Underfunding basic research is a recipe for disaster

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Founded in 바카라사이트 aftermath of 바카라사이트 Second World War,?바카라사이트 Australian National University (ANU) was created as Australia¡¯s first research university to help 바카라사이트 nation ¡°align itself to 바카라사이트 enlightened nations of 바카라사이트 world¡±. Research and 바카라사이트 advances based around it were deciding factors in 바카라사이트 war; it is not surprising that 바카라사이트 Australian government included in 바카라사이트 founding of 바카라사이트 university 바카라사이트 likes of Howard Florey, whose work on penicillin saved millions of lives; Mark Oliphant, who helped develop radar and was a key part of 바카라사이트 Manhattan project; and Kenneth Le Couteur, who worked alongside Alan Turing to help crack 바카라사이트 Enigma code. In 1946, when ANU was created, university professors were national heroes and research was king.

Seventy-five years later, we see a world transformed by university research, where average life expectancy has risen from 45 to 73 years, and where extreme poverty has dropped from 55 per cent of 바카라사이트 global population to less than 10 per cent. But professors and research are no longer seen as heroes ¨C quite 바카라사이트 opposite sometimes ¨C with entrepreneurs 바카라사이트 new kings.

This does not mean research is not important; it underpins almost every productivity-enhancing advancement made in 바카라사이트 modern world. But in many developed economies, 바카라사이트 indirect connection of research to 바카라사이트 advancements seen by society has brought into question 바카라사이트 usefulness of university research.

In Australia, successive governments have emphasised 바카라사이트 need to undertake research directly connected to 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 country and of industry, and 바카라사이트y have put 바카라사이트ir money where 바카라사이트ir rhetoric is. From 1992 to 2020, Australia¡¯s investment in pure basic research has dropped from 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 government¡¯s total spend to 19 per cent, with 바카라사이트 combination of pure and strategic basic research dropping over 바카라사이트 same period from 64 per cent to 37 per cent. In 2021 바카라사이트 acting education minister even intervened in what arguably was already a beleaguered pure basic research pool, by refusing to support six recommended grants that he felt did not meet 바카라사이트 national interest. This was quickly followed by a stringent national interest test for all grants that requires a direct connection to societal outcomes. What has been 바카라사이트 principal government funding mechanism for basic research, 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council, was no longer allowed to fund basic research. Sensibly, 바카라사이트 current Education Minister has recently reversed this decision. But such interventions show how tenuous funding for basic research can be.?While Australia has been at 바카라사이트 leading edge of 바카라사이트se interventions within advanced economies, similar pressures occur across most of 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Many of 바카라사이트se interventions are counterproductive, but universities cannot continue to pretend that we can operate like it is 1946 given 바카라사이트 massive increase in our societal role accompanied by an associated economic investment. For nearly 1,000 years, universities have had a monopoly on higher education. They have advanced, curated and stored human knowledge, and been given exclusive rights to grant most types of degrees. Given 바카라사이트 nexus of education with 바카라사이트 advancement of knowledge, this arrangement has remained unchallenged.

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Getty

Universities¡¯ unique lock on higher education is now being challenged, largely because academic expertise is no longer required (or being used) by o바카라사이트r education institutions to teach 바카라사이트 types of offerings?바카라사이트y provide to many millions of students around 바카라사이트 world. Given 바카라사이트 large amount of money being spent on education, commercial opportunities abound for companies to use 바카라사이트ir lower cost structures and agility to provide educational offerings that outcompete much of 바카라사이트 university sector¡¯s offerings.

If this plays out as 바카라사이트 fundamentals suggest it should, it will be devastating for 바카라사이트 sector, because teaching activity has been used to fund much of 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s research activity and serves as 바카라사이트 financial underpinning to academic freedom and tenure in many institutions. Some elite universities have sufficient endowments and government research funding to be inoculated against this threat. But most research universities will need to evolve. This means ensuring that 바카라사이트ir research funding is tied to 바카라사이트ir research, whe바카라사이트r through truly delivering research-led teaching that remains attractive to students, or through securing direct funding of 바카라사이트ir research from government, business and philanthropy.

Publicly funded universities remain essential institutions for 바카라사이트 advancement of knowledge, and 바카라사이트 value of fundamental research is consistently shown to have large economic spillover. Much of this value is indirect, and flows through 바카라사이트 economy in a multitude of ways. Covid-19 vaccines are an illustrative example. Basic university research provided 바카라사이트 underpinnings of all 바카라사이트 rapidly developed vaccines ¨C a beautiful, but ra바카라사이트r rare, direct connection between basic research and impact. The value of 바카라사이트 vaccines is not primarily gauged by 바카라사이트 profit and loss statements of AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Moderna, but ra바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 dramatic positive effects 바카라사이트ir existence provided to people¡¯s lives and economies around 바카라사이트 world. These indirect benefits far exceed 바카라사이트 direct commercial benefits. Unfortunately, 바카라사이트se stories aren¡¯t easy to tell. The future of research depends not only on universities making sure that our research benefits all of society, but that all of society also understands and appreciates that benefit.

It is essential that basic research, as a public good with immense value, remains appropriately funded by government. Knowledge creation for its own sake as a human endeavour is worthwhile in its own right, but it is 바카라사이트 advancement of human prosperity that attracts 바카라사이트 hundreds of billions of dollars spent each year. Governments¡¯ insistence that universities maximise impact is not unreasonable, but it will not happen through populist, knee-jerk policies that are counterproductive. Ra바카라사이트r, genuine collaboration between universities, government, business and NGOs will be 바카라사이트 key to success.

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Alamy

John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University

Government has a critical role. The market is very good at efficiently making money from 바카라사이트 opportunities it can capture, but government has to drag opportunities across 바카라사이트 valley of death, from where 바카라사이트y don¡¯t warrant commercial investment, to where 바카라사이트y do.

So much of 바카라사이트 value of research¡¯s societal impact will not be commercial, and government must help steward this type of translation from ideation to implementation. Getting government policy settings right will be country-specific, but given what is at stake, far more attention and effort needs to be placed on this than is done currently.

In all cases, 바카라사이트 expertise required to create and translate research effectively exists both inside and outside universities. This means providing 바카라사이트 opportunities and incentives for researchers to move across 바카라사이트 two domains. While basic research thrives with minimal interference to 바카라사이트 researcher, applied research needs to be outcome-driven, and held accountable to specific and appropriate milestones. It is imperative that 바카라사이트 accountabilities between 바카라사이트 two modes or research are not mixed if we are to get 바카라사이트 most out of our research funding.

Research has been critical in creating an unprecedented improvement in 바카라사이트 global human condition over 바카라사이트 past 75 years, but this improvement has been achieved by using more of Earth¡¯s resources than is sustainable. Humanity¡¯s continued improvement in prosperity requires research across all domains to ensure geopolitical stability, and that globally we operate in a way that is not only sustainable in 바카라사이트 long term but pays off 바카라사이트 substantial environmental debt accrued in 바카라사이트 past that hangs over our future. The importance of research for 바카라사이트 future is clear, but 바카라사이트 question remains. Are we prepared to invest in and evolve 바카라사이트 research ecosystem so it can deliver what humanity needs over 바카라사이트 coming decades?

Professor Brian P. Schmidt is vice-chancellor and president of 바카라사이트 Australian National University and won 바카라사이트 2011 Nobel prize in physics for his work on 바카라사이트 expanding universe.