1. A University Perspective – Response to the Innovation Policy in research and teaching and the importance of industry engagement
Prof. Michael Keller
Head, School of Agriculture, Food & Wine
The University of Adelaide

2. The pace of innovation and disruptive technology
Source: dronelife.com
Source: confluence.
acfr.usyd.edu.au
Source:
Source: bigdatasp.com
Source: familysearch.org
statisticbrain.com
Source: www.

3. Pillars of the National Innovation & Science Agenda
Culture
& capital
Talent
& Skills
Government
as an exemplar ✔ ✔ ✔
Collaboration
Co-investment in promising ideas  CSIRO Innovation Fund
Funding incentives for research & industry collaboration
World-class infrastructure
Embrace digital age
Problem solving & critical reasoning

4. Culture & Capital

5. National Research Infrastructure
National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)
Examples:
Australian Plant Phenomics Facility
Metabolomics Australia
Australian Genome Research Facility

6. Collaboration

7. Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA)
Evaluates the quality of the research conducted at Australian universities
Ratings based on research outputs
5. Well above world standard
4. Above world standard
3. World standard
2. Below world standard
1. Well below world standard
ERA will continue in future

8. Australian Research Council Linkage Projects
Applications are now continuous
Fast track decisions on collaborative research grants
Aim to connect more small and medium businesses with researchers
Implemented in July 2016

9. Cooperative Research Centres
Solve major economic, environmental and social challenges facing Australia
Foster high quality research
Collaborative research partnerships: Industry & research organisations
Led by industry
Improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries
Develop important new technologies, products and services

10. Cooperative Research Centres
Cooperative Research Centres (CRC)
Cooperative Research Centre Projects (CRC-P)
Medium to long term industry-led collaborations
Up to 10 years
No specified limit to funding
Short term, industry-led collaborative research
Up to 3 years
Maximum of $3 million

11. Innovation Connections
Facilitators enable businesses to access Australia’s innovation infrastructure
Grants available to support placement of graduate and postgraduate researchers in businesses
Grants available to support placement of business researchers in publicly funded research organisations
Specialised training options by working more closely with the vocational education and training sector.
Delivered through AusIndustry

12. New Research Block Grant Arrangement
Two streamlined programs
Research Support Program – covers direct & indirect costs of research
Research Training Program – training the next generation
Domestic & international research students not distinguished, but % international capped at 10%
Support collaboration with industry
Based on research income and student completions
Research income contribution changed to include categories 1-4:
National competitive grants Competitive
Other public sector research income
Industry and other research income Engagement
CRC research income

13. Australian Government investment in R&D, 2015-16
$Billion
$1.8 B
$ 3.2 B
Source: National Innovation & Science Agenda
$ 2.8 B
$ 1.9 B
Total = $ 9.7 B

14. Channels for knowledge transfer and commercialisation
Highly significant channels include:
Publishing
Conferencing & networking
Collaborative research & research partnerships
Contract research
Academic consulting
Other channels:
Patenting & Licensing
Public research spin-offs
Industry hiring & student placement
Personnel exchanges / Intersectoral mobility
Standards
Source: OECD, 2013, Commercialising Public Research: New Trends and Strategies

15. Engagement and Impact Assessment
Comprehensive, retrospective, cost-effective
Under development – to complement ERA
Principles:
Robust & objective
Internationally recognised
Comparability across disciplines
Not disincentivise multidisciplinary research
Research relevant
Repeatable & verifiable
Time-bound
Transparent
Appropriate behavioural impact
Adaptable over time
Source: Engagement and Impact Assessment Consultation Paper

16. Engagement and Impact Assessment
Intellectual Property
Research Contracts & Consultancies
Skills Development & Transfer
Supply: Publicly funded Research Sector
Demand: Business & Community
Inputs /
Activities
Outputs /
Deliverables
Intermediate to Long-Term Outcomes
Various metrics
Source: Metrics for Research Commercialisation: A Report to the Coordination Committee on Science and Technology, 2005

17. Talent % Skills

18. Work placements for students
Work-integrated learning
Intentional, directed, integrated with teaching, undertaken interactively and reflectively, and assessed
Work placements
Design assessment activities to simulate workplace experience
Advantages
Enhanced student learning
Feedback to academic staff about current work environment
Facilitate R&D connections with industries

19. Australian Science and Research Priorities
Examples:
Food: Develop internationally competitive, sustainable, profitable, high intensity and high production capacity in new and existing food products and maintain Australia’s reputation for clean, safe and quality-controlled food production.
Soil & water: Focusing on Australia’s critical soil and water assets, build capacity for improved accuracy and precision in predicting change to inform better decision making.
Environmental change: Build Australia’s capacity to respond to environmental change and integrate research outcomes from biological, physical, social and economic systems.
Advanced manufacturing: Develop and support existing industries while enabling the development of a new and advanced manufacturing sector.

20. % of Total Manufacturing
The Food & Beverages Industry is the largest manufacturing sector in Australia
Australian Manufacturing Gross Value Added,
Manufacturing industry
$ Million
% of Total Manufacturing
Food, beverage and tobacco products
25,264
25.6
Machinery and equipment
19,386
19.7
Metal products
16,215
16.5
Petroleum, coal, chemical & rubber products
16,038
16.3
Other manufacturing industries
22,716
21.9
Manufacturing Share of GDP
6.20%
Source: ABS, Australian National Accounts, Original, Chain Volume Measures (Cat No )

21. Opportunity to strengthen links along the value chain among primary producers, processors, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers
Sources: ABS, Australian National Accounts, Original, Chain Volume Measures (Cat No ) Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, Original (Cat No )

22. Silo busting – a challenge for universities
The nature of academic disciplines leads to rewards that are aligned with disciplines
Deep disciplinary knowledge is needed to be held in high esteem & attract business investment
Traditional rewards must still be recognised
Interdisciplinary and industry-focused rewards are also necessary for NISA to succeed
Challenge: Deep understanding vs. nimble innovation

23. Silo busting – a challenge for universities
Soil
Science
Animal
Science
Agriculture
Agronomy &
Plant Breeding
Crop
Science
Plant
Protection
Agricultural
Business &
Economics

24. Silo busting – a challenge for universities
Health Science
Business &
Economics
Humanities &
Social Science
Engineering
& Technology
Fundamental
Sciences
Mathematics,
Informatics
& Statistics
Agriculture

25. Silo busting – a challenge for universities
New product development
Idea or need
Market analysis
Business development
Product development
Production
Marketing & launch
Product in market
Aftermarket analysis & service
Design
Optimise
Scale
Improve
Test
Innovate

26. National Innovation & Science Agenda
Culture & Capital
NCRIS and other investments
Collaboration
Incentives for collaboration
New mechanisms that facilitate connections between businesses & researchers
Assessment to show performance and progress
Talent & Skills
Enhance on teaching and learning that more explicitly prepares students for work
Maintain excellence in science