Charles Sturt University

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is one of Australia's leading providers of grape and wine research, education and innovation. Based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, the University is home to the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC), a nationally recognised hub that brings together researchers, educators and industry partners to address the challenges and opportunities facing Australia's grape and wine sector. The Centre combines expertise in viticulture, oenology, wine chemistry, sustainability, economics and industry development to deliver practical outcomes for grape growers and winemakers.

Through a long-standing partnership with Wine Australia, Charles Sturt University undertakes research, development and extension (RD&E) projects that support the competitiveness, profitability and sustainability of the Australian grape and wine sector. Research areas include vineyard resilience and climate adaptation, soil health and biodiversity, water management, grapevine diseases, wine chemistry, production systems, market transparency, profitability, and social sustainability initiatives such as workforce diversity and gender equality. Recent projects have included ecosystem services and biodiversity in vineyards, drought resilience, the Vineyard of the Future program, inland vineyard profitability, and a sector-wide gender equality research program and toolkit.

Wine Australia has consistently invested in Charles Sturt University's research capability through strategic partnership agreements and project-based funding, leveraging significant co-investment from the University and other partners. These investments ensure that research outcomes are translated into practical tools, technologies and management practices that deliver measurable benefits to Australian grapegrowers and winemakers. An example is the strategic RD&E partnership established through the National Wine and Grape Industry Centre, which combines Wine Australia funding with substantial university and industry contributions to deliver solutions aligned with national RD&E priorities.

The collaboration between Wine Australia and Charles Sturt University plays a critical role in building industry knowledge, developing future research capability, supporting innovation adoption, and helping the Australian grape and wine sector respond to emerging challenges including climate change, sustainability, vineyard productivity and long-term business resilience.