Intellectual Property

On 23 April 2008 the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator the Hon Kim Carr, asked the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Innovation to undertake an inquiry into research training and research workforce issues in Australian universities.
The Committee invited interested persons and organisations to make submissions addressing the terms of reference by Friday 30 May 2008.

STANDING COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRY, SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
PROGRAM: Perth Public Hearings

Tuesday 12 August 2008
9.00 am to 2.00 pm
Room 1, Level 1, Legislative Assembly, 11 Harvest St, Perth

9.00 – 9.45 Professor Su Lloyd

9.45 – 10.30 Institute Postdoctoral Researchers Association at the
Telethon Institute for Child Health Research in Western Australia

10.45 – 12.15 Roundtable:

    * Curtin University of Technology
    * Edith Cowan University

On the 4th of June 2008 Senator Kim Carr, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, announced the release of the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative consultation paper.

Administered by Australian Research Council (ARC), the Consultation Paper was the first formal step in communicating with the sector regarding the ERA initiative (it is worth noting that the ERA is being administered by the ARC, whereas its predecessor, the Research Quality Framework (RQF), was administered by the (then) Department of Education, Science and Training(then DEST, now DEEWR)).

UNIVERSITIES will lose the right to claim credit for the publications of researchers they have nurtured under a proposal to ensure federal research money follows them from post to post.

The proposal to use the location of researchers at a specified census date rather than the institution where the research activity took place is contained in the Australian Research Council's discussion paper on the federal Government's Excellence in Research for Australia initiative.

the Australian Research Council (ARC) has released the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative Consultation Paper.

The Consultation Paper is the first formal step in communicating with the sector regarding ERA and the ARC looks forward to your contribution to this consultation process (it is worth noting that the ERA initiative is being administered by the ARC, whereas its predecessor, the RQF, was administered by DEST).

The House of Representatives Industry, Science and Innovation Committee has announced an inquiry into the contribution that Australian universities make to Australian research training, and the challenges those universities face in recruiting, training and retaining quality research staff.

On 22 January 2008, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr, announced a wide ranging review of Australia's national innovation system to be conducted by an expert panel chaired by Dr Terry Cutler.

The establishment of the review recognises the vital role innovation plays in boosting productivity and international competitiveness, and re-iterates the Rudd Government's commitment to fostering innovation across the economy.

A Green Paper, originally due by the end of July 2008, was released September 9th.

Introduction

The Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) is the national peak body of postgraduate student organisations representing Australia's 257,700 postgraduate students, including 47,300 research students. These research
students contribute approximately 70% of the research conducted in Australian universities.

The Issues Paper addresses the administrative arrangements for implementation of the Commercialisation Training Scheme, and specifically seeks feedback from Higher Education Providers. However, as the organisation representing the

The Final Advice on the Research Quality Framework released today has addressed some major areas of concern. These include the assessment of cross-disciplinary research, and the research output of early career researchers.

CAPA particularly welcomes the recommendations for additional funding for the RQF implementation and for significant increases in research block funding. However, one glaring omission from the recommendations is an evaluation of the contribution of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students.

A number of better practices in the processing of grievances have been noted in the CAPA 1994 survey. The circulation of best practice guidelines to individual students may not be the most effective method of improving the processing of student grievances. As reflected in the CAPA survey of grievance procedures, many institutions do not as yet have in place grievance procedures for dealing with problems of postgraduates in particular.