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Media Release
Australian Government endorses Research Quality Framework
14 November 2006
The Australian Government will implement a Research Quality Framework (RQF) which will strengthen the assessment of research carried out in Australia, the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, announced today.
The RQF, an Australian Government initiative to formulate a world’s best practice framework for evaluating research quality and the impact of research, will ensure public funding is being invested in research which will deliver real benefits to the wider community.
Minister Bishop recently received the RQF Development Advisory Group’s formal advice from the chair of the group Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Jim Peacock, including the group’s recommended model. The model has received support from the Australian Government.
“The RQF is an important reform for Australian research as it will boost the production of high quality and high impact research and will give Australian researchers greater capacity to compete on the international stage,” Minister Bishop said.
“There is currently no comprehensive way to measure the quality or the impact of research conducted in Australian universities or the benefits to the wider community. The RQF will assess research against international benchmarks based on its quality and impact and will provide transparency about public investment in research.
“This will encourage greater investment from Australia’s business community, which needs a better way to locate Australia’s leading researchers in particular fields.
“Australia is also setting a pioneering course in the assessment of research impact. The introduction of a measurement of research impact in the RQF will create a world-first research evaluation measure,” Minister Bishop said.
The Australian Government has taken into account the implementation costs for the sector in reaching its decision.
Preparatory work and trialling will continue in 2007, with data collection in 2008 and funding implementation in 2009.
The RQF Development Advisory Group’s Recommended RQF is available at: http://www.dest.gov.au/sectors/research_sector/policies_issues_reviews/key_issues/research_quality_framework/
Media Contacts:
Minister Bishop’s Office: Murray Hansen 0417 886 155
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Media Unit (02) 6240 7300
Non-media queries 1300 363 079
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