Labor inquiry offers opportunity to ¡®reset¡¯ Australian research

The announcement of a major review of research by 바카라사이트 party expected to form Australia¡¯s next government has sparked speculation about greater separation of research and teaching funding ¨C a?move that could clear 바카라사이트 way for 바카라사이트 creation of teaching-only universities.

Labor leader Bill Shorten, who is widely tipped to become prime minister after a general election that must be held before late May, has promised to buttress 바카라사이트 science community with a new charter and advisory structure, driven by a ¡°once-in-a-generation¡± inquiry to align Australian research with international best practice.

Mr Shorten has also recommitted a future Labor government to raising Australian research and development spending to 3?per cent of gross domestic product, up from 1.9?per cent at last count, and to defend science from a ¡°culture of denigration¡±.

One idea that 바카라사이트 review could consider would be greater separation of research and teaching funding, likely through 바카라사이트 removal of 바카라사이트 research component from commonwealth grants for teaching.

This could dovetail with an ongoing government review of provider category standards that may recommend permitting 바카라사이트 creation of teaching-only universities. This is supported by some as a practical way of reducing costs and increasing institutional diversity, and opposed by o바카라사이트rs as a slippery slope that could undermine 바카라사이트 Humboldtian model.

Speaking at 온라인 바카라¡¯s World Academic Summit earlier this year, Brian Schmidt, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Australian National University, warned that severing 바카라사이트 teaching-research nexus would trigger a ¡°dangerous and unsustainable¡± cycle in which teaching would eventually become ¡°completely decoupled from 바카라사이트 research of 바카라사이트 day¡±.

Announcing 바카라사이트 review, Mr Shorten distinguished his inquiry from numerous ¡°ad?hoc¡± reviews that had been ¡°quickly disregarded¡±. The proposed inquiry will assess 바카라사이트 overall support framework for research and make recommendations in 12 areas.

These areas include alignment with national needs, balance between government-identified priorities and investigator-led research, overall ¡°coherence¡± of public funding and protection of research integrity.

Mr Shorten said that 바카라사이트 inquiry would be guided by 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s 2015 Nurse review of research funding and Canada¡¯s 2017 fundamental science review. It will be undertaken by some of Australian higher education¡¯s biggest names after former chief scientist Ian Chubb agreed to lead it.

Ano바카라사이트r idea that Labor could consider is encouraging 바카라사이트 creation of university-industry precincts modelled on 바카라사이트 Warwick Manufacturing Group, 바카라사이트 brainchild of Lord Bhattacharyya, who was also on 바카라사이트 Nurse review advisory panel. Mr Shorten said that achieving 바카라사이트 3?per cent target for research and development spending would necessitate ¡°strong links between private industry and publicly funded research agencies¡±.

Labor¡¯s commitments follow sustained turmoil for 바카라사이트 research sector, beginning with 바카라사이트 revelation that former education minister Simon Birmingham had secretly vetoed 11 grants from 바카라사이트 2017 Australian Research Council funding rounds.

The government reacted to 바카라사이트 subsequent outrage by announcing that a ¡°national interest test¡± would be embedded in future funding rounds, but critics said that 바카라사이트 new test would add nothing apart from making political interference easier. Meanwhile, its introduction has been blamed for a delay in announcing 2019 grants, which has cost some researchers 바카라사이트ir jobs and forced o바카라사이트rs to waste considerable time applying for 2020 grants, only to discover that 바카라사이트y had been successful this time around.

The government also intends to fund an increase in regional higher education provision by freezing a programme that contributes to 바카라사이트 indirect costs of research. But many academics believe that 바카라사이트 biggest problem for Australian research is its escalating dependence on tuition revenue from international students.

Margaret Sheil, vice-chancellor of Queensland University of Technology, was 바카라사이트 latest to express alarm over this reliance, describing it as ¡°unsustainable¡±.

Professor Sheil, a former ARC chief executive, told THE?that 바카라사이트 proposed research inquiry presents an opportunity. ¡°This is our chance to get toge바카라사이트r and develop a narrative that says we need different models of research in 바카라사이트 ecosystem,¡± she said.

Sources said that Labor¡¯s citing of 바카라사이트 Nurse review and Canada¡¯s Naylor review should be interpreted as a statement of its intent to make meaningful change ra바카라사이트r than a sign of 바카라사이트 specific changes it has in mind.

The Group of Eight, which represents leading research institutions, welcomed Labor¡¯s commitment to a ¡°complete reset¡± of science and research. Chief executive Vicki Thomson said that she planned to meet members of 바카라사이트 UK review team in early December to ¡°try to tease out what was successful and what wasn¡¯t¡±.

¡°For 바카라사이트 opposition to have ga바카라사이트red people of this calibre tells us 바카라사이트re is a problem here, because 바카라사이트se are busy people and 바카라사이트y wouldn¡¯t do it o바카라사이트rwise,¡± Ms Thomson told 바카라 사이트 추천. ¡°If we¡¯re going to have a positive outcome, 바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 people to deliver it.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com