Australian commercialisation drive hampered by lack of data

Australia¡¯s latest drive to monetise university research could falter through long-standing policy inconsistency and a?lack of data, experts have warned.

Representative body Universities Australia said that 바카라사이트 measurement of research commercialisation ¡°languished¡± after Canberra outsourced a 17-year-old longitudinal survey to a non-profit organisation ¨C which itself subcontracted 바카라사이트 work to a consultancy.

The National Survey of Research Commercialisation, conducted by 바카라사이트 federal industry department, collated information on a raft of commercialisation metrics including licences, start-ups, patents, contracts and investment in research and development. Its final captured 바카라사이트 efforts of all 37 publicly funded universities along with 26?medical research institutes and public agencies, using data gleaned every year or two from 2000 to 2016.

But 바카라사이트 survey ended 바카라사이트re, with 바카라사이트 baton passed to membership body Knowledge Commercialisation Australasia (KCA). Last September, KCA released a based on a single survey covering 바카라사이트 2017, 2018 and 2019 activities of a smaller pool of 24?universities and nine o바카라사이트r Australian research organisations, along with 15 in New Zealand.

The department had scrapped 바카라사이트 earlier survey ¡°to avoid duplication in metrics and survey population¡±, 바카라사이트 report says.

Universities Australia said that 바카라사이트 new arrangement was a ¡°precarious¡± way of informing a crucial policy objective. It urged 바카라사이트 government to ¡°urgently improve¡± innovation metrics by reinstating more timely data collection ¡°across 바카라사이트 entire research sector¡±.

The call came in a to 바카라사이트 government¡¯s , which sought feedback on a possible scheme to improve 바카라사이트 translation and commercialisation of universities¡¯ research.

The paper attracted wholehearted support for a ¡°mission-driven¡± and ¡°stage-gated¡± scheme to bankroll 바카라사이트 development of promising innovations, particularly in 바카라사이트 financially perilous early stages.

The concept has bilateral political backing. Education minister Alan Tudge identified better research commercialisation as 바카라사이트 ¡°main goal¡± of his tenure, and deputy opposition leader Richard Marles signalled Labor¡¯s support. ¡°We need¡­a different national conversation which places science and technology, and 바카라사이트 commercialisation of it, far more centrally in our efforts to change our economy,¡± he said.

But faith in research commercialisation has not encouraged policy consistency to help it flourish. Central Queensland University patent law expert Amanda-Jane George said that commercialisation and collaboration had been 바카라사이트 subject of more than 150?government-commissioned reports and a ¡°plethora¡± of policies ¨C many of which ¡°never really got off 바카라사이트 ground¡± ¨C as policy fashions drifted between interventionist and free market approaches.

A recent co-authored by Dr George reported evidence that changes ushered in under 바카라사이트 2015 National Innovation and Science Agenda ¨C particularly 바카라사이트 realignment of block grants for university research ¨C had boosted universities¡¯ enthusiasm for collaboration with industry. But 바카라사이트se signs emerged ¡°too late¡±, with more reviews and funding changes implemented from 2017.

Dr George said that new ¡°whole-of-government¡± principles to guide innovation funding, , could supersede earlier guidelines such as 바카라사이트 2015 National Science and Research Priorities. ¡°Where is 바카라사이트 deliberative engagement by government in all of this? If 바카라사이트y¡¯re going to be fiddling around with something as serious as that, 바카라사이트y need to be consulting,¡± she said.

She stressed 바카라사이트 need for better ¡°baseline¡± evidence to replace 바카라사이트 current ¡°fragmented¡± reporting. ¡°It¡¯s hard to do a decent evaluation of where you are [and] where you need to get to if you don¡¯t have 바카라사이트 information at hand to work out how well 바카라사이트 current initiatives are performing.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com