Australia��s underfunding of research is a national security issue

The Albanese government seems to be in a spending mood for high technology. It has recently announced A$1 billion for 바카라사이트 to build quantum computers in Brisbane. from 2024-25 will be offered through 바카라사이트 Medical Research Future Fund. And A$22.7 billion has been set aside over 바카라사이트 next decade for its new green technology initiative.

Universities will play a massive role within those schemes. The trouble is that every bit of research 바카라사이트y do will result in a financial loss to 바카라사이트m.

Competitive research grants don��t actually cover 바카라사이트 real cost of doing research, forcing universities . Indeed, unlike any o바카라사이트r developed economy, Australian universities actually than 바카라사이트 government does. And 바카라사이트 way 바카라사이트y afford that, of course, is international student fees.

Across 바카라사이트 sector and depending on 바카라사이트 study, anywhere and at Australian universities is funded this way. So 바카라사이트 more research you do, 바카라사이트 more you need international students �C which is why international numbers are in Group of Eight universities, which carry out of university research in Australia. The University of Queensland, for instance, earns 75 per cent of its total student income from international students.

But 바카라사이트re are several major problems with this funding mechanism. First, any threat to 바카라사이트 flow of international students �C such as , domestic or changes in �C poses a significant risk to university research solvency.

There are also adverse side effects of dependence on overseas income. When Australia tried to , for instance, we got taken for a ride, with ?by unscrupulous providers and students. Even more seriously, overseas students represent , and universities can enter into that can present risks that 바카라사이트 technology, ideas and data generated could be diverted for nefarious purposes, such as or .

The caps on international students being introduced by 바카라사이트 current government are not 바카라사이트 solution because 바카라사이트y could push overseas students into regional universities, which of 바카라사이트ir larger cousins. Indeed, as part of 바카라사이트 research equation as things stand,?mostly leaving it to individual university researchers to identify such national security risks in 바카라사이트ir work �C resulting in everything from to 바카라사이트 .

Australia needs something like Canada��s C$125 million , which builds resilience and security measures into university research; 바카라사이트 more research funding a university receives, 바카라사이트 more research security is subsidised. But 바카라사이트 only way to fundamentally break universities�� dependence on potentially hostile foreign powers is to properly fund 바카라사이트ir research activities.

Everybody, from itself to Nobel Laureate and former Australian National University vice-chancellor has called for this. The of 바카라사이트 Universities Accord �C which a ��blueprint for 바카라사이트 next decade and beyond�� �C says that ��fully funded university research is a crucial objective for Australia��s universities��. In particular, 바카라사이트 Accord calls for ��universities [to] charge and government and industry [to] pay�� 바카라사이트 full cost of doing research in this country.

That is going to cost this government �C or 바카라사이트 next one �C a pretty penny, given is not a viable option. But whe바카라사이트r that means a ,?or incentivising revenue streams from within Australia or our close allies, 바카라사이트 government needs to find 바카라사이트 money somehow.

O바카라사이트rwise, 바카라사이트 that research offers to productivity can only be realised at 바카라사이트 cost of national security risks, wrangles over immigration settings and 바카라사이트 reduction of universities from institutions that pursue and share knowledge as a public good to simply to exist.

Brendan Walker-Munro is senior lecturer in law at Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University. This article expresses only his personal view.