Media Release
RESEARCH REPORTS RELEASED
24 March, 2004 MIN 651/04
I am today releasing three significant Australian Government reports relating to publicly funded research and research training.
The reports relate to an evaluation of the 1999 Knowledge and Innovation reforms to higher education research and research training, the work of a national taskforce on the provision of funds for research infrastructure, and a review of the scope for closer collaboration between major publicly funded research agencies.
The Howard Government continues to demonstrate its commitment to research and innovation.
Commonwealth funding for research and innovation has increased more than 40% since the mid-1990s. In last year’s budget, funding for science and innovation was $5.4 billion, up from $3.8 billion in 1995-96 and rising for the first time above 3% of total government outlays.
Howard Government investment in research is also continuing to increase with Backing Australia’s Ability due to deliver more than two years of additional funding. Backing Australia’s Ability was the country’s biggest ever research and innovation package, worth $3 billion over five years.
The three reports launched today will provide an important contribution to the Government’s planning for future policy development.
The Evaluation of the Knowledge and Innovation Reforms, chaired by Professor Chris Fell, provides an assessment of the arrangements by which the government distributes block research funding to Australia’s universities.
The evaluation focused on the operation of the university research funding mechanisms: the Research Training Scheme (RTS), the Institutional Grants Scheme (IGS), and the Research Infrastructure Block Grants Scheme (RIBG).
In examining these schemes, the evaluation assesses the validity of current research performance indicators, and the extent to which they are driving enhanced connections between the university system and the private sector, strengthening the strategic management of research, and improving the quality of research training.
The National Research Infrastructure Taskforce, chaired by Dr Mike Sargent, has considered what might constitute the important elements of an Australian research infrastructure strategy.
World-competitive research increasingly depends on access to sophisticated and expensive equipment. In many cases, the cost of what is needed far exceeds the resources of individual institutions.
The taskforce recommends a framework for university and publicly funded research agencies’ investments in large-scale research infrastructure that seeks to enhance institutional collaboration and to maximise value from government investments in infrastructure.
The Research Collaboration Review, chaired by Mr Donald McGauchie, has examined the scope for closer collaboration between universities and publicly funded research agencies.
The review encompassed Australian public universities and four major Publicly Funded Research Agencies – the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, the Australian Institute of Marine Science, and the Defence Science and Technology Organisation.
The review assesses the potential for greater synergies between research providers, possible models for closer collaboration, scope to promote a greater focus on commercialisation of research through collaboration, and possible alternative funding models to achieve more effective use of resources and to promote excellence across the national research effort.
Each of the reviews involved extensive consultations with stakeholders across the research community, business, and interested organisations to ensure key issues were identified and considered.
The reviews will help to ensure an effective policy framework for Australia’s significant investment in public research.
I thank the chairs and members of the review teams for their invaluable work.
The reports are available online at: http://www.dest.gov.au/highered/research/index.htm
Media Contacts:
Dr Nelson’s Office: Ross Hampton 0419 484 095
Dept of Education, Science & Training: Laila Lacis 0412 040 034
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