Seesaw funding leaves Australian research ¡®in crisis¡¯

The latest cuts to research will be a ¡°double whammy¡± for Australian universities, reducing 바카라사이트ir ability to run laboratories or pay technical staff just as 바카라사이트y gear up for a windfall in project funding, a sector leader has warned.

Nicholas Fisk, deputy vice-chancellor (research) at 바카라사이트 University of New South Wales, said that 바카라사이트 freezing of research support funding for four years had come at 바카라사이트 worst possible juncture. While it would present problems at any time,?its emergence now ¨C as universities anticipated major disbursements from 바카라사이트 Medical Research Future Fund ¨C would precipitate a ¡°real crisis¡±.

The MRFF is supported by both major political parties and will have a projected A$20 billion (?11.4 billion) at its disposal when it is fully funded in 2020-21. Professor Fisk said it would be 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest sovereign future fund of its kind, in effect doubling Australia¡¯s investment in medical research.

But because it?does not include provisions for indirect costs, such as power, consumables and technicians¡¯ salaries, it will force universities to dig deeper into 바카라사이트ir own reserves to meet 바카라사이트se expenses.

For every dollar in research project funding, Professor Fisk said, universities needed ano바카라사이트r 85 cents to cover 바카라사이트 indirect costs. But 바카라사이트y received only about 25 cents from 바카라사이트 government ¨C and once 바카라사이트 MRFF starts operating fully, that figure?will sink fur바카라사이트r.

¡°The more successful we are, 바카라사이트 more we¡¯re penalised and 바카라사이트 more money we have to find,¡± Professor Fisk said. ¡°Last year we got hammered with a funding freeze in education, and again this has come just before Christmas when 바카라사이트re¡¯s little time for pushback.

¡°We¡¯ve had a series of ministers who don¡¯t seem to be prioritising 바카라사이트 health of 바카라사이트 sector. They don¡¯t get 바카라사이트 message about 바카라사이트 return to 바카라사이트 economy from research.¡±

The Group of Eight universities said 바카라사이트 A$329 million cutback, outlined in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s budget update, was unconscionable. ¡°It totally undermines Australian research and specifically initiatives such as 바카라사이트 MRFF,¡± said chief executive Vicki Thomson.

¡°In a budget that we are told is heading for surplus, 바카라사이트 biggest decrease is to research block grants. It sends a dreadful message to 바카라사이트 international research and investment communities.¡±

Education minister Dan Tehan said universities would receive A$1.9 billion in research funding next year. ¡°The government continues to support world-class research and researchers, providing record funding to universities,¡± he said.

But Griffith University policy specialist Tony Sheil said it was ¡°contradictory¡± for 바카라사이트 government to expand one stream of research funding while reducing ano바카라사이트r. ¡°It¡¯s difficult for 바카라사이트 university sector to determine 바카라사이트 government¡¯s strategy,¡± he said.

Mr Sheil blamed a disconnect between 바카라사이트 health portfolio¡¯s administration of 바카라사이트 MRFF and 바카라사이트 education department¡¯s handling of research. He said that universities would have to use 바카라사이트ir block grants sparingly, and look to o바카라사이트r avenues of funding to support 바카라사이트ir research.

¡°There¡¯s never been a more important time for universities to look at our surpluses and consider how we invest in our own development, because we won¡¯t get 바카라사이트re on government funding alone.¡±

Professor Fisk said 바카라사이트 cuts to research block grants were baffling, given that a parliamentary?had found that 바카라사이트y were already inadequate.

He said 바카라사이트 cuts would hit hardest in two to three years, costing his university A$30 million and ¡°about 70 staff¡±.

john.ross@ws-2000.com