About ACRI

The Australia-China Relations Institute (UTS:ACRI) is an independent, non-partisan research institute established in 2014 by the University of Technology Sydney. Chinese studies centres exist in other Australian universities. UTS:ACRI, however, is Australia’s first and only research institute devoted to studying the relationship of these countries.

In the past Australia’s dominating economic relationships have been with the British Empire, the United States and Japan. Australia’s most important trading relationship is now with China, a nation very different in governance, politics and values. As China’s economy grows, so too does its strategic weight and the challenges and opportunities this presents to Australia.

UTS:ACRI seeks to inform Australia’s engagement with China through research, analysis and dialogue grounded in scholarly rigour.

MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

UTS:ACRI’s Management Committee monitors the Institute’s activities and performance, and approves the budget and strategic direction of UTS:ACRI’s research and other programs.

The Management Committee is headed by UTS Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International) Ian Watt and comprises Professor Glenn Wightwick, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Innovation and Enterprise); Associate Professor Grace Li, UTS Faculty of Law; Associate Professor Dongbin Wei, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology; and Professor James Laurenceson, UTS:ACRI Director.

ADVISORY BOARD

The role of the UTS:ACRI Advisory Board is to provide advice for the UTS:ACRI Management Committee's consideration.

Members

Professor Wanning Sun, Acting Chair of the UTS:ACRI Advisory Board and Professor of Media and Communication, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology Sydney
Mr Rowan Callick OBE, Author and Columnist, The Australian
Mr Clinton Dines, former President, BHP Billiton China
Professor Jane Golley, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Ms Renae Lattey, Chief Executive Partner, King & Wood Mallesons, Australia
Professor James Laurenceson, Director, Australia-China Relations Institute, University of Technology Sydney
Mr Peter Osborne, former Managing Director Asia, Blackmores Limited
Professor Richard Rigby, Emeritus Professor, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University
Dr Merriden Varrall, Director of the Australia Geopolitics Hub, KPMG Australia
Dr Garry Willinge, Chief Executive, Cbridge Limited

HONORARY APPOINTMENTS

Through its honorary appointments program, UTS:ACRI values its engagement with research, educational and industry partners.

UTS:ACRI honorary appointments are made in line with the UTS Honorary Titles and Awards Policy.

Emeritus Professors

Professor David Goodman, Professor of Chinese Politics, University of Sydney

Adjunct Professors

Professor Greg Austin, China cyber and strategic policy expert
Professor Mark Beeson, Professor of International Politics, University of Western Australia
Professor Jocelyn Chey AM, former Australian consul general to Hong Kong
Dr Michael Clarke, Senior Fellow, Centre for Defence Research, Australian Defence College
Professor Louise Edwards, Emeritus Professor of Chinese History, School of Humanities and Languages, University of New South Wales and Honorary Professor, School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Hong Kong
Professor Greg McCarthy, former BHP Chair of Australian Studies, Peking University
Professor Guanghua Wan, Director, Institute of World Economy, Fudan University
Professor Tao Xie, Dean, School of International Relations and Diplomacy, Beijing Foreign Studies University

Adjunct Associate Professors

Dr James Cheong, Associate Professor, Hang Seng University of Hong Kong
Dr Chengxin Pan, Associate Professor of Political Science, Department of Government and Public Administration, University of Macau
Professor Junji Xiao, Associate Professor, Lingnan University of Hong Kong
Dr Jingdong Yuan, Associate Professor, Department of Government and International Relations, University of Sydney

Adjunct Industry Fellows

Murray Davis, Trade & Investment Commissioner – Greater China, New South Wales Government
Glenda Korporaal OAM, writer and columnist, The Australian

Adjunct Fellows

Kevin Magee, former Australian ambassador and senior Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) official
Muyi Yang, Senior Electricity Policy Analyst, Ember

Visiting Fellows

Pei Duan, Associate Professor and master tutor, Shanxi University of Finance and Economics
Yun Jiang, AIIA China Matters Fellow

Research Associates

Dr Lai-Ha Chan, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr Peter Choi, UTS Faculty of Science
Associate Professor Dana Cordell, UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures
Dr Camille Dickson-Deane, UTS Science
Dr Kamal Dua, UTS Health
Dr Michael Fabinyi, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Associate Professor Youguang Guo, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Professor Tim Harcourt, UTS Institute for Public Policy and Governance
Associate Professor Colin Hawes, UTS Faculty of Law
Adjunct Professor Philip Hayward, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr Keith Heggart, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr Christina Ho, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Professor Andrew Jakubowicz, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Associate Professor Jinchen Ji, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Dr Yongjian Ke, UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
Dr Brent Keogh, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr Susie Khamis, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr Soojin Kim, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Associate Professor Grace Li, UTS Faculty of Law
Associate Professor Fion Lim, UTS Learning Centre (SILC)
Associate Professor Zhen Luo, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Associate Professor Shiko Maruyama, UTS Business School
Dr Ofer Mintz, UTS Business School
Michele Rumsey, UTS Health
Associate Professor Song Shi, UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building
Associate Professor Natalie Stoianoff, UTS Faculty of Law
Professor Wanning Sun, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Professor Kathy Walsh, UTS Business School
Associate Professor Jianxin Wang, UTS Business School
Associate Professor Dongbin Wei, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Professor Stuart White, UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures
Associate Professor Jingqing Yang, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Dr Yang Yang, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Dr Litao Yu, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
Dr Yi Zhang, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology

Learn more about UTS:ACRI’s Research Associates Program here.

