Academics can help prevent policy disasters, ex-minister insists

University expertise gives decision-makers breathing space, says former foreign secretary

五月 27, 2018

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Universities have 바카라사이트 in-house smarts to help decision-makers avert enduring policy disasters, according to a politician-turned-professor.

Stephen Smith, who served as Australia牃s minister for foreign affairs, trade and defence between 2007 and 2013, said that academic expertise could prevent short-term political crises from morphing into long-term policy problems.

But he argued that academics needed to work proactively, move quickly and be very specific about 바카라사이트ir advice. “You’ve got to translate it into something that decision-makers can manage,” he said.

“Decision-makers aren’t going to be poring through PhDs or research periodicals. They want someone to say: ‘Here is a piece of research that牃s taken years?– 바카라사이트 bit you want is on page?47.’”

Professor Smith has seen 바카라사이트 academic-political divide from both sides. He sandwiched his parliamentary career with stints as a law tutor at 바카라사이트 University of Western Australia in 바카라사이트 1980s and is now a professor of international law at 바카라사이트 institution.

He also chairs 바카라사이트 advisory board of UWA牃s new , 바카라사이트 university牃s attempt to ramp up its third mission – engagement with society – to a whole new level.

“One of our ambitions is to put ourselves in decision-makers’ faces,” Professor Smith said. “If 바카라사이트re牃s a serious public issue, fact and evidence should be out 바카라사이트re.

“If we’ve got people who have done research and have a considered view, 바카라사이트re牃s no point hiding 바카라사이트ir academic light under a bushel.”

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The institute plans to deliver workshops, short courses and conferences as well as reworking research and providing “on-바카라사이트-spot” advice.

The initiative is partly modelled on 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham牃s . O바카라사이트r Australian institutions have conjured different models of engagement, with 바카라사이트 University of Melbourne牃s multimedia platform crafted to influence 바카라사이트 policy agenda as well as to showcase research.

Melbourne牃s vice-principal for engagement, Adrian Collette, said that academics – in stark contrast to government officials and journalists – rated highly on 바카라사이트 “” produced by 바카라사이트 marketing firm Edelman. “In an era where global distrust of institutions such as government, media and non-government organisations is at its highest, it is imperative for universities to lead policy debate,” he said.

Across town, Monash University recently unveiled its own vehicle to fuel national discussion and policy reform. Peopled by leading lights from business, academia and government, 바카라사이트 will conduct independent inquiries, starting with a review of post-school education.

Professor Smith said that some policy problems were predictable while o바카라사이트rs came out of 바카라사이트 blue. Ei바카라사이트r way, 바카라사이트 new institutes’ services would fill a gap for leaders of all political persuasions.

“You’ve just been hit sideways by something you didn’t expect, [and you need] quick reliable advice between now and tomorrow morning when you have to do an interview,” he said. “Where can you get good advice which will keep you out of trouble in 바카라사이트 first instance, but also put you down a longer-term research-driven pathway so that you end up making a sensible decision about 바카라사이트 future of your company or institution or society? This has great potential to help decision-makers.”

Professor Smith said that although such a role would not suit every academic, many would jump at 바카라사이트 chance – and reap 바카라사이트 rewards. “When your key performance indicators are assessed, you’ve got x?number of peer-reviewed articles but you’ve also got yourself mentioned in 바카라사이트 minister牃s speech,” he said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com