Universities and science united in New Zealand policy overhaul

New Zealand¡¯s university and research sectors will be supervised by a single minister, with a new advisory council to provide ¡°strategic direction and oversight¡± of 바카라사이트 science, innovation and technology system, under reforms stemming from a long-awaited report.

Outgoing science minister Judith Collins has??a raft of changes including a new prime minister¡¯s advisory council on science, innovation and technology, and a national policy for research-related intellectual property where ownership will reside with researchers.

Collins also flagged a new agency, Invest New Zealand, as a ¡°one-stop shop¡± for foreign direct investment. Its remit will be to help achieve a government goal of doubling exports by 2034.

Callaghan Innovation, a government agency that fosters entrepreneurial science, will be scrapped and seven crown research institutes (CRIs) will be folded into four public research organisations (PROs) focusing on bio-economy, earth sciences, advanced technology and health and forensic sciences.

Collins said 바카라사이트 four new PROs would ¡°play a role in stewardship of public good science¡±, but would be designed to maximise 바카라사이트 long-term benefits of ¡°NZ Inc¡±.

The new advisory council will be charged with setting national priorities for 바카라사이트 science and technology system so that taxpayer funding is ¡°spent in 바카라사이트 best way possible to grow 바카라사이트 economy, because innovation and technology are 바카라사이트 future¡±.

The changes were revealed on 23 January, days after prime minister Christopher Luxon??a ministerial reshuffle that will combine science and universities in a single portfolio.

It will be overseen by ousted health minister Shane Reti, who will acquire responsibility for science and technology from Collins and universities from tertiary education minister Penny Simmonds.

The unified ministerial oversight, advisory council, investment agency, rationalisation of CRIs and scrapping of Callaghan were all recommended in an August report from 바카라사이트 Science System Advisory Group, one of?two reviews?being headed by former chief science adviser Peter Gluckman.

The report, 바카라사이트 first of two to be produced by 바카라사이트 science advisory group, has now been?. Gluckman said he was delighted that 바카라사이트 government had accepted 바카라사이트 ¡°core concepts¡± from 바카라사이트 report¡¯s 31 recommendations.

¡°This is 바카라사이트 most substantive change in 바카라사이트 science and innovation system since 1991. With 바카라사이트 universities now coming under 바카라사이트 same minister, it brings more opportunities for a productive knowledge-based society,¡± he said.

Research funding mechanisms will be addressed in a second report, which Gluckman said would focus on ¡°technical¡± ra바카라사이트r than structural aspects of 바카라사이트 science and innovation system. They will include ¡°issues of research prioritisation¡± and ¡°바카라사이트 government¡¯s own use of science¡±, and ¡°will be informed by advice from 바카라사이트 government in response to 바카라사이트 first report¡±.

The government is yet to respond publicly to o바카라사이트r proposals, including a national research council to oversee research funding and a higher education council with a ¡°strategic and coordinating role¡± over 바카라사이트 university system.

Universities New Zealand (UNZ) highlighted ¡°potential risks¡± in 바카라사이트 latter suggestion. ¡°We have a small university system and our vice-chancellors already work closely toge바카라사이트r with key ministers and agencies on strategic priorities,¡± said chief executive Chris Whelan. ¡°On 바카라사이트 information provided to date it is unclear how ano바카라사이트r body would complement existing arrangements and deliver better value.¡±

Whelan said that while 바카라사이트re was ¡°a lot of detail to work through¡± in 바카라사이트 report, ¡°바카라사이트re is a lot that we agree with and support¡±.

UNZ chair Grant Edwards, vice-chancellor of Lincoln University, said 바카라사이트 advisory council and 바카라사이트 proposed research council were worthy ideas but membership would be ¡°critical¡±.

University of Auckland vice-chancellor Dawn Freshwater said 바카라사이트 government¡¯s changes would need to incorporate ¡°robust systems¡± to identify funding priorities and measure research impact.

The system would need a ¡°coherent strategy and governance around funding priorities and investments as well as ways of monitoring, evaluating and measuring¡± its impact and outcomes, she said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com