Group of Eight unis urge research review to adopt 3pc target

The R&D review announced in the budget must put Australia on the path to spending 3 per cent of GDP on research, say Group of Eight universities.

The R&D review must put Australia on the path to spending 3 per cent of GDP on reseach, say the Group of Eight universities.

The Group of Eight universities have called for the strategic review of research and development announced in the budget to be the means to put Australia on a pathway to lift national investment in research to 3 per cent.

The strategic review, which will report to Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic, is now research-intensive universities’ best hope of securing more research funding from the government after signals from the federal government that expanding university student numbers, not research and development, is at the top of its priorities.

Group of Eight chief executive Vicki Thomson said the budget was rightly focused on giving cost-of-living relief to students and boosting tertiary attainment.

“Looking to the long term, measures to boost productivity growth by investing in research and development will be key to underpinning Australia’s future prosperity,” she said.

Australian Academy of Science president Chennupati Jagadish welcomed the R&D review.

“The examination is cross-portfolio and cross-sectoral and is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create the necessary conditions for science and research to maximise its contribution to our national prosperity,” he said.

Universities Australia chairman David Lloyd said the budget was a down payment on implementing the findings of the Universities Accord review.

He said investment in universities would ensure they could play a full role in delivering the government’s Future Made in Australia economic plan, and he also urged more funding for research.

“We can’t have a Future Made in Australia without investment in research and development, so we must see some measures in the near term to support the advancement of this vital work,” Professor Lloyd said.

The seven-strong Innovative Research Universities grouping said the student support measures, particularly the additional funding for free university preparatory places, were very welcome.

‘The minister has taken quick action on quite a few of the accord reforms but there’s important work still to be done,” said IRU executive director Paul Harris. “We won’t meet the big equity targets and participation targets (of the accord) without larger ongoing reform.”

The National Tertiary Education Union said the budget was a first step towards implementing the accord but urged a more ambitious response.

“Staff must have a seat at the table in overseeing what must be the most significant university reforms in a generation,” said NTEU national president Alison Barnes.

Independent Tertiary Education Council Australia CEO Troy Williams noted that the government had not moved to raise the international student visa application fee in the budget as had been widely expected. As reported by The Australian, the government made a late decision not to go ahead with the increase.

“The decision … will be welcomed by independent skills training and higher education providers that are under enough pressure as a result of Australian government international education policies,” Mr Williams said.