Background
The Systemic Infrastructure Initiative was announced by the Government in January 2001 as part of Backing Australia’s Ability – An Innovation Action Plan for the Future (BAA) 
.
The Government announced in Backing Australia’s Ability that $246 million would be allocated over five years "to upgrade the basic infrastructure of universities …" to support research and research training.
University infrastructure comprises the ‘overhead’ resources essential for undertaking high quality research and research training projects or programs. It includes: the operation of facilities such as libraries, computing centres, animal houses, herbaria, and experimental farms; the purchase, hire, installation and maintenance of equipment; telecommunications; and salaries and services for support staff.
This initiative will provide funding to upgrade the systemic infrastructure of universities to meet demonstrated needs. Funding will be provided for innovative approaches that link or expand access to shared facilities, such as libraries, information and communications technologies, specialised equipment, technical and administrative assistance.
Those eligible to apply are restricted to universities and other higher education institutions specified in Table A of the Higher Education Support Act 2003 
, Bond University and The University of Notre Dame Australia.
Universities can submit one proposal each, and an unlimited number of collaborative proposals. The proposals may request funding for a maximum of three years. There is no set limit on the level of Commonwealth funding that can be requested.
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SII Funded Projects
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Allocation of Funds in 2002
The outcomes of the first round of the Systemic Infrastructure Initiative were announced on 29 October 2001 by the then Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Dr David Kemp MP, as part of Backing Australia’s Ability – An Innovation Action Plan for the Future (BAA) .
Funding of more than $22 million will be directed, in the first year of funding (2002), towards 22 proposals from 19 universities to strengthen ‘overhead’ resources to support high quality research and research training. The total amount committed over the period 2002-2004 is in excess of $55 million.
The Australian university sector responded strongly to the call for proposals, resulting in 154 proposals with a value in excess of $443 million. Successful proposals covered all States and Territories, across a diverse range of areas, including: broadband; library; equipment; laboratories; databases; and a range of other facilities.
Most applications for funding were collaborative, often with financial partners from other universities, but also from industry, government and international organisations. Therefore, while funding for successful proposals will go to one main administering institution, many other universities will be direct or indirect beneficiaries.
In addition to the bids from universities, the Minister approved further funding of $3.79 million in 2002 to enhance the quality of research in the higher education area in three broad areas: libraries; bandwidth; and interoperability of online education and digital rights management standards.
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Allocation of Funds in 2003
During 2002, the then Minister for Education, Science and Training, Hon Dr Brendan Nelson decided to adopt a strategic approach to the allocation of Systemic Infrastructure Initiative funds in 2003 in two key areas of information infrastructure and bandwidth. These areas critically underpin research and research training in Australia. Two expert committees, the Higher Education Information Infrastructure Advisory Committee (HEIIAC) and the Higher Education Bandwidth Advisory Committee (HEBAC), were established to enable the Government to work with the higher education sector to identify, and possibly, fund areas of information infrastructure and bandwidth of high importance to the research community. Both Committees reported back to the Minister by December 2002.
The HEIIAC report entitled Research Information Infrastructure Framework for Australian Higher Education and the HEBAC report entitled A Framework for an Australian Research and Education Network are available as internet publications only.
2003 Allocations
The Minister approved up to $13 million in 2003 and up to $9 million in 2004 to fund projects identified by the HEIIAC. Because of the scale and complexity of some of the projects there is a need to put in place a strategy on how to bring these projects forward. The Minister further agreed to the establishment of a new high level advisory committee to scope the projects further and report back on their findings. Within the funding approval the following project has received funding:
The Minister also agreed to the establishment of the Australian Research and Education Network (AREN) to provide the bandwidth needs of researchers associated with the higher education sector. The establishment of AREN was guided by the HEBAC report. AREN will address future as well as current bandwidth needs of Australian higher education institutions and the research community. $42.5 million has been allocated over 2002-2004 to establish a network to meet the domestic bandwidth needs of higher-end research in universities and the research community. A small implementation group has been established to provide more detailed advice on the establishment of the AREN advisory and management structures. Within the funding approval the following project has received funding:
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Programme Guidelines
Progress Report Templates
As part of the Agreement to Conditions of Financial Assistance for an Approved Initiative under the Systemic Infrastructure Initiative, institutions are required to submit both a Progress Report and a Cash Flow Report every six months.
Reports for the period ending 31 December 2007 are due to be submitted to DEST by 28 January 2008.
Please download both of the following templates, complete the information and then return them as email attachments to: anne.herbert@dest.gov.au
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Publications
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Further queries should be directed to (02) 6229 4164 (Phone) or (02) 6229 4030 (Fax).
Administering area: Education Innovation and Infrastructure Unit
Innovation and Research Systems Group