The Federal Government has announced a $6 million research project, to be headed by the University of Ballarat, to conduct a study into the issues facing regional and rural Australia.

 

The consortium of Victorian Universities will operate under the University of Ballarat’s Self-Sustaining Research and Innovation Initiative.

 

“Regional Australia faces significant challenges, including poor health outcomes; demographic change associated with outward migration of the young, skilled and educated; and increasing social discontent,” Minister for Innovation Senator Kim Carr said at the launch in Ballarat.

 

“This initiative will look at ways of addressing these significant challenges.”

 

The project will: 

  • Seek to increase research capacity in energy efficiency and carbon recycling within Western Victoria;
  • Focus on population health research, including eHealth, with a view to providing better research for health care and social support providers and educators; and
  • Help improve environmental research and analysis into ecosystem responses to trajectories of climate change, including the impact on water resources.

As well as encouraging collaboration between universities, the project offers exciting research outcomes for the revitalisation of industry.

 

Member for Ballarat, Catherine King said “regional industry and manufacturing, health systems and service delivery in Western Victoria stands to benefit from this important research by our own Ballarat University.