Deakin University is one of Australia’s most progressive universities, driven by innovation, excellence and real-world impact
With Australia’s upcoming association with Horizon Europe, Deakin offers the ideal gateway into the region, opening up new opportunities to grow reach and impact.
Deakin’s progressive approach to research and innovation sets us apart from other universities and makes us an ideal consortium partner for Horizon Europe projects.
Deakin consistently ranks among the world’s leading institutions for research quality and impact. We have internationally recognised strengths in advanced manufacturing, materials science, engineering, medical research, sport science, artificial intelligence (AI), global security and development, agricultural sciences, ecology and marine biology.
These areas closely align with Horizon Europe’s Pillar II clusters, ensuring that our research capabilities are well placed to meet the programme’s important missions.
Deakin’s values of being inclusive, ethical and sustainable match Europe’s ideals of democracy and good governance, creating confidence in collaboration on sensitive research and technologies.
Like Horizon Europe, Deakin’s priority impact areas are strongly connected with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Deakin contributes to the achievement of these goals through internationally recognised research strengths in areas such as health systems and public health, digital technologies, climate adaptation and environmental sustainability, and global citizenship and security.
Growing our international collaborations through Horizon Europe is part of Deakin’s mission to help solve the world’s most pressing problems.
A community-connected university with a global outlook
Collaborating with Deakin provides European researchers with connections across the Indo-Pacific region, expanding networks and opportunities.
Our major international offices in India and Indonesia support successful long-term alliances with industries, governments, partners and communities. We are the world’s first university to open a branch campus in India, Deakin’s GIFT City Campus, and Deakin is also one half of the first UK-Australia joint international campus, The Deakin University Lancaster University Indonesia (DLI) campus in Bandung.
Deakin has a long history of successful collaboration with European research institutions. This includes participating in several existing Horizon Europe projects across health, technology, business and trade, manufacturing, social cohesion and security.
Other examples of successful EU collaborations include Deakin’s work with the German Aerospace Center developing advanced AI technologies to enhance the effectiveness of simulation technology, as well as our collaborative agreement with Copenhagen University delivering on a joint vision of better health outcomes across both countries.
Deakin is well positioned to collaborate with European partners on civil security projects, given Australia’s membership of the Five Eyes alliance and as a trusted UK security partner.
The Deakin Institute for Intelligent Systems is home to Australia’s largest research team in systems modelling and simulation, working with the defence, aerospace and security sectors.
At the Deakin Centre for Future Defence and National Security, future-focused research strengthens Australia’s national sovereign capabilities and global relationships. Studies span issues ranging from economic statecraft in the Indo-Pacific to cyber conflict and peacekeeping in Asia.
The Centre for Humanitarian Leadership is an award-winning collaboration between Deakin and Save the Children Australia. The centre’s network of researchers is transforming the humanitarian sector through leading research initiatives and valuable international partnerships, creating a global community of humanitarian leaders.
Complementary expertise, cutting-edge infrastructure and unique geography
Deakin’s advanced facilities position us at the forefront of scientific and technological innovation. These include Carbon Nexus, the world’s largest open access carbon fibre pilot line; Genesis, the only university-based advanced motion simulator of its kind worldwide; and the Hydrogen Research Hub, Australia’s first regional hydrogen technology testing, manufacturing, optimising and training facility.
We also offer research environments not easily accessed by Europe, invaluable for climate, energy and environmental research. These include unique biodiversity and important marine ecosystems like the Great Southern Ocean, a gateway to Antarctica.
Our multi-campus geography allows access into regional communities, and Deakin has a special focus on advancing regional healthcare through the Deakin Rural Health research programme and local partnerships.
Deakin has close collaborations with diverse research groups, government, and industry. Programmes like our Geelong Future Economy Precinct and research commercialisation hubs help translate discoveries into real-world products and businesses. This makes us an attractive partner for those seeking an impact beyond academic publications.
Creating smarter materials to drive a circular economy
Deakin is a global leader in materials research, ranking first in Australia and among the world’s leading institutions for textile science and engineering.
The Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) is home to the Southern Hemisphere’s largest fibre and textile research group. It combines research expertise with industry-scale facilities for batteries, carbon fibre, composites, advanced alloys and textiles.
The Future Fibres Facility enables researchers and industry partners to take products from concept through to pilot-scale production.
Deakin researchers are working with Australian startup Uluu to transform farmed seaweed into a new generation of sustainable and biodegradable textile fibres.
