Meeting Australia’s Research Workforce Needs: The Federal Government's Research Workforce Strategy Consultation Paper

[Below is an edited version of the information available on the DIISR website].

The Research Workforce Strategy consultation paper has been prepared by the Department on the basis of advice from the Research Workforce Strategy Reference Group, feedback and suggestions provided by stakeholders, and analysis undertaken by the Department over the course of 2009-10.  It identifies a number of challenges and opportunities for Australia’s research workforce over the decade to 2020 and proposes a set of priority areas for focus to meet those challenges and opportunities.

The Department is now seeking submissions in response to the consultation paper. 

 

How to respond to the Research Workforce Strategy Consultation Paper

It is requested that responses be concise and address the questions Research Workforce Strategy consultation paper questions posed in the paper.  Additional material may be provided as attachments if desired.

 

Written submissions should be addressed to:

Research Workforce Strategy – Submission
Research Funding and Policy Branch
Research Division
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
GPO Box 9839
CANBERRA, ACT 2601

Email is the preferred mode of submission.

Important note: Unless otherwise requested by submitting individuals or organisations, submissions will be made publicly available on the Department’s website shortly following receipt.

 

Key Points raised in the Consultation Paper

The Consultation Paper addresses the following key points:

• The importance of attracting and retaining talented candidates to research degrees, and the central importance of efforts to mitigate student attrition; • The need to extend the APA to the full 4 years, to align with the duration of candidature under the RTS; • The need for greater flexibility in research degree programs to reflect the diversity among research degree candidates- in particular for part-time students; • The need to exempt part-time scholarships from taxation (as per the Henry Review); • The importance of degree pathways leading to a PhD, including honours degrees and quality coursework masters degrees with a significant research component; • The fact that researchers in Australia are a diverse group, including that the majority of research higher degree candidates are in the 30-39 year age bracket; • The importance of participation of equity groups in research education; • The need for a realistic assessment of the full costs of research training, including the costs associated with the minimum standards of resources necessary to support world class research; • The value of research student publications in contributing to Australia’s overall research output; • The value in the joint provision of research degrees for candidates, for institutions and for Australia’s contribution to world-class research; • The negative impact of restrictive and inflexible migration policies on research; and • The importance of supporting the development of international research collaboration among early and mid-career researchers (as per the Inquiry into Australia's international research collaboration).

If you are considering a response to the Discussion Paper, you may wish to address any (or all) of the key points above relevant to research students and early career researchers, emphasising:

• Any particular experiences you have had relevant to a specific issue
• Strenghts - what's currently working well?
• Impediments - what do you think could be improved?
• Any supporting evidence you may have to hand

Issues raised in response to the Discussion Paper can be at either the Government or institutional level.

 

Information Sessions

The department is conducting information sessions on the Research Workforce Strategy consultation paper in major capital cities. The information sessions will consist of a short presentation of the consultation paper by the department, followed by a question and answer session. Scheduled venues and dates for the information sessions are listed below.

Research Workforce Strategy consultation paper information sessions:  

Please RSVP your attendance, indicating which information session you wish to attend, to rws@innovation.gov.au by Thursday 8 July.

 

Research Workforce Strategy Studies and Relevant Reports

 

The Research Education Experience in 2009

A workshop with postgraduate research students was hosted by the Council of Australian Postgraduate Associations (CAPA) with support from the Department on 2 December 2009. The objective of the workshop was to provide further insight into the research training experience in Australia from the perspective of current postgraduate students. A report, prepared by CAPA, summarises the discussions around three themes: the research training experience, career pathways and completing a research degree. The Research Education Experience in 2009 (.pdf, 756KB).

 

Building Australia's Research Capacity: Final report from the House of Reps Inquiry into Research Training and Research Workforce Issues

In April 2008 an inquiry on research training and research workforce issues in Australian Universities was referred to the House of Representatives standing committee on Industry, Science and Innovation. The report, Building Australia’s Research Capacity, was tabled in parliament on 1 December 2008.

The report included 38 recommendations across a wide range of issues relating to Australia's research workforce. The issues the recommendations address include the role of education in promoting Australia's research capacity, funding and support arrangements for research students and research career pathways.

 

Powering Ideas: An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Century

The Government announced its intention to develop the Research Workforce Strategy in Powering Ideas: An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Century (.pdf, 1MB).

The key objectives of the strategy are to:

• Develop a strong and productive research workforce; and
• Underpin the Australian Government’s reform agendas for innovation and higher education in Australia.

The strategy will look ahead to 2020.  Work on the Research Workforce Strategy is expected to be completed in the second half of 2010.

Further information is available via the links below.