Community Engagement

Partnerships

Partnerships are key to community engagement and fundamental to achieving CDU's goal of powerful partnerships, as per the Strategic Plan 2010- 2014

CDU partnership highlights

Partnership Agreement between Charles Darwin University and the Northern Territory Government

The 2007-2012 Partnership Agreement between Charles Darwin University (CDU) and the Northern Territory Government (NTG) provides for the economic and social development of the Northern Territory to be supported by a robust and resilient university working in partnership with government agencies and the wider community to contribute to education, research, policy development and program delivery. The overarching aim of the Partnership Agreement is to expand upon the mutually productive and cooperative relationship between CDU and NTG.

The university and NTG have agreed through the partnership, to combine their expertise to create dynamic and forward-thinking outcomes to the issues facing the Territory and elsewhere in the world. The partnership involves collaboration and joint investment on mutual priorities and areas of commonality. The key objectives are economic development, social and cultural development and environmentally sustainable development.

Specific projects and initiatives are jointly managed through schedules to the Partnership Agreement. The schedules are:

As part of the partnership, Northern Territory Government Agencies are encouraged to sponsor a CDU Work Integrated Learning Scholarship. The scholarships combine full-time tertiary education with work experience during semester breaks, and are designed to give government agencies access to high performing students studying in a relevant subject area.

Visit the CDU/NTG Partnership Agreement website.

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Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge logoTropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge

In 2007, Tropical Rivers and Coastal Knowledge (TRaCK) was established as a research hub under the Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities Programme. Charles Darwin University is a leading member of a consortium of research organisations and government agencies working in partnership to improve our understanding of northern Australia’s rivers and estuaries over a period of four years.

Other leading partners include the CSIRO, Griffith University, Land and Water Australia, the North Australia Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance, and the University of Western Australia.

The research initiative will provide the science and knowledge that governments, communities and industries need for the sustainable use and management of Australia’s tropical rivers and estuaries.

Visit the TRaCK website.

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Rio Tinto Alcan logoRio Tinto Alcan Bauxite and Alumina and Charles Darwin University

Charles Darwin University is engaged in a partnership with Rio Tinto Alcan Bauxite and Alumina with the mutual interest of promoting sustainable futures within the resources sector. Since 2004, the relationship between CDU and Rio Tinto Alcan Bauxite and Alumina has seen the development of two significant programs established to meet industry needs, to develop specialist expertise in CDU graduates, and to provide flow on benefits to the environment and community.

The Marine Health Monitoring Program is a collaboration between CDU and Rio Tinto Alcan Gove to develop and implement a leading practice marine monitoring program at Melville Bay, Gove. Started in 2004, the monitoring program has since been implemented and the MHMP is now undertaking key projects to further refine the monitoring and to develop early warning indicators and measures of ecosystem health.

The Tropical Futures: Mineral Program (TFMP) was established in 2006 as a partnership between Rio Tinto Alcan Bauxite and Alumina and CDU. The program provides research and development and education programs within the core field of tropical environmental chemistry. A number of research projects have been completed which have resulted in the implementation of improved environmental monitoring procedures and analytical methods at Rio Tinto Alcan Gove. Ongoing projects are focussed on the development of solutions to reduce the environmental impact of the Rio Tinto Alcan Gove refinery operations on the local environment.

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Inter Networking Communities logoInter Networking Communities

In 2005, the CDU research panel awarded an infrastructure grant to further collaboration among CDU staff and with students who are working in the areas of information and communication technology and capacity building in remote communities.

Inter Networking Communities (INC) represents a partnership between the following organisations:

The INC team brings together people whose primary interests lie in information technologies, with people whose expertise lies in capacity building and in working with remote communities. INC has completed numerous projects and is currently working on several diverse projects.

Visit the INC website.

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NAILSMA logoNAILSMA – Northern Australia Land and Sea Management Alliance

The North Australian Indigenous Land and Sea Management Alliance (NAILSMA) is an unincorporated bioregional forum for Indigenous land and sea managers across north Australia. It aims to support practical Indigenous land and sea management using strategic approaches to care for country with an emphasis on practical management by Traditional Owners across the whole of northern Australia.

NAILSMA is a partner agency of the Tropical Savannas CRC and represents the interests of Indigenous land and sea managers across northern Australia to the CRC’s Board of Management. CDU is a core partner of the Tropical Savannas CRC.

Visit the NAILSMA website.

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Centre for Remote HealthCentre for Remote Health

The Centre for Remote Health is a joint centre of Flinders University and Charles Darwin University.

