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The University of Adelaide (UoA) and the University of Surrey will join forces on new interdisciplinary research projects spanning cyber, space, artificial intelligence (AI), and sustainability and energy, through the institutions’ strategic partnership.

Eight research projects have secured backing through the UoA and University of Surrey joint partnership funding program announced in April. It is the latest initiative in the international partnership, which also includes the development of online short courses, professional staff exchanges, and student mobility programs.

“The joint seed fund provides opportunities for researchers from different sides of the world to foster connections, share perspectives and build new knowledge,” says Professor Jessica Gallagher, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement), UoA. “Together we can find solutions to some of the most pressing global challenges.

“We look forward to continuing to strengthen our collaboration with the University of Surrey to deliver innovative, interdisciplinary research that leads to a better future for all.”��

UoA’s partnership with the University of Surrey builds on shared strategic strengths. Adelaide is home to the Australian Institute for Machine Learning, the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Resources, and the Environment Institute while Surrey has the Surrey Institute for People-Centred AI��and the��Institute for Sustainability, with work also ramping up around the Surrey Space Centre.

By integrating capabilities, researchers can achieve impact with scale. One project, which builds on an existing collaboration between the two universities in the nexus of AI and health, aims to improve diagnostic tools for endometriosis – a disease that affects 190 million women worldwide.

Another project will explore circular economy practices and potential in the space sector to minimise environmental impact both on Earth and in orbit.

“The world is changing fast – and our partnership with the University of Adelaide is a clear response to that. It reflects how both our universities think ahead and act with purpose,” says the University of Surrey’s Vice-President, Global, Patrick Degg.

“We now have a real chance to shape technologies like AI so they work for people and the planet, not just for profit. I look forward to seeing Surrey and Adelaide build on this strong start in the years ahead.”

Mr Degg was part of a University of Surrey delegation to the UoA in March 2025, which also included Professor Tim Dunne,��University of Surrey Provost and Senior Vice-President.

The successful projects, which each have a lead researcher from both institutions, include:

• Joint Space Micro-credential Series led by Mark Charnley, Professional and Continuing Education (PACE), UoA and Professor Adam Amara, School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Surrey.
• Terahertz Technology for Space Communications led by Professor Withawat Withayachumnankul, Terahertz Engineering Laboratory, UoA and Professor Gabriele Gradoni, Institute for Communication Systems, University of Surrey.
• Circular economy solutions for the space sector led by Professor Kannan Govindan, Centre for Sustainable Operations and Resilient Supply Chains, UoA and Professor Jin Xuan, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Surrey.
• Earth observation for sustainable supply chains led by Dr Devika Kannan, Centre for Sustainable Operations and Resilient Supply Chains, UoA and Dr Ana Andries, Centre for Environment and Sustainability, University of Surrey.
• Promoting authentic authorship and academic integrity with artificial intelligence led by Professor Edward Palmer, School of Education, UoA and Dr Alexandra Grandison, School of Psychology, University of Surrey.
• Federated self-supervised learning framework for Diatom classification led by Dr Song Yiliao (Lia), School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, UoA and Dr Wang Xilu, Computer Science ����volg Centre, University of Surrey.
• Advancing AI-driven diagnostic tools for Endometriosis led by Dr Yuan Zhang, Robinson ����volg Institute, Adelaide Medical School, UoA and Professor Gustavo Carneiro, Centre for Vision, Speech and Signal Processing, University of Surrey.
• Assessing the communications performance of massive satellite systems led by Professor Matthew Roughan, School of Computer and Mathematical Sciences, UoA and Professor Nishant Sastry, Computer Science ����volg Centre, University of Surrey.