Australia’s Knowledge Gateway

The Group of Eight (Go8) recognises the need to make the know how in Australia’s universities more accessible to the community. World class research and innovative activities occur every day in Australia’s universities but it can be difficult for individuals, businesses and industry groups to identify and contact researchers having the specific expertise and capabilities they need.

The Go8 presents “Australia’s Knowledge Gateway” – a new search engine to make the activities of Australian researchers more accessible to business, government, Australia’s foreign affairs and trade officials, students and the wider community.

The search uses key words so you don’t need to be familiar with academic terms to make use of it. It identifies individuals and institutions with strength in particular research disciplines.

The Go8 is currently in discussions with CSIRO about including CSIRO data. The Go8 will also be inviting other universities to participate to ensure the service captures all Australian university research.

Using the Gateway Scenario 1 The Government is under pressure to do more in the area of mental health. The Minister asks her adviser to look for sources of expertise capable of advising on using internet interventions to reduce community rates of depression and anxiety. The adviser runs the query on the Go8 gateway ‘interventions’ and ‘depression anxiety’ and finds a concentration of expertise at the ANU and contact details for experts to provide her with advice for the Minister.

Using the Gateway Scenario 2 A Chinese student would like to do a PhD in Australia provided that he/she can find a department with expertise In the philosophy of time. The student runs a query on the Go8 gateway 'philosophy of time' and clicks on the first result revealing that The University of Sydney has a Centre for Time with a Federation Fellow at its head.

Using the Gateway Scenario 3 The Head of Strategic Partnerships at a major German industrial company is looking to contract out some research into the chemistry of rare earths. At a Trade event he asks the Australian Trade Commissioner whether Australian universities have expertise in this area. The Trade Commissioner passes on the URL of the Go8 Gateway which soon provides a list of individuals and institutions with expertise in this discipline.

In promoting Australian research strengths, Australia’s Knowledge Gateway aims to facilitate new linkages between universities, business and the wider community that will result in benefits to all Australians.

gateway.go8.edu.au