International

Uni­ver­si­ty of Mel­bourne

The University of Melbourne
The oldest buildings of the University of Melbourne date back to the 1850s. The Alan Gilbert Building, where teaching takes place, was built in 2002. Photo: The University of Melbourne

Founded in 1853, the University of Melbourne has a strong international reputation for academic excellence, innovative research and cultural diversity.

Humboldt-Universität has maintained close relations with the University of Melbourne since 2003 as part of the student exchange programme and research-related collaboration, especially in the areas of biology and chemistry. We have been intensifying our cooperation since 2019 through the strategic partnership as part of the Berlin University Alliance.

A particular thematic focus of the partnership is addressing global health problems. In the area of “Global Health”, our collaboration focuses on the transnational view of health issues with a focus on the interrelations between globalisation, health and health determinants, as well as the dismantling of associated inequalities.

In this context, BUA launched the "Joint PhD MEL BER" programme in 2023. This programme offers doctoral students the chance to participate in globally networked research projects in the area of “Global Health”, to gain international experience and to be part of an excellent research environment both in Berlin and in Melbourne. The successful completion of this innovative programme allows the candidates to receive a joint PhD that is recognised by both universities.

As part of the BUA, start-up funding is awarded at irregular intervals for collaborative projects that can be used to establish new research collaborations or further develop existing ones. These funds enable the financing of small projects, workshops, conferences and visits between Melbourne and Berlin. This gives researchers the opportunity to work together with colleagues at the other location and to jointly secure third-party funding. The next call for proposals is expected to take place in spring 2024.

In addition, the International Department of Humboldt-Universität provides information for doctoral students and supervisors who are interested in the Joint PhD MEL-BER. We are available to answer any questions you may have on the Cotutelle procedure and to discuss possible challenges and alternatives.

Do you wish to develop a new cooperation project with the University of Melbourne or to expand existing structures? The office for international science cooperation, profile partnerships and strategic developmentoffers a Zoom consultation once a month for initiating collaborations with the University of Melbourne and other strategic partners of Humboldt-Universität. Come and visit us:

The first Thursday of every month from 10.00 am – 11.00 am.

The binational research project "Visualising the dynamics of horizontal gene transfer during bacterial conjugation" is run by Prof. Marc Erhardt (Humboldt-Universität) and Dr. Debnath Ghosal (University of Melbourne). It focuses on the causes of the antibiotic resistance crisis, in particular the bacterial conjugation process. In this process, antibiotic resistance genes are transferred between bacteria. The universities use various methods to better understand this process. While the Humboldt-Universität project uses fluorescence microscopy approaches (with super resolution and time lapse), the University of Melbourne project is investigating molecular mechanisms using cryoEM approaches. The focus is on the pathogens Salmonella enterica and serovar Typhimurium. The aim is a deeper understanding of the conjugation mechanism, to possibly develop new drugs against antibiotic resistance. The new approaches could help to combat the growing problem of antibiotic resistance, particularly in gram-negative bacteria.

Hörsaal im Kenneth Myer Building.
Dare to look at the future together with colleagues from Melbourne? Auditorium in the Kenneth Myer Building. Photo: The University of Melbourne

Contact

Consultation

The consultation for HU members on collaboration opportunities as part of our strategic partnerships takes place on the first Tuesday of every month from 2.30 pm – 3.30 pm.

Zoom link to consultation