CQUniversity has welcomed $5.53 million in Commonwealth funding to partner with other universities to help deliver better health outcomes for the region.

The new Collaborative Research Networks (CRN*) funding will be used to develop partnerships with the University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology and Curtin University.

Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Chad Hewitt says CQUniversity is keen to collaborate to link areas of pre-existing strengths, particularly Social and Population Health, Medical and Allied Health Sciences, and Mental Health, as well as in areas of Quality Outcomes in Health Care and Industrial and Environmental Health.

Professor Chad Hewitt

"CQUniversity has linked its regional focus with research strengths based in metropolitan areas (Brisbane, Perth) bringing to the table our power of place," he said.

"We have built on existing collaborations to create greater opportunities for our staff and students via mentoring, staff and student exchanges, and enhanced collaborations.

"There are opportunities for mentoring and support for our early career researchers, fellowships to build research capacity, extra clarity around co-supervision between institutions of research higher degree students, and collaborations of Nationally Competitive Grant applications."

Professor Hewitt says the funding will enable opportunities for shared teaching outcomes, "including CQUniversity transferring its knowledge and expertise in remote teaching and online tools for shared delivery".

He said CQUniversity researchers would gain more access to infrastructure at the collaborative partner institutions, including opportunities to seek additional funding through Linkage Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities (industry links) grants.

According to the project summary, it is intended that through these partnerships CQUniversity will have the increased capacity to contribute to better health outcomes for its region and broader Australian communities. The summary notes the Central Queensland region has been acknowledged as one of the most environmentally and economically diverse in the country.

"The economic and social importance of the region, therefore, provides partnering universities with a network of relationships for contributing to research that has a critical impact on Australia's future," the summary says.

"A combination of local knowledge, special expertise and power of location makes CQUniversity an under-utilised asset in the Australian research community. CRN funding will help maximise the ability of both CQUniversity and partnering Universities to make best use of these special assets."

* The CRN program is designed to encourage less research-intensive smaller and regional institutions to develop their research capacity and adapt to a research system driven more strongly by performance outcomes by teaming up with other institutions in areas of common interest. The funding is based on a competitive selection process. The CQUniversity-led project will be housed in our Institute for Health and Social Science Research.