Please call 02 9936 8666 to find out more .
campusreview . com . au
policy & reform
Another huge ongoing area of weakness for Australia is our lack of investment in research . As the interim report notes with concern , Australia ’ s university research “ has become too reliant on uncertain international student funding ”.
Currently , Australia invests only 1.8 % of its GDP in research and development . The OECD average is 2.7 % and other countries invest significantly more . For example , Germany ( 3.1 %), Japan ( 3.3 %), the United States ( 3.5 %), South Korea ( 4.9 %) and Israel ( 5.6 %).
As Professor Jagadish told Radio National , Australian investment in research as a share of GDP has declined each year since 2008 . “ We cannot tolerate [ this ] if we want to stay as a smart country ”.
Translating our research In a report on innovation released earlier this year , the Productivity Commission noted Australia was a “ small open economy with limited ( business and public ) research capacity [ so ] many ideas and technologies will come to Australia from overseas ”.
This means our efforts should focus on how we apply and encourage the uptake of new knowledge or “ knowledge diffusion ”. This is about how we make the most of new technologies . An example could be the use of new accounting software to free up staff time , shorten the billing cycle or expand the analytical capacity of a business .
According to the 2022 Global Innovation Index , while Australia ranks 25th for its innovation capabilities , it is way back in 72nd for “ knowledge diffusion ”.
The best countries in the world for knowledge diffusion are Ireland , Finland , Israel and the Netherlands . Australia should spend more time studying the nature and performance of these small , open economies .
What is the role for universities ? Universities have a crucial role to play in securing this future for Australia . Their mission is already to discover new knowledge through research and disseminate this through teaching and learning .
Australia could learn more by studying US regions like Boston and San Francisco ( where there are top-class research universities ) and their impact on entrepreneurialism in their local economies . Geography matters when cutting-edge technology firms are looking to attract talented graduates , collaborate with experts and commercialise research innovation .
But it is not just STEM disciplines who will need to be involved . While science and technology are key when it comes to the discovery and development phases , the humanities and social sciences are needed to adapt and translate the research .
The World Economic Forum ’ s 2023 Future of Jobs Report notes how the most important skills for workers over the next five years will be analytical thinking and creative thinking and then technological literacy .
Analytical and creative thinking are key to disciplines that dominate the humanities , from history to political science and economics .
What should the Universities Accord do ? In its initial draft , the Universities Accord notes the need to promote “ commercial use ” of Australian research capability and to “ encourage ” universities to “ move towards ” research translation .
In its final report in December , we suggest there is far greater emphasis on the transformation needed to ensure Australia is sustainable and productive into the future .
This means adequate government funding of university research as well as a focus on the skills needed to come up with new ideas and products and then apply them in real-world contexts .
In doing so , the review panel and the government should not forget this will require a focus on humanities and social science skills , as well as the more obvious STEM skill sets . ■
Matt McGuire is Dean , School of Humanities and Communication Arts , Western Sydney University Catharine Coleborne is Director , Research and Innovation Division / Professor of History , School of Humanities , Creative Industries and Social Sciences , University of Newcastle This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license .
SubScribe for leSS than $ 2 a week
The laTesT news and resources for schools and Teachers across ausTralia
Education Review is Australia ’ s highly-respected industry publication , providing unrivalled coverage of the primary and secondary school education sectors to thousands of schools and teachers every day .
• Latest updates in technology and enhanced teaching strategies
• Professional development resource
•
• Written by an independent voice
Please call 02 9936 8666 to find out more .
13