November 15, 2016

Building Regional Research Systems Across Australia – IRU Research Series Publication #3

Driving Sustainable National Prosperity: Building Regional Research Systems Across Australia, published today by the Innovative Research Universities (IRU), sets out a framework for Australia’s universities to fuel national economic growth and prosperity across all regions of Australia.

Regions are important drivers of sustainable national growth.

There is an urgent need to make better use of the potential from the breadth of the country, for example from its northern regions, to reduce the pressure on the major cities and create positive outcomes for all current and future Australians.

The creation of major new research infrastructure and the use of the Medical Research Future Fund are two crucial coming decisions for the Government where it must ensure a whole of Australia focus to get the most value from both.

Building Regional Research Systems Across Australia makes 7 recommendations for regional research systems that ensure that valuable research is conducted throughout Australia.

Acting on these recommendations will provide the base for IRU members to create stronger clusters of researchers and research end users across Australia outside of the large capital cities. This will give substance to Greg Hunt, Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science’s ambition for more clusters (CEDA State of the Nation Address, 10 October 2016).

IRU members are embedded in the outer metropolitan areas of the State capitals and in Australia’s regional areas. Our research is crucial to building regional research systems and clusters across Australia.

Through the creative mix of local issues and global research challenges, IRU members across Australia generate research with benefits for communities and industries around the world.

Driving Sustainable National Prosperity: Building Regional Research Systems Across Australia is the third publication in the IRU Research Series.