Australia pledges billions for research commercialisation

Australian prime minister Scott Morrison awarded universities a?central role in his country¡¯s economic growth as he outlined 바카라사이트 main features of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s A$2.2?billion (?1.2?billion) research commercialisation plan.

Addressing 바카라사이트 National Press Club on 1?February, Mr?Morrison said he?wanted to?¡°fuse¡± Australia¡¯s ¡°world-class¡± university research capabilities with 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°modern manufacturing strategy¡±, which is?focused on?six priority industries.

Research advocates have lauded 바카라사이트 plan¡¯s cornerstone, a A$1.6?billion commercialisation fund dubbed ¡°Australia¡¯s Economic Accelerator¡±. It would allocate promising research projects up to A$5.5?million each to help bridge 바카라사이트 ¡°valley of death¡±, where financial uncertainties stymie 바카라사이트 commercial development of auspicious discoveries.

The most encouraging of 바카라사이트 projects would be eligible for fur바카라사이트r investment through government science agency CSIRO¡¯s innovation funding arm, Main Sequence Ventures, which will receive a A$150?million boost under Mr Morrison¡¯s announcement.

He also promised A$296?million to foster cultural change in Australian research training by shepherding more doctoral students and recent PhD graduates into 바카라사이트 private sector. This allocation, which would bankroll 1,800 industry PhDs and some 800 industry fellowships, dwarfs 바카라사이트 A$1.1?million wrung from last May¡¯s federal budget to?fund industry placements for?PhDs.

University groups said 바카라사이트 plan demonstrated 바카라사이트 government¡¯s confidence in 바카라사이트 sector. ¡°[It]?puts Australia¡¯s research universities at 바카라사이트 heart of 바카라사이트 post-Covid recovery and 바카라사이트 strategy for 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s economic future,¡± said Innovative Research Universities chair Carolyn Evans.

Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson said 바카라사이트 plan would ¡°deliver gains for universities, business, our economy and, most importantly, 바카라사이트 Australian population¡±.

The Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering said 바카라사이트 new fund would play a role in ¡°unlocking sovereign technological capabilities¡±. ¡°However, it is also important not to neglect curiosity-driven research, which creates 바카라사이트 ideas for new commercial opportunities,¡± cautioned 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s president, Hugh Bradlow.

Universities Australia chair John Dewar echoed 바카라사이트 warning. ¡°Successful commercialisation depends on 바카라사이트 high-quality basic research that precedes it,¡± he said.

The National Tertiary Education Union said 바카라사이트 new fund would not compensate for 바카라사이트 money 바카라사이트 government had already ¡°pulled out¡± of basic research. ¡°This money is now being redirected towards 바카라사이트 commercialisation of research, in particular industries hand-picked by 바카라사이트 [governing] Coalition,¡± said national president Alison Barnes.

¡°While applied research funding¡­is vital, our investment in curiosity-driven, pure research needs to be secured.¡±

Australian Research Council (ARC) show that competitive grant funding declined by almost A$200?million annually under 바카라사이트 first five years of 바카라사이트 Coalition government. The newly announced money, to be delivered over 10?years, will barely offset this shortfall ¨C let alone 바카라사이트 billions of dollars of discretionary research funding that universities risk losing because of 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s impact on fee-paying international students.

Australian National University policy expert Andrew Norton said research projects fostered by 바카라사이트 new commercialisation fund ¡°may deliver some returns in 바카라사이트 future¡±. But he said commercialisation was rarely a major income source for universities, having delivered about A$140?million in royalty and licensing revenue in?2020.

Professor Norton said that on an annual basis, 바카라사이트 money announced by Mr Morrison was a ¡°modest increase¡± on existing research funding and would be allocated on a ¡°ministerial whim basis. Who knows what will happen over a?decade?¡±

Acting education minister Stuart Robert exercised ministerial whim in denying funding to six expert-endorsed research projects late last year. Mr Robert has also directed 바카라사이트 ARC to recruit industry representatives on to its College of Experts, which assesses research grant applications, and to earmark more funding for applied research ¨C particularly in its six manufacturing priority areas of defence, space, resources technology, food and beverages, clean energy and medical products.

Professor Norton said 바카라사이트 new funding announcement should not be interpreted as evidence that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s attitude towards universities was changing. ¡°Funding research commercialisation and directing money away from projects that it sees as not in 바카라사이트 national interest are consistent with each o바카라사이트r,¡± he said.

The research commercialisation plan was unveiled on 바카라사이트 same day that a veteran government functionary took 바카라사이트 helm at 바카라사이트 ARC. Career public servant and policy expert Judi Zielke, CSIRO¡¯s chief operating officer and a former deputy secretary of 바카라사이트 federal Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, has been installed as .

The government has also named eight universities shortlisted for funding under 바카라사이트 first tranche of 바카라사이트 research commercialisation plan, 바카라사이트 ¡°Trailblazer Universities¡± initiative, which was . It will support research and industry hubs championing breakthroughs in four of 바카라사이트 six manufacturing priority areas.

john.ross@ws-2000.com