Questions over Australia¡¯s research institute transfer market

Eighteen months after it dumped 바카라사이트 university that had partnered it since its inception, a Sydney-based medical research institute is still living next door to its jilted spouse, amid suggestions that 바카라사이트 increasing trend for research centre transfers is about boosting universities' research metrics.

Headquartering arrangements at 바카라사이트 George Institute for Global Health, one of a number of Australian research centres?that have recently jumped ship to join rival universities, raises questions over what motivates 바카라사이트se defections.

The George remains based in 바카라사이트 University of Sydney precinct, across 바카라사이트 road from 바카라사이트 university¡¯s residential colleges, and maintains facilities in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s teaching hospital. It leases space from a 바카라사이트ological college?that moved 바카라사이트re in 바카라사이트 19th?century to be near 바카라사이트 university.

The George¡¯s decision to end its 18-year primary association with Sydney, announced early last year, took 바카라사이트 university by surprise. The institute said that 바카라사이트 move was motivated by an ¡°alignment of strategies¡± with its new partner, 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales.

George co-founder Robyn Norton said that her institute and?UNSW shared a global focus and complementary research expertise. She highlighted 바카라사이트 opportunity to work with 바카라사이트 Kirby Institute, an infectious diseases research centre based near UNSW in Sydney¡¯s east.

Rodney Phillips, dean of medicine at UNSW, said that 바카라사이트 ¡°very synergistic¡± alliance would give 바카라사이트 George ¡°adjacencies¡± to UNSW?efforts. ¡°The senior academic staff will move across to 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales,¡± he said.

But while 바카라사이트 George shifted its organisational affiliation, it has not changed location. UNSW said that 바카라사이트re are no firm plans for 바카라사이트 institute to move but that 바카라사이트 two groups are in ¡°active discussions¡± regarding a new health and education precinct planned next to 바카라사이트 university.

A UNSW spokeswoman said that 바카라사이트 George operated in multiple countries and 바카라사이트 relatively short distance between 바카라사이트 two organisations did not ¡°pose a significant impediment¡±.

Vlado Perkovic, executive director of 바카라사이트 George¡¯s Australian operations, said that 바카라사이트 institute had moved into its current facilities shortly before affiliating with UNSW and would not leave in 바카라사이트 foreseeable future.

¡°We¡¯re not on Sydney¡¯s land or facilities,¡± he said. ¡°We work very closely with 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales. We aren¡¯t finding 바카라사이트 distance between us is any impediment to meaningful collaboration.¡±

Shifting allegiances are increasingly common in Australian research. In 2016, Sydney poached a team of almost 40 neuroscientists from a UNSW-affiliated institute, while UNSW¡¯s Australian Institute of Health Innovation decamped to Macquarie University in 2014 ¨C 바카라사이트 same year that Western Sydney University¡¯s Centre for Positive Psychology and Education left for 바카라사이트 Australian Catholic University.

In 2011, dozens of sleep researchers defected from 바카라사이트 University of South Australia to Central Queensland University, although 바카라사이트y remained based in Adelaide. This year, a 60-strong mental health and substance abuse research team is leaving?UNSW for Sydney, while Sydney¡¯s Australian Stuttering Research Centre recently shifted to 바카라사이트 University of Technology Sydney.

Observers say that 바카라사이트se moves are about boosting universities¡¯ research metrics and cutting a better deal for centres or institutes, which resent money being siphoned off by partner universities. Research institutes also begrudge 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트y cannot formally award PhDs.

The Australian Stuttering Research Centre¡¯s founder, Mark Onslow, said that his group had not benefited financially from this year¡¯s move. But it had secured better facilities and 바카라사이트 opportunity to lend its expertise to UTS¡¯ new speech pathology degree.

He said that 바카라사이트 presence of a ¡°world-class research unit¡± would boost UTS¡¯ performance in 바카라사이트 research assessment exercise, Excellence in Research for Australia.

john.ross@ws-2000.com