China-Australia Collaboration in Applied Optimization (CACAO)
The new China-Australia Collaboration in Applied Optimization (CACAO) Memorandum of Understanding was launched on 4 December 2017 at Curtin University in Perth with the four participating universities:
- Federation University Australia
- Curtin University
- Shanghai University
- Chongqing Normal University
CACAO aims to develop a co-operative strategic relationship between the four institutions for the benefit of Australia and China. This includes collaboration on optimisation projects, jointly hosting of international conferences and workshops in applied optimisation, in particular, the biennial China-Australia Workshops on Applied Optimization, supporting the exchange of research staff and students, and fostering friendly relations between the two countries.
In accordance with the agreement, several Centre for Informatics and Applied Optimisation (CIAO) researchers have visited the School of Mathematical Sciences at Chongqing Normal University (CNU) during March to May 2018 to conduct joint research on optimisation with Chinese colleagues, give seminars for undergraduate and graduate students at CNU in mathematical optimisation and strengthen the links between the two universities. The visits were supported by the School of Mathematical Sciences at CNU.
Dr Musa Mammadov visited CNU from 23 March to 5 April. During the visit, he gave a series of lectures on “Outlier detection methodologies: theory and practice”. A/Prof Adil Baghirov visited CNU from 7 to 26 April. He gave a series of lectures on “Nonsmooth optimization models in machine learning”. A/Prof Alex Kruger visited CNU from 29 April to 10 May. He gave a series lectures on “Extremality and regularity”. Alex Kruger also met with CNU students enrolled in international exchange programs and spoke to them about FedUni and life in Australia.
Prof Zhiyou Wu, Dean of the School of Mathematical Sciences, CNU and Prof Fusheng Bai, CNU will visit CIAO in July 2018.
Preparations are currently under way for the 9th Australia-China Workshop on Optimization which will take place in Shanghai, China in 2019.