The hope is to replace plastic at scale with a material that delivers all the things we love about plastic, but at the end of its life can be reused, recycled or composted.
In another collaborative project, Deakin is working with environmental technology company Samsara Eco to fast-track world-first technology that could recycle plastics and textiles previously considered unrecyclable.
Food, bioeconomy, agriculture and the environment
Deakin’s role in the war on waste extends into agriculture, manufacturing and energy.
Deakin’s BioFactory – Australia’s first bioprocess development and scale-up factory – pilots new processes to convert organic waste into valuable products such as protein-rich feed, nutritional ingredients, fertiliser, biogas and biomaterials for medical and textile applications.
In one project, Deakin is working with industry partner Bellarine Foods to explore how high-value protein products can be created from local marine byproducts to create supplements, protein powders and cosmetic anti-ageing creams.
Deakin’s Aquafi facility is also helping transform the aquaculture sector, a sector vital to meeting the food demands of future generations.
The innovative hub brings together researchers and industry to work on new feeds and smarter aquaculture technologies. Projects focus on sustainable fish production, novel feed and aquaculture technology development, and industry training. A key feature of the lab is a $2.6m feed extrusion plant for feed manufacture and innovation.
These projects are supported by Deakin’s Recycling and Clean Energy Commercialisation Hub, which facilitates the development of greener supply chains by collaborating with industry partners to pioneer a sustainable circular economy. Based at Deakin’s world-leading Geelong Future Economy Precinct, REACH is backed by the Australian Government’s Trailblazer Universities Program.
Study and safeguard critical marine environments
With its abundant coastline, Australia is uniquely positioned to drive important research into marine environments. As global warming puts greater pressure on the world’s oceans, coordinated marine research has never been more critical.
Researchers at Deakin’s Marine Science Centre are leading marine restoration work in collaboration with management authorities and Traditional Owner groups, ensuring Indigenous knowledges remain at centre of caring for country.
This work includes building dedicated biobanks of seagrasses, kelps and flat oysters to help safeguard biodiversity and enable future scientific research and conservation for years to come.
Deakin Marine Mapping is a leading research group focused on seafloor mapping across Victoria and beyond. With world-class oceanographic tech, including systems that collect thousands of soundings per minute, researchers can build highly detailed underwater models.
All this work contributes to Deakin’s ranking in the top 100 universities worldwide for marine and freshwater biology. Our Warrnambool Campus offers unique access to the Great Southern Reef. While nestled in Victoria’s Swan Bay, Deakin’s Queenscliff Marine Science Centre is a newly upgraded, state-of-the-art facility dedicated to marine research and education.
Digital innovation for better health outcomes
At Deakin, we know that thinking together across multidisciplinary teams is critical to tackling the world’s biggest challenges.
A great example is our work bringing together leading experts in intelligent systems and health. Deakin boasts Australia’s largest applied AI initiative, as well as the number one sport science school worldwide, and ranks in the world’s top 50 universities for public health.
Deakin partnered with the Victorian Government to develop a world-first AI-powered platform that helps teachers and coaches assess and improve children’s fundamental movement skills. The platform offers a simple, scalable way to identify skill gaps and support healthier, more active young people.
Deakin researchers have also developed iPupilX, a wearable eye-tracking device that can be used during everyday activities, enabling health researchers to collect real-world data to better evaluate childhood health risks and interventions.
From community-based primary prevention to running clinical trials for novel treatments, Deakin researchers work across the healthcare spectrum, leveraging close connections with Australia’s health system.
Deakin’s Applied Artificial Intelligence Initiative has developed an AI-informed system that helps reduce errors in the treatment of trauma patients. Originally developed in collaboration with Alfred Health in Melbourne, the Trauma Reception and Resuscitation System has now been rolled out in hospitals internationally, including in India, China, Saudi Arabia and soon Ireland.
Collaborate with Deakin on Horizon Europe
Deakin is a trusted global research partner with the networks, expertise, infrastructure and collaborative capability to contribute to international research partnerships and consortium opportunities.
Australia’s association with Horizon Europe in 2027 offers valuable opportunities to bring fresh perspectives and new capabilities to address the EU’s critical missions.
Joining forces with Deakin offers research partners access to:
- 2000-plus world-leading research experts dedicated to making a difference;
- State-of-the-art facilities and specialised equipment across four campuses; and
- Global research network spanning research projects with more than 500 collaborators across 65 countries.
Collaborate with us on your next research proposal for Horizon Europe funding. Visit the Deakin website for more information.
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