Media Release

"A discussion paper released today called New Knowledge, New Opportunities proposes reforms to the policy and programme framework for higher education research and research training that will help Australia to become a true "ideas economy" able to create and commercialise knowledge and ideas to compete in the international market," the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, Dr David Kemp said today.

"These reforms are designed to achieve a stronger research sector to provide excellent research training.

"These proposed reforms will ensure Australia will be world class in its research and will give talented students the best environment in which to reach their potential," said Dr Kemp.

"Our universities will be able to maintain and build on their traditional excellence in basic research while strengthening links with industry through the national innovation system, the Australian community and the international research community.

"For too long many of Australia’s best ideas have gone offshore to be developed by others. The reforms in this paper will help to build an entrepreneurial climate for Australian science and research, increase prospects of cross disciplinary research and develop collaborative links with industry.

"We want to create a research environment which will foster our talented young scientists and attract back to Australia many outstanding researchers who have gone overseas to pursue opportunities.

"These proposed reforms aim to promote a national higher education research system which is more diverse and outward-looking.

The key features of the proposed reforms are:

• An enhanced role for the Australian Research Council (ARC) to provide strategic advice to government and more flexible programmes, with strengthened capacity to encourage innovative research linked to industry.

• Research infrastructure as a component of research grants. The preparation by universities of research and research training management plans to improve institutional planning and accountability.

• A new university block funding programme, the Institutional Grants Scheme, to support research and research training and to encourage institutional diversity.

• An Australian Postgraduate Research Student Scheme, based on portable HECS exempt scholarships for research degree students.

The paper points to a strong role for regional universities in the economic and social development of their region and indicates that the government will be giving consideration to a structured adjustment package to assist in focussing the research activities of regional universities on these objectives.

"I look forward over the next few months to consulting with universities and the higher education research community, with the aim of bringing back for Cabinet consideration a Policy Statement and related legislative and budgetary proposals," said Dr Kemp.

"I am also giving consideration to revised arrangements for the wider teaching and learning activities of universities. The government’s goals of increased access to higher education, more choice for students, and continually improving quality will be the guiding principles behind any changes to higher education policy.

"Australia is a small country in the global perspective. We cannot achieve everything across the broad spectrum of research activities. These proposals allow researchers to develop specific areas of strength and allow universities to develop higher profiles as centres of research excellence."

Copies e-mailed on request.

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