and is linked to ICE WaRM's award-winning Master of Water Resources Management course.

It takes a thorough approach to sustainable water resources management - linking the traditional technical subjects with non-technical aspects, including the environment and public health.

ICE WaRM Chief Executive Richard Hopkins, who was presented with the award at a gala dinner in Sydney earlier in November, says the program will help develop more sustainable use of water resources in China's second largest river, which is known as the cradle of Chinese culture.

"The sustainable management of water resources is a key factor in responding to climate change and the rapid expansion of China's economy," Mr Hopkins says.

"This course has given these 18 future leaders of the YRCC an insight into Australia's approach to water resource management, including contemporary policy reform, water and wastewater practices, river basin management and changing community attitudes to the environment."

Mr Hopkins says there also will be substantial benefits for Australian industry - because the program has introduced Australian technology exporters to the Chinese water sector.

The YRCC professional development program has become the model for others which will be delivered to a wide range of Chinese water authorities under the existing Memorandum of Understanding between ICE WaRM and the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources.

Earlier this year, ICE WaRM won the Water Industry Alliance's Emerging Exporter Award, adding to the Award for Collaborative Teaming in 2006.

The International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management (ICE WaRM) is Australia's leading water resources education, training and research organisation. ICE WaRM has helped create Australia's first water resources management Master degree, graduate diploma and graduate certificate programmes for local and international students. It also hosts award-winning study tours for representatives of overseas governments and water authorities and assists in the development of industry and community-focused research. ICE WaRM was established in 2004 as a Federal Government initiative, supported by the South Australian Government, and is based in Adelaide. Its founding partners are the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia, Deakin University, Flinders University and Central Queensland University.

The Business/Higher Education Round Table (B-HERT) promotes initiatives to improve the performance of business and higher education for the benefit of Australian society. B-HERT is the only body which brings together leaders of Australian business, research, professional and academic groups to improve the links between Australian business and higher education and help guide the future direction of higher education. B-HERT's members include Australian universities, corporations, professional associations and leading public research organisations such as the CSIRO and ANSTO.

The Yellow River is China's second largest river. It originates in the Yueguzonglie basin in the Tibetan highlands and along its 5464 kilometres, flows through nine Chinese provinces before emptying into the Bohai Sea. More than 107 million people, cultivating 12 million hectares of land, live within the river basin.