The Centre for Remote Health aims to contribute to the improved health outcomes of people in remote communities of the Northern Territory and Australia, through the provision of high quality tertiary education, training and research focusing on the discipline of remote health.

It is one of a network of University Departments of Rural Health funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to improve the health status of populations in rural and remote areas by appropriate preparation of the health workforce, thereby improving recruitment and retention levels.

Visit the Centre for Remote Health website.

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Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal HealthCooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health

Charles Darwin University is a core partner of the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health.

The CRC for Aboriginal Health is a collaborative research organisation that brings together Aboriginal organisations, research institutions and government agencies to deliver health-related programs to Aboriginal people.

The Aboriginal Health CRC aims to promote high quality research through increased Aboriginal control of the health research agenda and through partnership with key stakeholders. They also aim to ensure effective transfer of research findings into policy and practice, to build capacity in Aboriginal people through increased formal education and training opportunities; and to advocate for research-informed changes to the delivery of health services to Aboriginal people.

The CRC for Aboriginal Health is governed by an Aboriginal-majority board with representation from all its core partners.

Visit the CRC for Aboriginal Health website.

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Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre logoDesert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre

Charles Darwin University is a core partner of the Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre.

The Desert Knowledge CRC is a research and brokerage institution that links researchers with 28 partners. The DKCRC focuses these research efforts on creating useful outcomes with commercial application for desert people, communities and our partners.

The DKCRC exists to:

  • Provide sustainable livelihoods for desert people that are based on natural resource and service enterprise opportunities that are environmentally and socially appropriate;
  • Encourage sustainable remote desert settlements that support the presence of desert people, particularly remote Aboriginal communities, as a result of improved and efficient governance and access to services;
  • Foster thriving desert regional economies that are based on desert competitive advantages, bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, government and industry; and
  • Apply social science insights into governance, human capacity and the design of appropriate institutions to all these outcomes.

Visit the Desert Knowledge CRC website.

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Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant BiosecurityCooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity

Charles Darwin University is a core partner of the Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity.

The Cooperative Research Centre for National Plant Biosecurity began operating in recognition of the need to strengthen the plant biosecurity scientific capacity of Australia. A key strength of the CRC for National Plant Biosecurity is the involvement of participants who are, in many cases, end-users of research results. This ensures maximum benefit and impact in the delivery of project outputs, development of new products and services and capture of intellectual property.

The mission of the CRC for Plant Biosecurity is to foster scientific collaboration and engage stakeholders to deliver plant biosecurity technologies that will reduce risk to, and ensure sustainability of, Australia's plant industries. The CRC of Plant Biosecurity aims to provide leadership in the development, execution and delivery of plant biosecurity research to safeguard Australia's plant industries; ensure food security for Australian consumers; and improve market access for agricultural exporters.

Visit the CRC for National Plant Biosecurity website.

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Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research CentreSustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre

Charles Darwin University is a core partner of the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre.

Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre (STCRC) was formed to underpin the development of a dynamic, internationally competitive, and sustainable Australian tourism industry. The STCRC has grown to be the largest dedicated tourism research organisation in the world.

In consultation with a broad cross section of stakeholders, STCRC undertakes research into the strategic challenges facing Australian tourism and produces reports, information, tools and product s to improve business practices and inform policy development. STCRC is developing Australia’s long-term tourism research capacities through a vigorous postgraduate research education program, supported by scholarships for students in industry-designed projects, and by developing and distributing education and training products.

A key aim for the STCRC is to deliver research to industry in ways that encourage sustainable growth and international competitiveness.

Visit the Sustainable Tourism CRC website.

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Bushfire Cooperative Research CentreBushfire Cooperative Research Centre

Charles Darwin University is an associate partner of the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).

The formation of the Bushfire CRC in 2003 was major step by the fire and land management agencies and research partners in Australia and New Zealand. It was a move towards a better understanding of the complex social, economic and environmental aspects of bushfires. The combination of partner resources and the Australian Government's CRC program grant is a substantial investment in this research. The Bushfire CRC’s mission is to enhance the management of the bushfire risk to the community in an economically and ecologically sustainable manner.

Investment in a coordinated, multi-disciplinary research program is already having an impact. New decision support tools are being implemented in areas such as smoke management, aerial suppression, prescribed burning and fire weather forecasting. Important research has started on the role of fire in the high country. In tandem with researchers, fire and land agencies are gaining an insight into the way people face the bushfire threat. And industry is looking to the CRC for advice on better materials for building houses and other structures.

Visit the Bushfire CRC website.

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