Australia-China Workshop on Optimization

                          by Zari Dzalilov and Xiaoling Sun

The first China-Australia Workshop on Optimization: Theory, Methods
and Applications was successfully held in Shanghai, China, from May
21-23, 2004. The workshop was jointly organized by Shanghai
University, Ballarat University and Curtin University of Technology.
The workshop has brought  together over 50 experts from Australia and China in
the area of optimization theory, methods and applications to meet and
exchange their recent research findings and to discuss possible joint
projects. The venue of the Workshop  was  Shanghai -- a motor for the
economic growth in China where optimization methodologies are deeply
rooted and continue to play a key role.

Alex Rubinov (Ballarat University), Xiaoling Sun (Shanghai
University),  Liansheng Zhang (Shanghai University), and Lou Caccetta
(Curtin University) were the main organisers of the workshop

The second Australia-China workshop on Optimization: Theory, Methods
and Applications was held in Ballarat  (Australia) on December 12-13,
2005. The workshop brought together many leading experts from both
countries, who attended the ICOTA conference. The workshop was
supported by the Australian Government. The program of the workshop
contained two key-note lectures and 13 invited lectures. Key-note
lectures were given by Prof. Alexander Shapiro and Professor Liqun Qi.

Alex Rubinov (University of Ballarat), and Lou Caccetta (Curtin
University) were the organizers of the second workshop. 

The third China-Australia workshop on Optimization: Theory, Methods
and Applications was jointly organized by Shanghai University and
Ballarat University in December 2007, and again the venue was the great city of
Shanghai. The goal of the workshop was to provide an international
forum for researchers to exchange the ideas and approaches, to present
research results and to share experience and future developments on
optimization. Prof. Liansheng Zhang, Prof. Yanqin Bai and Prof. John Yearwood
were the main organizers of this workshop.

The fourth China-Australia Workshop is the next scientific bridge between 
our countries, and will be held in December 9-11, 2009, in Ballarat. 
The workshop will bring together experts from Australia, China, 
the Pacific region and around the world in the area of optimization 
theory, methods and applications. It will provide an opportunity 
for meeting and exchanging recent research findings and discussion 
on possible collaboration and joint projects. The topics of the workshop 
include all areas of optimization, optimal control and their applications.