Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

Ms Julie Hare
Campus Review
12 December 2007

The following article by Julie Hare was originally published in the Campus Review on 12 December 2007. It is re-published here with the kind permission of Campus Review.

The humanities, arts and social sciences will be central to Australia's national innovation system, a move that will bring it into line with some of the world's most innovative and creative countries.

Furthermore, new Innovation Minister Senator Kim Carr told Campus Review last week he would rigorously support the peer review system, affirmed the importance of blue skies research and described academic freedom as one of the central tenets of research quality assurance.

Carr, whose full title is Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, said innovation would be lifted as a priority in the national debate. A multidisciplinary approach would be fundamental in helping to address some of the more complex issues facing the nation.

"By igniting the creative spirit of our people, we will deliver great science and innovation solutions for industry society and the environment. Now this also applies to the humanities," Carr said. "I am using science not just in a narrow definition, but the European definition, which is knowledge of the world - that is how we can take forward a program that will actually change the face of this country.

"There is absolutely no doubt about us adopting a multidisciplinary approach - this is a key concept." Carr said universities and public research agencies would play a vital role in the process. "We want to reinvigorate their capacity to undertake that task," he said.

Professor Stuart Cunningham, president of the Council of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, welcomed Carr's commitment.

"Australia's big problems and challenges can only be addressed through the combined efforts of both sciences," said Cunningham. "Water, climate change, obesity, new technologies - these are all big issues which any innovation agenda would need to include." Cunningham said there was a global trend towards a more multidisciplinary approach to solving complex problems.

"It's a more holistic approach to innovation that includes a human factor, if you like." Carr said the creation of a separate ministry meant the innovation agenda would receive the attention it deserves.

"By lifting the priority of innovation in the national public debate, through establishing a new department, we will be able to drive a whole new agenda aimed at building innovation right across the economy and society, from classroom to boardroom, from laboratory to factory floor.

"This is a huge opportunity to rethink how we can have a national innovation system and reinvigorate the culture of innovation in this country to improve our position in the world. I've long argued we've been slipping. We've set ambitious targets to ensure we achieve research collaboration between the public and private sectors and also to improve our capacity to compete internationally."

Carr said his first meeting outside the public service had been with Australian Research Council CEO Professor Margaret Shiel, which he described as extremely positive. The ARC will come under his responsibility and will be responsible for implementing the Future Fellowships scheme for mid-career researchers announced in the lead-up to the election Carr affirmed the ARC's autonomy and said an FOI request had been lodged to uncover the truth behind the interference of former education Minister Brendan Nelson in rejecting peer-reviewed research projects for grants.

"The matter is one of the key issues that needs to be resolved. I've made it very clear we are about reinforcing the independence of the ARC. I believe the peer review method is sound and it distressed me very much that it was treated in such a cavalier and political way," Carr said.

There is no doubt the RQF is dead in the water and the only remaining issues for Carr are how to officially euthanase it and the development of a sleeker model in 12 months time.

"The RQF was fundamentally flawed, poorly designed and administratively expensive, and relied on measures that couldn't be defined. I'm looking to have a departmental briefing on how that can be done immediately.

"I've asked for a technical brief to make sure we scrap the RQF correctly and then I will use the next 12 months to build consensus on the nature of the metrics and the proxies for metrics for the replacement quality assurance system." As for additional research funding, don't get your hopes up.

"I have every expectation we are in for a very tough budget."

Kim Carr's 10-point plan

Senator Kim Carr's 10-point plan for innovation, announced in April is:

1. strengthening Australia's creative and knowledge generation
2. building business investment
3. accelerating the take up of new technology
4. supporting partnerships and collaborations
5. using government procurement to support innovative Australian firms
6. strengthen public sector-funded innovation and research
7. improving the nation's skills base
8. improving national innovation priorities
9. improving governance for innovation in terms of CRC programs and scientific agencies
10. reducing the large number of innovation programs to stop duplication and improve the national innovation system itself.

 

Julie Hare
12 December 2007

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For more information, please contact:

Toss Gascoigne

Executive Director

Council of the Humanties, Arts and Social Sciences

Phone: +61 2 6249 1995

director@chass.org.au