RESEARCH GRANTS PROGRAM

UTS:ACRI offers a research grants program to support the development of research by academics in UTS faculties and institutes across a variety of disciplines that will help inform Australia-China relations.

Grant applications undergo strict and rigorous assessment by the UTS:ACRI Grants Assessment Committee. The Committee is comprised of academics with demonstrated research credentials and standing.

Learn more about UTS:ACRI’s grants program, including eligibility and the application process here.

2023 UTS:ACRI Research Grant recipients:

Associate Professor Song Shi, UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, The competitiveness and barriers of Chinese agents in the Australian housing market
Professor Wanning Sun, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, News consumption and belonging: Australian media coverage of China and Mandarin-speaking first-generation migrants in Australia

2022 UTS:ACRI Research Grant recipients:

Dr Lai-Ha Chan, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Can like-minded minilateralism help Australia to defend itself from the China challenge?
Associate Professor Grace Li, UTS Faculty of Law, Surveying Chinese students’ attitudes to studying law in Australia
Professor Kathy Walsh, UTS Business School, The impact of short selling on stock market manipulation in China
Associate Professor Jianxin Wang, UTS Business School, China’s financial opening and the risks and benefits for Australia

2021 UTS:ACRI Research Grant recipients:

Associate Professor Colin Hawes, UTS Faculty of Law, United States sanctions on Chinese telecom and hi-tech firms, and their impact on Australia-China relations
Dr Yongjian Ke, UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, Public perceptions of Chinese investment in Australian infrastructure: a Twitter study
Dr Soojin Kim, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Alliance or/and enemy? Debunking perceptual antecedents, attitudinal changes and behavioural outcomes toward diplomatic relationships with China
Professor Kathy Walsh, UTS Business School, Is Australia ready for China’s digital currency? An investigation of benefits, risks and perceptions
Professor Stuart White, UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures, Food, diet and sustainability: future trends and opportunities for Australia-China cooperation
Associate Professor Jingdong Yuan, UTS:ACRI, Divide and conquer: Beijing’s wedge strategies and the fragility of US alliances in Asia

2020 UTS:ACRI Research Grant recipients:

Dr Lai-Ha Chan, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Australia’s half-hearted engagement with the FOIP and the BRI: the role of middle power identity
Associate Professor Colin Hawes, UTS Faculty of Law, The Chinese corporate ecosystem
Dr Susie Khamis, UTS Business School, The role of popular social media and digital public diplomacy in Australia-China relations: Analysis of how Facebook and WeChat influence nation branding and mutual perceptions
Associate Professor Shiko Maruyama, UTS Business School, Not only exporting education but also importing brains? Chinese students’ migration decision after graduation
Professor Greg McCarthy, UTS:ACRI, Australia-China relations: understanding Australia in China
Dr Suwin Sandu, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, The role of hydrogen energy in shaping the future Australia-China economic relationship: A macroeconomic analysis
Associate Professor Song Shi, UTS Faculty of Design, Architecture and Building, Do Chinese buyers push up Sydney housing prices?
Professor Kathy Walsh, UTS Business School, Could China’s digital currency be a catalyst for internationalising the Renminbi?
Associate Professor Jingqing Yang, UTS Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, New narratives and novel coronavirus: China’s COVID war on mass media
Dr Yi Zhang, UTS Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, What is the role of Australia-China collaboration in Australia’s AI research: A study of competitive technological intelligence

FUNDING

UTS:ACRI relies on a mix of funding sources, including from the University of Technology Sydney central research and operational budget and industry partners.

UTS:ACRI is honoured to have the support of the following industry partners:

Business Council of Australia
China Construction Bank
John Holland
King & Wood Mallesons
MA Financial Group
PwC
Star Entertainment

Industry partners do not provide strategic direction nor do they shape or influence UTS:ACRI’s academic activities. UTS:ACRI has a fully independent, academically rigorous and transparent research agenda.

A one-off $1.8 million donation in December 2013 dispersed over three years and finishing in 2016, from Founder and Chairman of the Yuhu Group, Mr Xiangmo Huang, enabled UTS to establish ACRI.

INSTITUTE OPERATING PRINCIPLES

The Institute is a UTS entity providing rigorous and independent scholarly research and evidence-based analysis of the highest quality to key stakeholders in the Australia-China relationship, including the Australian public.

The Institute’s day to day activities and the strategic actions of the Management Committee and Members are bound by UTS policies and procedures relating to academic integrity, independence and transparency. Key UTS policy instruments relating to the work of the Institute include: