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BRISBANE universities QUT, The University of Queensland (UQ) and Griffith University will host a world-first business event as part of the G20.
The G20 Global Business Challenge (GBC) brings together teams of students, researchers and industry members to develop solutions to water scarcity.
QUT vice-chancellor professor Peter Coaldrake says the conference turns the focus to global issues.
“Water issues are an impediment to health and wellbeing in poverty-stricken developing nations and a constraint to economic development in developed economies.”
Griffith University vice-chancellor professor Ian O’Connor says the theme is relevant to Australia, with mining industries facing significant water challenges.
“To date, no single technological solution has been found to the water treatment problem faced by these industries, but when one is it will open up opportunities for the development of new agricultural-based industries,” he says.
“This is an unprecedented opportunity for highly-skilled graduate students, technologists and researchers to collaborate on proposals that will stand proof-of-concept testing and will potentially assist communities worldwide.”
Executives, industry and government representatives will judge teams, with the finalists announced on August 15.
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