August 2010
Universities Australia welcomes the opportunity to respond to the consultation paper released by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) in relation to the Research Workforce Strategy.
Our response highlights several issues not mentioned within the consultation paper, but which impinge upon the research workforce quite heavily, including:
- low success rates for ARC & NHMRC competitive grant applications, which affects the morale of early career academics
- the removal of academics from the Skilled Occupation List for visas in Australia, which acts as an impedient to boosting the research workforce
- the use of unproven information and evaluation data from the ERA to make decisions regarding higher degree research and research training
Universities Australia commends the proposal to revitalise research training support via the Sustainable Research Excellence in Universities initiative. By meeting the full costs of research, universities are better placed to quickly respond to, and meet national priorities and develop national research strengths.
The development and streamlining of research training in Australia requires further review in order to encourage international enrolments and employment, through attraction of possible researchers, and producing professionally appealing researchers to overseas institutions and markets.
To read Universities Australia's full submission, please download the PDF below.
