Commissioned by the Minister for Education, Science and Training
(Reviewing Australia’s Block Research Funding Schemes)
The Government's response to the External Reference Group’s Report assessing the Knowledge and Innovation reforms was released on Friday, 7 May 2004.
The External Reference Group’s Report assessing the Knowledge and Innovation reforms was released by the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson, the Minister for Education, Science and Training at the National Press Club on Wednesday, 24 March 2004.
| Evaluation of Knowledge and Innovation Reforms Consultation Report - Prepared by the External Reference Group
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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 evaluation was informed by a consultation process including Consultation Workshops and submissions from stakeholders. The Workshops were well attended with over 260 participants contributing. Eighty-nine submissions were received from a wide range of stakeholders, including universities and their peak bodies, postgraduate student associations, research agencies, industry bodies and some individual researchers.
Background
On 13 May 2003 the Minister for Education, Science and Training the Hon Dr Brendan Nelson MP released Backing Australia’s Future, a ten year plan to create a diverse, equitable and high quality higher education sector for Australia’s future. As part of this initiative a number of reviews were to be undertaken into key areas to assess their effectiveness.
The research sector is one of the areas in the reform package that is to be assessed in terms of evaluating and streamlining current arrangements. This assessment includes a number of initiatives:
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a comprehensive evaluation of the 1999 Knowledge and Innovation reforms to ensure that the policy framework for Australia’s block research funding schemes are effective;
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development of a national strategy on research infrastructure; and
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establishment of a high level taskforce to examine scope for closer collaboration between universities and major publicly funded research agencies.
The evaluation of Knowledge and Innovation will address the key issues for reform initiated in the 1999 Knowledge and Innovation: A policy statement on research and research training 
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Terms of Reference
Issues Paper PDF 
(195.4 KB) or RTF 
(2.6 MB)
Submission - Received