Australia’s four Learned Academies will form the Linkage Learned Academies Special Projects scheme to provide specialst research based evidence to the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC) to form policy development areas of ‘strategic importance’.

 

Under the $10 million scheme, the learned acadamies will operate under the auspices of the Australian Research Council (ARC), the PMSEIC and the Chief Scientist to conduct research in areas deemed vital to the country’s future.

 

"The Australian Council of Learned Academies (AcoLA) will use this $10 million investment for a series of strategic research programs selected by PMSEIC and the Chief Scientist," Senator Evans said.

 

"Australia's best minds will deliver their research findings to the ARC and to the Chief Scientist, who will take the work to PMSEIC.

 

"The research findings will give the Chief Scientist and PMSEIC a strong evidence-base with which they will recommend new policies that will help secure a strong, fair and productive future for Australia.

 

"World class science and research is crucial to Australia's future competitiveness.

 

"We must ensure science and research policy underpins industry and innovation and drives them to adapt to the modern economy."

 

Current areas of research include: Australia's comparative advantage; Country comparisons in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; Asian literacy; The role of science, research and technology in lifting Australian productivity; New technologies and their role in our security, cultural, democratic, social and economic systems; and Engineering energy, in particular unconventional gas exploration.

 

It is also anticipated that additional projects will be identified as the research conducted by ACoLA progresses.

 

For more information on the Linkage Learned Academies Special Projects scheme, visitwww.arc.gov.au.