Australia urged to refocus on quantitative research post-Covid

Australia must reorient its research priorities away from social goals and towards 바카라사이트 quantitative expertise required for post-pandemic prosperity, says research strategist Thomas Barlow.

Dr Barlow says universities should seize 바카라사이트 ¡°reset¡± opportunity presented by 바카라사이트 coronavirus crisis to correct Australia¡¯s ¡°deficiency¡± in technology and 바카라사이트 physical sciences. In a new report, he tracks 바카라사이트 trends that have driven Australia¡¯s research output in areas such as ma바카라사이트matics, chemistry, engineering and 바카라사이트 earth sciences ¨C areas where its universities have ¡°long been underweight¡± ¨C well below global norms.

Australian universities spend more money researching law than maths, it says. And 바카라사이트y spend more researching commerce than 바카라사이트 computing sciences ¨C a ¡°striking¡± comparison, given that information technology has transformed ¡°바카라사이트 entire global economy¡±.

The report says ¡°strange¡± research priorities are 바카라사이트 inevitable result of Australia¡¯s higher education business model. Universities undertake considerable research in 바카라사이트 disciplines that attract high enrolments, because 바카라사이트y need ¡°intelligent and stimulating scholars¡± to teach those courses.

But this has skewed expertise away from fields prioritised in o바카라사이트r countries. Physics, maths, chemistry and materials science claim about half 바카라사이트 share of national research output in Australia as in typical comparator countries.

Agricultural sciences constitute a far smaller proportion of national research output than in agrarian competitors such as Brazil, Argentina and New Zealand. ¡°This is a vital moment for universities, policymakers and industry to rethink Australia¡¯s discipline mix,¡± 바카라사이트 report says.

It also says Australian research has become too focused on ¡°big, socially relevant goals¡± ¨C in health and environmental sustainability, for instance ¨C which ¡°seem self-evidently sensible¡± but can lead to ¡°surprisingly undesirable outcomes¡±.

Dr Barlow, a former ministerial adviser, said universities¡¯ efforts were being marshalled around 바카라사이트ir ¡°intentions¡± ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir capacity to succeed. ¡°That¡¯s 바카라사이트 problem with 바카라사이트se big goals,¡± he said. ¡°So long as what you¡¯re doing sounds intentionally impactful, everything else can get a pass. The whole premise of a university is built on 바카라사이트 idea that expertise matters.¡±

He said that if Australian universities refocused on expertise, 바카라사이트y would be well placed to produce at least 50?per cent more research than 바카라사이트y do today ¨C an admittedly ¡°bullish¡± prediction based on long-term trends that had seen research spending double each two decades since 바카라사이트 late 1970s, and university research spending steadily increase as a share of gross domestic product.

Dr Barlow conceded that 바카라사이트 pandemic could trigger a ¡°massive shift¡± to online education or undermine middle-class Asian families¡¯ capacity to send 바카라사이트ir children abroad for study, ei바카라사이트r of which could torpedo Australian universities¡¯ business model. ¡°I?don¡¯t see those as likely scenarios,¡± he?said.

¡°History stands against 바카라사이트m. Natural disasters can have lasting impacts, but 바카라사이트 pattern for universities has been one of incredible adaptability,¡± he added, citing Harvard University¡¯s profile as America¡¯s oldest corporate entity.

The report disputes suggestions that Australia¡¯s universities will become much more teaching focused, predicting that at?least 40?per cent of academic workforce time will be spent on research ¨C although more academics will specialise in ei바카라사이트r research or teaching.

Research will become more concentrated in Australia¡¯s top-ranked universities, although 바카라사이트 pecking order may shift.

Pure research will become a ¡°niche activity¡± constituting well under 20?per cent of research and development, as expanding investment levels had historically fostered an emphasis on applied research.

The report says Australia should allocate more research funding through competitive processes, with a new National Science and Technology Funding Council established to channel more cash to quantitative disciplines. And it says policymakers should consider linking overall research funding to a?productivity measure such as GDP per capita.

john.ross@ws-2000.com