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Asia Pacific research and academic cooperation

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for academic and research co-operation between South Korea’s National Institute of Ecology (NIE) and TERN at the University of Queensland (UQ) was signed in February 2019.

The MoU recognises the mutual benefits of long-term co-operation and the importance of academic and research cooperation in the fields of ecological database and information. It highlights areas where the two programs can work together including high-level science questions or criteria; in-situ measurements and sampling protocols; data products; informatics; science and education; and project management.

Professor Ohseok Kwon (KNE) and Professor Joe Shapter (UQ) signed the MoU at TERN’s UQ Project Office in February 2019

In addition to the MoU signing, the visiting Korean delegation, led by Professor Ohseok Kwon, Kyungpook National University (KNE) and Chair of the Korean Long Term Ecological Research network (KLTER), participated in a five-day program organised by TERN.

The purpose of their visit was to view Queensland ecology field sites that may host students of the International Ecology School (IES) for student exchanges. The IES concept aligns with the Short-term Global Experience for UQ students and is expected to commence in late 2019.

IES is a Korean initiative to be funded by a donation from a Korean business specifically to provide education and international field experience to undergraduate students in the International Long Term Ecological Research network’s East Asia Pacific regional chapter (ILTER-EAP), which includes Australia.

IES sites visited on this trip included QUT’s Samford Ecological Research Facility (TERN was launched here in 2010), the TERN Daintree Rainforest Landscape Observatory operated by JCU, and UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station on North Stradbroke Island.

The delegation from South Korea at UQ’s Moreton Bay Research Station on North Stradbroke Island
The delegation toured parts of TERN’s nation-wide ecosystem observation network, including QUT’s Samford Ecological Research Facility (above and below) learning all about the infrastructure and the research it facilitates
TERN’s close ties with South Korea’s ecosystem science community, and the broader Asia Pacific region, are just one of the many ways we’re enabling integrated approaches to address critical ecosystem science questions in our region and across the globe. TERN’s infrastructure has much to offer other nations, and it’s a wonderful outcome for the NCRIS program to see it contributing to the global science community. We look forward to exploring partnerships with other countries that are tackling broad-scale ecosystem science infrastructure issues.
The JCU TERN Daintree Rainforest Observatory (above and below) is a potential field sites that may host students of the Korea-led, ILTER EAP supported, International Ecology School (IES) program

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