Importance of research: Improving reputation and quality

Professor Geraldine Mackenzie

Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research)

Dr Nicole Rice

Executive Officer (Research)

Southern Cross University

University Governance and Regulations Forum, Sydney,

5-6 September 2016

Solving critical problems

•More from less

•Going, going….gone?

•The Silk Highway

•Forever young

•Virtually here

•Great expectations

•An imperative to

innovate

Australian Research Environment

• Intensely competitive

• Research funding availability not keeping up with demand; number of researchers increasing

• Research careers increasing difficult with reduced number of externally funded fellowships and post doctoral fellowships in universities available

Regulatory environment for research

• Volatile policy environment with constant change

• Boosting the Commercial Returns for Research 2014

• Review of research policy and funding

arrangements 2015 – the “Watt Review”

• National Innovation and Science Agenda (NISA)

• Food

• Soil and water

• Transport

• Cybersecurity

• Energy

• Resources

• Advanced manufacturing

• Environmental change

• Health

Science and Research

Priorities

20th Century Metrics

Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC)

– Counts research income and eligible publications; previously HDR load and completions also included

– Quantity over quality

– Government Research Block Grant based on this

– New formula for Block Grant for 2017 (no HDRs)

‘Not everything that can be counted counts and not everything that counts can be counted’ Albert Einstein

21st Century Metrics

Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)

– Three rounds so far – 2010, 2012 and 2015

– ERA 2018 in preparation now

– Emphasis on quality of outputs

– Clear behavior change from institutions and researchers to meet ERA requirements

– No impact on funding (yet)

Reputation

Next generation: Impact and Engagement

Industry Collaborations

Engaged Research

Quality and selectivity

Reputation (noun) ‘the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone or something’ Oxford

Dictionary

Geochemistry

• 10 ARC Fellowships (including 3 highly competitive Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards)

• Highest rating of 5 in ERA 2010, 2012 & 2015

Agriculture• Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences; Crop and

Pasture Production, Forestry and Zoology achieved ERA ratings of 5 (well above world standard) in 2012 and 2015

Building Research Capacity – Early Career Researchers

Research Infrastructure

Celebrate Diversity

Gender disparity in the natural and physical sciences at the higher

academic levels (B to E)Source: Higher Education Research Data Collection 2012, Department of Education; Office

of the Chief Scientist, Australia.

Any questions?