Media Releases 2003

22 September  2003

AVCC supports the establishment of the National Research Infrastructure Taskforce

The Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (AVCC) President, Professor Deryck Schreuder today released the AVCC submission to the National Research Infrastructure Taskforce (NRIT).

“The AVCC is highly supportive of the establishment of the NRIT to develop a strategy for ensuring Australia has adequate access to key major national infrastructure,” Professor Schreuder said.

“A national research infrastructure strategy will benefit Australia’s innovation system as it will ensure that university research is supported by world-class infrastructure accessible to all researchers, whatever their field, their university, or their location.

“It is the AVCC position that the national research infrastructure strategy should be an integral part of the Government’s follow-up to the Backing Australia’s Ability package,” Professor Schreuder continued.
While the AVCC agrees that a strategy should be developed, it believes that a national research infrastructure strategy should:

• apply mainly to major infrastructure and facilities;
• recognise the diversity of research;
• involve some prioritisation; and
• encompass non-physical research infrastructure such as technicians, specially qualified administrators, networks of information and supply and information itself such as data sets, statistics and books on library shelves.

“Of primary concern to the AVCC is that the national strategy should involve increased investment in university research infrastructure through an ongoing program” Professor Schreuder said.

“The AVCC supports a collaborative approach to meeting national research infrastructure needs particularly with respect to coordination of effort between the states and the Commonwealth, while at the same time providing effective arrangements for ensuring accessibility to research infrastructure for those who require it most.

“A flexible, considered strategy will ensure that national investment in research infrastructure develops effectively for Australia’s long term national interests,” Professor Schreuder concluded.

The full AVCC submission can be viewed from here

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