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September 8, 2006
University partnerships play a vital role in sustainability issues
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Community engagement by universities is helping to address complex sustainability issues, according to Alcoa of Australia Managing Director, Wayne Osborn.
Speaking at the launch of the Australian Universities Community Engagement Alliance, Mr Osborn said most sustainability issues had a mix of implications and stakeholders, and therefore needed to be addressed through collaborative partnerships.
“Universities are vitally important to such partnerships and are uniquely placed to make a significant contribution on sustainability issues”, Mr Osborn said.
“They bring new perspectives to old problems and challenge the orthodoxy, and are valued by the community as a source of new ideas. They’re not just a repository of existing knowledge; they’re also constantly searching for new understanding and insights,” Mr Osborn said.
Industry-focused research was another area where universities were delivering benefits through community engagement.
“Research partnerships with universities have played a vital role in Alcoa’s business through cleaner production, improving health, safety and environmental management and helping us develop one of the world’s best mine rehabilitation programs,” he said.
Alcoa is also actively involved with universities and other research bodies through its own research and development group which is based at Kwinana in WA and conducts research and development for all of Alcoa’s alumina refineries around the world
Mr Osborn said there was already a high level of university engagement in Alcoa’s most significant social responsibility initiatives.
Last year, Alcoa launched a worldwide Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship program to promote and support research on conservation and sustainability issues. Established by the Alcoa Foundation, the US$8.6 million program will provide 90 fellowships for researchers from universities and non-government organisations.
There are five universities involved in the program including Curtin University of Technology in Western Australia. Curtin’s research program is focused on sustainability issues in the south coast region of Western Australia.
“One of the important aims of the fellowship program is to encourage collaboration between researchers, communities, government and non-government organisations; and not just in a region or on a particular issue but globally as well,” Mr Osborn said.
“We don’t just want individual researchers to deepen their own knowledge. We want them to share it and the fellowship program has been structured to facilitate that transfer of knowledge,” he said.
Alcoa of Australia Limited
Alcoa is a major producer of alumina and aluminium, with operations in Victoria, NSW and Western Australia.
With 6200 employees and exports of over $3 billion a year, Alcoa makes a significant contribution to Australia’s economy.
Regarded as a leader in corporate social responsibility, Alcoa also contributes to Australian life through partnerships with community, government and other stakeholders to help build stronger communities.
Further information: Louise Boylen, (08) 9316 5895, 0404 800 417
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More information on the Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship program:
 more
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