Deputy Secretary of Department of Industry of Australia Subho Banerjee visited IWHR on October 13, 2014, meeting the institute’s president Dr. Kuang Shangfu, vice president Dr. Jia Jinsheng and Prof. Wang Hao, a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering.

Dr. Kuang emphasized the fundamental and strategic importance of water, and said the two countries, with the Australia-China Joint Research Center on River Basin Management, should enhance cooperation and exchange to jointly promote the sustainable social and economic development in both countries and the world alike. The center was inaugurated by then Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in April 2013 in Beijing.

Dr. Banerjee echoed the president’s view on the significance of water, and said both countries were faced with similar challenges of water and climate change issues. He believed the research center would strongly promote bilateral cooperation, international recognition and knowledge sharing of complicated water issues

During the meeting, Prof. Wang Hao, also the Chinese director of the center, gave a report on the background, objectives, cooperative mechanism, research progress and future plan of the center. The Australian director of the center, Deputy Dean of School of Engineering of the University of Melbourne Prof. Peter Scales also made a presentation on the achievements and plan of research cooperation and training program.