Our research capabilities

The University’s Bruce campus holds a variety of specialised laboratories used by our academics, students and partners to discover, test, analyse, work and play.

• National eDNA Reference Centre

  The National eDNA Reference Centre, in partnership with Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, leads standards for the application of environmental DNA (eDNA) technology in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region, which aids biodiversity, conservation, and biosecurity efforts. The Centre is hosted on UC’s Bruce campus and engages our eDNA experts and students in the Faculty of Science and Technology.

• Cisco Networking Academy

  Cisco Networking Academy and Innovation Centre Canberra, a collaboration with Cisco, offers a hub for industry and government to validate cybersecurity technologies and learning opportunities for our students and through short courses, and involves a commitment to undertaking applied research under the joint Research Chair in Critical Infrastructure and Defence role at UC.

• Spatial Play, Learning and Teaching (SPLAT) Lab

  The STEM Education Research Centre’s Spatial Play, Learning and Teaching (SPLAT) lab is a purposefully designed space for young children to engage and play in STEM and spatial thinking to inform the Centre’s research efforts.

• Visual and Decision Analytics (VIDEA) Lab

  Our Health Research Institute's industry-leading Visual and Decision Analytics (VIDEA) Lab is Australia’s first lab to combine visual analytics and decision analytics, and it aims to better plan mental and public health. The Lab provides a knowledge base for policy makers and stakeholders in the public health sector by visually analysing patterns of mental healthcare across the community.

The University is home to a range of industry-leading and purpose-built equipment that enable our researchers, students and partners to undertake specialised tasks and research. 

• UC’s on-site environmental chamber can reach temperatures of up to 50°C and relative humidity up to 90 per cent. Our Research Institute for Sport and Exercise (UCRISE) uses the chamber to research performance of lay people and athletes in different environmental settings. Private and group bookings for the environmental chamber are available.

• The University’s Bertec vestibular balance system, one of very few around the world, uses immersive virtual reality technology to assess an individual’s balance control. UCRISE have used the system for concussion testing and research with the Canberra Raiders, ACT Brumbies, and University of Canberra Capitals, as well as UC’s work with NASA on astronauts’ proprioception (join position sense) to walk on Mars. 

• The University has a confocal microscope, which uses high-powered lasers and AI to capture high quality images with minimal damage to samples that are only a couple microns thick. Confocal microscopy can turn a 3D structure into a series of 2D layers at different depths and capture live samples, dramatically improving UC’s capability across a range of disciplines. The microscope is used by teams across the University, such as the Biomedical Research Cluster in the Faculty of Science and Technology.  

• The University acquired an Optical Parametric Amplifier (OPA) to continue the work of the Faculty of Arts and Design in preserving heritage materials in collaboration with the Australian National University (ANU). The unit can emit multiple wavelengths and will aid in the development of a portable femtosecond laser to help clean and preserve the Sydney Harbour Bridge, clean Indigenous rock art in Arnhem Land in partnership with Traditional Owners, remove bushfire soot from heritage materials, and more.. 

There are several on-campus clinics delivered by our students under supervision that are affordable for our community and informed by the latest research, with some undertaking their own research. UC Health Clinics include

• The Cancer Wellness Centre,
• General physiotherapy,
• Physiotherapy Parkinson’s Clinic,
• Optometry and more.

Other clinics include the UC Tax Clinic and Citizen Centred Justice Clinic, and the University has an on-campus Medical and Counselling Centre offering health and support services. 

Research within the Cancer Wellness Centre has focused on cancer rehabilitation and investigated the effect of exercise on cancer patients and those living with post-cancer. Our Physiotherapy Parkinson’s Clinic is investigating home-based and centre-based physiotherapy, how self-managed exercise may assist people living with Parkinson’s disease, and support needs for people with younger onset Parkinson’s disease. 

The University is home to various community organisations and corporates that enrich our campus, engage community and industry, and partner with us to undertake practical and applied research. These include:

• Instaclustr by NetApp, an open-source software and service company with local roots that deploys, manages and monitors a range of data infrastructure for clients across various industries. UC, Instaclustr by NetApp and the ACT Government partnered in 2023 to establish the Open Source Institute (OpenSI) to offer work integrated learning (WIL) and internships for UC students, and undertake research into open source software.

• ACT Brumbies, Canberra’s representative rugby union club, is based on UC campus. UC and the Brumbies have partnered to offer practical learning and internship opportunities for students, as well as novel research into concussion, supporting the development of our women’s rugby pipeline, and other areas through UCRISE and our Sport Strategy 2021-2026. 

• Centre For a Better Canberra (FAB CBR), a think tank advocating in the interest of the Canberra community, draws on UC research and capabilities to develop impactful policy for our region. FAB CBR is one of the main vehicles driving the University’s civic mission.  

• The University of Canberra Hospital (UCH), located on our Bruce campus, is a specialist centre servicing our region with therapy spaces, hydrotherapy pool, gym spaces and recreational areas for rehabilitation, recovery and research in partnership with ACT Health. The Clinical Education and Research Centre (CERC) offers a physical space for the undertaking of research into patient rehabilitation and recovery.

• The Australian National Museum of Education, sponsored by UC’s Faculty of Arts and Design, holds an extensive collection of Australian education materials and resources, supports research in collaboration with school museums and communities across Australia, and offers training for students in heritage, conservation and museology.

• The Mill House Ventures, a hub for growing social enterprises in the Canberra region.

• Paratus Clinical Canberra, undertaking clinical trials for clients within Australia, including from their location in Bruce.   

• Ochre Medical Centre Bruce offers a range of medical services to the community, including general practice, minor procedures, vaccinations, pathology and more.