Asia-Australia Network for Education and Enterprise
亚澳教育与产业交流协会
亚澳教育与产业交流协会
The 11th Chunhui Innovation Forum, hosted by the Asia-Australia Network for Education & Enterprise (AANEE), brings together leading scholars, industry pioneers and policymakers from Australia and China. Centered on three core themes — Biomedical Innovation, Advanced Materials & Manufacturing, and Artificial Intelligence & Digital Innovation — the forum fosters high-level dialogue on research collaboration and talent exchange, driving bilateral engagement in technological innovation and industry translation.
Date: Tuesday, 8 September 2026
Time: 13:00–17:00 (Registration from 12:30)
Venue: Level 2 Auditorium, Monash University City Campus, 750 Collins Street, Docklands VIC 3008
Catering: Refreshments provided
| Time | Session | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 12:40–13:00 | Registration | Guest check-in |
| 13:00–13:05 | Welcome and Forum Overview | Dr. Celina Yu OAM, Founding Chair of Asia-Australia Network for Education & Enterprise (AANEE) |
| 13:05–13:25 | Opening and Congratulatory Remarks | Ms. Caroline Hartnett, Director of Study Melbourne, Victorian Government Mr. Xinwen Fang, Consul General, The Consulate-General of the People's Republic of China in Melbourne Prof. Huanting Wang, Pro Vice-Chancellor and President (Suzhou), Monash University Representative, National Innovation Center par Excellence (NICE) |
| 13:25–13:50 | Student Innovation Pitch | Elite International Student Innovators |
| 13:50–14:40 | Panel Discussion 1 | Theme: Biomedical Innovation & Health Technologies Moderator: Prof. Jian Li, Head of the Laboratory of Antimicrobial Systems Pharmacology, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute Panellists: Dr. Chaoguang Chen, Director, Molecular Biology Cross Modality Specialist at CSL Research Mr. Eric Gao, Founder & Chief Executive Officer (CEO), BMYG (Boman Group) Financial Investment Group Prof. Yiannis Ventikos, Dean of Engineering, Monash University Professor Justin Yeung, Acting Head, Department of Surgery, Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne |
| 14:40–14:50 | Break | Refreshments & Casual Networking |
| 14:50–15:40 | Panel Discussion 2 | Theme: Advanced Materials, Advanced Manufacturing & Industry Innovation Moderator: Prof. Baohua Jia, Director of the Centre for Atomaterials and Nanomanufacturing (CAN), RMIT University Panellists: Prof. Robin Batterham, Kernot Professor, University of Melbourne Prof. Mainak Majumder, Director, ARC Research Hub for Advanced Manufacturing with 2D Materials (AM2D), Monash University Prof. Huanting Wang, Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor, Pro Vice-Chancellor and President (Suzhou), Monash University; ARC Australian Laureate Fellow Mr. Simon Wang, CEO, HelloPower ANZ Dr. Frank Yao, Founder and CEO, Innofocus Photonics Technology Pty Ltd |
| 15:40–16:30 | Panel Discussion 3 | Theme: Artificial Intelligence, Digital Innovation & Future Talent Moderator: Mr. Joshua Nester, Managing Director, SEEK Investments Panellists: Mr. Matt Davies, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MakerX Prof. Eduard Hovy, Executive Director of Melbourne Connect, University of Melbourne Mr. Andrew Sun, Audit Partner, KPMG Mr. Dheeren Vélu, Senior Director of Applied Innovation (AIE) for Australia and New Zealand, Capgemini |
| 16:30–17:00 | Free Discussion | Open networking for all participants |
Director, Study Melbourne, Victorian Government
Ms. Caroline Hartnett is Director of Study Melbourne at the Victorian Government, leading Victoria’s international education strategy. With nearly two decades of experience in education policy and regulation, she specialises in international education, higher education oversight, and evidence-based decision-making. She previously served as Deputy Director at Study Melbourne and led development of TEQSA’s Risk Assessment Framework. She also held senior policy roles at the Australian Department of Education and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Monash University
Professor Huanting Wang is Sir John Monash Distinguished Professor and Pro Vice-Chancellor and President (Suzhou) at Monash University. His research focuses on nanomaterials and composite membranes for gas separation, water desalination, and electrochemical energy. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science (2026) and ATSE (2019).
