Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for managing Australia’s overseas aid program. The purpose of the aid program is to promote Australia’s national interests by contributing to sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction.
Extractives Sector Development Assistance
The Australian Government works with multilateral organisations, other government agencies, non-government organisations, universities and the private sector to assist partner governments to maximise the development potential of their extractives sectors. The activities focus on strengthening the capacity of governments in resource-rich developing countries in the Indo-Pacific region.
The University of Western Australia
The University of Western Australia (UWA) is one of Australia’s leading universities and has an international reputation for excellence in teaching, learning and research. UWA’s ambition is to be counted among the world’s top 50 universities by 2050. A dynamic and progressive university, UWA is a member of the prestigious Group of Eight partnership of leading Australian universities. With an international reputation for excellence and enterprise, UWA’s strong research culture sees it attract high levels of competitive research funding and outstanding staff. The University has about 23,000 students including more than 4,500 international students. Its campus is a multi-cultural and multi-faith community which includes students from 90 different countries.
Energy and Minerals Institute
The UWA progresses much of its comprehensive international agenda through the Energy and Minerals Institute (EMI). The EMI is a network institute which draws together the minerals industry related experience and expertise across the University’s 10 Faculties and more than 30 Schools to provide a comprehensive response to complex problems, and a gateway for external engagement to leading researchers on innovative solutions. Through the EMI, UWA is a key stakeholder in Western Australia’s growth as a globally significant minerals and energy destination. UWA partnerships with global corporations support the University’s objective to take education and research to a new level and ensure that Western Australia and Australia are recognised as an international hub of excellence in all disciplines related to the resources sector.
The University of Queensland
The University of Queensland (UQ) is one of Australia’s premier learning and research institutions, ranked third in Australia. UQ’s Global Strategy and Internationalisation 2011 embeds internationalisation through the University to continue to attract outstanding staff and students to deliver internationally to the state, national and global context. This strategy will build upon UQ’s ability to broaden and deepen international linkages. UQ has linkages with tertiary and government bodies throughout the world including South-East Asia, Asia Pacific and South America. The strong involvement within these communities assists UQ’s students to make international breakthroughs and to influence policy and decision making.
Sustainable Minerals Institute
The Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI) is one of UQ’s eight internationally significant research institutes. SMI is an initiative of industry, The University of Queensland and the Queensland Government to boost capacity in research and education in sustainable development in the minerals sector. SMI aims to participate in the transition of global mining and minerals recovery to a new level of performance and societal acceptance by being a world leader in providing knowledge-based solutions to the sustainability challenges of the global minerals industry.
Working with other institutions
The EMI and SMI hosting the IM4DC were just two parts of the very extensive capability network located across a number of Australian institutions, focused on processes which support sustainable mineral and petroleum resource developments.
Many of these institutions were already engaged with Australian Aid mining-related initiatives, as well as other multilateral initiatives with similar aims. IM4DC was able to showcase the full range of this activity in a single place, and to act as a gateway for interested stakeholders and participants to easily find information which might facilitate increased activity across all institutions.