LABOR’S FELLOWSHIPS WILL STEM BRAIN DRAIN BUT FULL RESEARCH POLICY NEEDED
24 September 2004
Labor’s announcement that it will provide 200 new fellowships for mid-career researchers will help stem the brain drain of researchers from Australia’s universities, but more details concerning Labor’s overall research policy are urgently needed, the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) said on Friday.
“There are many reasons why nearly one million Australians decide to live and work overseas, among them many of our brightest researchers, including the lack of academic pathways available to researchers in the middle of their careers,” said Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President.
“Labor’s announcement of 200 mid-career fellowships aimed at established Australian researchers, including those working in regional universities or public research agencies such as the CSIRO, is definitely a step in the right direction.”
“However, it is only one aspect of what must be a much wider effort to curtail brain drain and support young and emerging researchers.”
“Given that 72% of academics are currently over 40 years of age, Australia desperately needs solutions that nurture the next generation of researchers. This is a vital issue given that Australia’s future economic competitiveness rests on the creation of a vibrant research culture.”
“The Howard Government’s research policy Backing Australia’s Ability II offered little to generate or encourage the next generation of researchers.”
“While Labor’s research policy offerings so far indicate they will address this problem, more detail is urgently needed,” said Dr Allport. “The NTEU urges Labor to immediately release its full research and innovation policy so that the university sector has time to study and compare it with what the Coalition has offered.”
The fellowships announcement follows the release on Thursday of Labor’s ‘Smart Partnerships’ program, a four-year program to place 250 research graduates in industry and the provision of $6 million over four years for a ‘Bridging the Gap’ program aimed at creating better links between business and industry.
“The latest ABS statistics reveal that the level of Australian business investment in R&D is well below the OECD average,” said Dr Allport.
“The NTEU welcomes any government attempts to provide new opportunities for research graduates and foster much needed cooperation and collaboration between business and academia.”
“The Government has a key role to play in sustaining research activity in universities and publicly funded research agencies and provide incentives for business and industry to invest in research.”
For information and comment
Dr Carolyn Allport, NTEU President: 0419 349 064
Andrew Nette, NTEU Policy and Research Coordinator: 0438 026277