Developing ideas, discovering new ways of doing things and changing lives requires not only talented individuals, but strong partnerships as well. Western Australia is home to hundreds of centres of excellence, and every Western Australian university partners with one or more of these centres. Together they work on cutting-edge research projects relevant to current and future issues facing the local community, Australia and even the world.

Western Australia's centres of excellence offer research programmes, postgraduate studies, internships, training seminars and advanced facilities to students studying in their area of research.
These are just some of Western Australia's centres of excellence representing different fields of research and training:

The Centre of Excellence for Climate Change, Woodland and Forest Health researches the premature decline of native Western Australian tree species in the context of climate change. Its main objective is to discover innovative solutions to restore biodiversity and ensure healthy woodland and forest ecosystems for future generations. Learn more at www.foresthealth.com.au

The Interactive Television Research Institute studies the future of television. Its research focuses on how new media platforms affect viewers and shape the media industry. The institute uses audience research laboratories and advanced tools for measuring viewers' psychological and physical reactions, behaviours and perception. Learn more at www.itri.tv

The Interactive Virtual Environments Centre is Western Australia's hub for advanced computing. It uses grid technologies and e-research tools to develop advanced computing, large scale storage, high speed communications and scientific visualisation technology for different applications. The centre provides training, scholarships, and access to facilities for students and researches. Learn more at www.ivec.org
The Marshall Centre for Infectious Diseases Research and Training was founded following the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Medicine to Professor Barry Marshall and Doctor Robin Warren. It researches infectious diseases, develops new vaccines and diagnostic tools, provides postgraduate and professional training, and works with the public. Learn more at www.biomedchem.uwa.edu.au/research/marshall-centre

The Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre is the world's largest dedicated tourism research organisation. It researches the challenges facing Australian tourism and produces information and tools to help drive positive change and promote sustainable tourism. Through its research, it provides support to postgraduate students working on related industry projects. Learn more at www.crctourism.com.au

The Urban Design Centre of WA is the first such centre in Australia. Its goal is to make Western Australia a better place to live and work by creating sustainable communities, enhancing public space and preserving natural and cultural resources. It offers students learning opportunities through its graduate programme. Learn more at www.udcwa.org

The WA Academy of Performing Arts is Australia's premier performing arts academy. Study areas include acting, broadcasting, costume, dance, design, music and sound, and more. The courses provide intensive training with a balance between practical and academic components. Prospective students are required to participate in an audition or interview. Learn more at www.waapa.ecu.edu.au

The WA Marine Science Institution studies climate change, marine life, ocean geology, weather patterns, storms, large scale ocean movements, fishing, coral reefs, medical compounds, biodiversity and social issues. It provides educational opportunities and scholarships to postgraduate students who wish to pursue studies in marine science. Learn more at www.wamsi.org.au

The WA Nanochemistry Research Institute provides expertise, equipment and facilities for research in molecular simulations, nanoreactions and nanocharacterisation. The outcomes of this research are used by various industries, including mining and resources, environment and health. The institute aims to produce high quality graduates who are sought after by industry. Learn more at www.wanri.org.au
The Western Australian School of Mines is highly regarded in Australia and around the world. It specialises in mining engineering, metallurgical engineering and extractive metallurgy, applied geology, spatial sciences and exploration geophysics. Its graduates have an almost 100% employment rate and some of the highest starting salaries in Australia. Learn more at www.wasm.curtin.edu.au
For more information on Western Australia log onto www.pertheducationcity.com.au

Source: David Samuel, Business Development Manager
Australian Trade Commission (Austrade), Colombo-Sri Lanka
E-mail: David.Samuel@austrade.gov.au