Consul General, The Consulate-General of the People’s Republic of China in Melbourne
Mr. Fang Xinwen is the Consul General of the People’s Republic of China in Melbourne. As Consul General, Mr. Fang Xinwen actively promotes exchanges and cooperation between China and Australia, particularly in areas including trade and investment, education, science and technology innovation, and people-to-people engagement. Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Fang served in various diplomatic positions, including Counsellor at the Chinese Embassies in Timor-Leste, Brunei and Singapore, Minister Counsellor in the Department of Asian Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. He is a career diplomat with extensive experience in international affairs and diplomatic relations.
Dr. Celina Yu OAM, PhD, CPA, GAICD, is Founding Chair of the Asia–Australia Network for Education and Enterprise (AANEE)
Dr Celina Yu OAM is the Founding Chair of the Asia–Australia Network for Education & Enterprise (AANEE). With over 20 years of experience in education, industry engagement and Australia–Asia collaboration, she has led numerous initiatives connecting universities, industry, government and emerging talent. She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2026 for her contribution to business education and international trade.
Kernot Professor, Emeritus Professor, University of Melbourne
Emeritus Professor Robin Batterham AO is Kernot Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Melbourne. His research focuses on energy systems, low-emission technologies, green steel and sustainable fuels. He previously served as Australia’s Chief Scientist (1999–2005), President of ATSE (2007–2012), and Rio Tinto Global Head of Innovation.
Director, CSL Limited
Dr. Chao-Guang Chen is Director at CSL Limited, a leading global biotechnology company headquartered at Melbourne’s Bio21 Institute. With over 20 years’ experience in molecular engineering and biotherapeutics, he leads CSL’s protein engineering efforts in antibody discovery and gene therapy vector development. He invented the InTag positive selection technology and contributed to multiple patent families. During COVID-19, his team delivered critical IgG expression vectors for landmark SARS-CoV-2 antibody research.
Founder & Chief Executive Officer, MakerX
Matt Davies is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MakerX, a software engineering consultancy known for its work across blockchain infrastructure, applied artificial intelligence, and digital product development. Under his leadership, MakerX has built a reputation for technical depth and delivery on complex engineering projects for clients across multiple industries. He brings a practitioner’s perspective on emerging technology adoption, particularly in translating cutting-edge digital tools into real-world business applications, to the Forum’s discussion on AI and digital innovation.
Founder and CEO, Boman Group
Eric Gao is Founder and CEO of Boman Group, a Melbourne-headquartered investment platform founded in 2011. Under his leadership, the firm has grown into a fully licensed funds manager and corporate advisor with over AUD 1 billion under management. His investment philosophy centres on backing scalable innovation and connecting Australian entrepreneurs with Asian capital.
Executive Director, Professor, University of Melbourne
Professor Eduard Hovy is Executive Director of Melbourne Connect and Professor of Computing and Information Systems at the University of Melbourne. His research focuses on AI, natural language processing, machine learning and language technologies, with an emphasis on industry collaboration. He previously served as a faculty member at Carnegie Mellon University and as a Program Manager at DARPA leading advanced AI research programs.
Distinguished Professor, Inaugural Director, RMIT University
Professor Baohua Jia is Distinguished Professor and inaugural Director of the Centre for Atomaterials and Nanomanufacturing at RMIT University. Her research spans photonics, nanomaterials, and laser–matter interactions, with applications in clean energy and environmental technologies. She has secured over A$90 million in research funding, holds 15 patents, and commercialised multiple nanotechnology innovations. She is an ARC Future Fellow and Fellow of ATSE, Optica, and IoM3.
Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor, Monash University
Professor Jian Li is Vice-Chancellor’s Distinguished Professor at Monash University’s Biomedicine Discovery Institute. His research focuses on antimicrobial pharmacology and drug discovery to combat antimicrobial resistance. He led the evidence-based colistin dosing initiative and developed Soralimixin (BRII-693/QPX9003), a novel antibiotic now in clinical development. He is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.
Professor, Director, Monash University
Professor Mainak Majumder is Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Monash University and Director of the ARC Research Hub for Advanced Manufacturing with 2D Materials (AM2D). His research focuses on carbon materials, graphene technologies, energy storage, and advanced battery and sensor materials. Widely recognised for industry-engaged, translational graphene research, he has built strong university–industry collaborations.
Managing Director, SEEK Investments
Josh Nester brings a truly global perspective to education, with over 20 years’ experience improving access to learning across Europe, the United States, Latin America, India, Southeast Asia, and Australia. He currently serves as Managing Director at SEEK Investments, which manages a US$1.5 billion evergreen fund focused on the Future of Learning and Work. Prior to this, he was Managing Director, Education at SEEK Limited, and previously CEO of FutureLearn in the UK.
Audit Partner, KPMG Australia
Andrew Sun is an Audit Partner at KPMG Australia, based in Melbourne. Admitted to the partnership in 2017, he leads the firm’s national audit practice for Chinese companies in Australia, bringing over 22 years of experience including as a Deloitte partner. He specialises in financial reporting, compliance and governance, with accounting qualifications across Mainland China, Hong Kong and Australia.
Senior Director of Applied Innovation (AIE) for Australia and New Zealand and Head of the GenAI & Web3 Stream at Capgemini Metaverse Lab (Global), Capgemini
Dheeren Vélu is Senior Director of Applied Innovation for Australia and New Zealand at Capgemini, and Head of the GenAI & Web3 Stream at Capgemini’s global Metaverse Lab. In this role, he leads the practical application of generative AI and emerging Web3 technologies across industry, working with organisations to translate cutting-edge digital innovation into real business outcomes. He brings a global consulting perspective on applied AI and digital transformation to the Forum’s discussion on artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
Dean of Engineering, Monash University
Professor Yiannis Ventikos is the Dean of Engineering at Monash University and an internationally recognised engineering scholar and academic leader. Previously, he was Head of Mechanical Engineering and Kennedy Professor at University College London (UCL). His research focuses on biomedical engineering, computational modelling, fluid mechanics, medical technologies, advanced manufacturing and research translation, with strong engagement in industry collaboration and innovation.
CEO, HelloPower ANZ
Simon Wang is Chief Executive Officer of HelloPower ANZ, leading the company’s growth across the Australian and New Zealand energy technology markets. His work focuses on scaling energy solutions in a rapidly evolving industry, positioning the company at the intersection of technology, sustainability, and cross-border business development. He brings a business leadership perspective on advanced materials and industry innovation, particularly in the energy technology sector, to the Forum’s discussion.
Innofocus Photonics Technology Pty Ltd, Founder and CEO
Dr. Frank Yao is Founder and CEO of Innofocus Photonics Technology, a Melbourne-based company specialising in intelligent laser micro/nano fabrication and ultrafast laser systems. Under his leadership, Innofocus has developed innovative ultrafast laser equipment for high-precision optical fibre grating fabrication. He is committed to advancing industrial-scale photonics manufacturing for advanced materials and clean energy.
Acting Head of the Department of Surgery, Chair of Surgery, Consultant Colorectal Surgeon and Co-Founder, University of Melbourne
Professor Justin Yeung is Head of the Department of Surgery and Chair of Surgery (Western Precinct) at the University of Melbourne, and a consultant colorectal surgeon at Western Health. A specialist in colorectal surgery and surgical oncology, he focuses research on improving cancer outcomes through multidisciplinary collaboration and AI- and big data–driven oncological care. He leads the Department’s AI Radiomics Group and co-founded PredicTx Health.
