Response of the Committee for Sydney to Vision for a Science Nation. Consultation Paper

Transcription

1 Respnse f the Cmmittee fr Sydney t Visin fr a Science Natin Cnsultatin Paper Submitted July 2015

2 Intrductin The Cmmittee fr Sydney welcmes this pprtunity t respnd t the Australian Gvernment s Visin fr a Science Natin. In May 2015, the Cmmittee invited Prfessr Ian Chubb AC, Australia s Chief Scientist, fr a dialgue with ur members abut the cllabratin needed between industry, gvernment and universities fr Australia t cmpete at a glbal level. The Chief Scientist and a panel f industry and academic experts explred the rles f educatinal institutins, private and public sectrs and museums as catalysts fr innvatin and cllabratin. Hsted by the Museum f Applied Arts and Sciences at the Pwerhuse Museum in Sydney, the event surfaced ur members views arund the imprtance f raising the prfile f STEM in ur cmmunity. Infrming this submissin, the Cmmittee is reflecting the fllwing views f members: STEM is being investigated glbally in rder t quickly build capabilities, let s nte where ther cuntries are ding this well, and learn frm them This is nt plitical we need strng leadership and bi-partisan supprt t ensure lng-term sustainability f plicy, prgrams and, imprtantly, funding f enhanced STEM capabilities There is n time fr cmplacency strategic research pririties need t be embraced t harness Australia s cmpetitive advantages, and mbilize institutinal capacity and funding Keep it real practical slutins require a balance between blue sky and smaller, mre immediate prjects A brader cmmunicatin strategy is needed - better public dialgue and cmmunity engagement arund the value f STEM will help cnvey why it matters, hw it cntributes t Australia and lcal cmmunities, hw it creates gd thinkers and d-ers, and hw it pwers the mdern knwledge ecnmy Start early we need t prmte a culture where STEM is relevant and interesting frm a yung age Fundamental t the Cmmittee fr Sydney is the need fr us t cllabrate t cmpete. We need an ecsystem f gvernment plicies, business incentives, and cultural attitudes t ensure success. Within the public sectr, this means allwing successful prgrams t scale up, implementing a natinal schl curriculum fcused n STEM, and demnstrating crss-prtfli cllabratin. Fr business, educatin and research, we need better interactin and knwledge sharing t allw prttyping, market-testing, applicatin, cntinuus imprvement and a tlerance fr failure. This will imprve educatinal experiences n bth sides and deliver the utcmes Wh we are The Cmmittee fr Sydney is an independent think tank and champin fr the whle f Sydney. We take a leading rle in shaping public plicy and prmting initiatives t ensure a sustainable and prsperus future fr the whle f Sydney, beynd the electral cycle. Our aim is the enhancement f the ecnmic, scial, cultural and envirnmental cnditins that make Sydney a cmpetitive and creative glbal city. Our members represent a crss-sectin f Sydney s Respnse f the Cmmittee fr Sydney t Visin fr a Science Natin Page 2

3 leading rganisatins acrss the public, private and nt fr prfit sectrs including glbal cmpanies, financial and educatinal institutins, SMEs, strategically minded lcal authrities and key arts, cultural and sprting bdies. Our plicy and advcacy wrk is shaped by this diverse grup f members: we represent n single cnstituency r sectr. Our fcus is n imprving the prsperity and liveability f Sydney fr all. Why STEM matters t Sydney As the natinal resurces bm mderates, the imprtance f cities as generatrs f wealth and prductivity is grwing. Cities are the centres f the mdern knwledge-based ecnmy, and Sydney is Australia s financial and prfessinal services capital, generating 22.6% f Australia s GDP in These high-value sectrs are increasingly digital, glbally cnnected and innvative, all f which require a STEM-based skilled wrkfrce. There are therefre prductivity gains fr cities and fr the natin in strategically engaging in and supprting strategies t increase STEM engagement which will drive Australia s future innvatin, technlgy, R&D and advanced manufacturing sectrs. In an increasingly digital era it is als vital that Australia stays ahead f the curve in managing and harnessing the pprtunities f digital disruptin t create smarter citizens, cities and gvernance. The Cmmittee fr Sydney s Issues Paper #wethecity: cllabrate t cmpete in the digital era explres hw new technlgies can be leveraged in rder t bst the prductivity and cmpetitiveness f Sydney, fr example by spurring citizen engagement in decisin-making t imprve city gvernance and by making mre efficient and sustainable use f ur resurces and systems. STEM skills are critical t the successful implementatin f such pprtunities. The Cmmittee fr Sydney, thrugh its wrk with NSW Department f Industry n the Financial Services Knwledge Hub, has champined the rle Sydney can play in develping Australia s financial services sectr and, in particular, the FinTech sectr as a leader fr the Asia-Pacific regin. This requires an apprpriately regulated ecsystem, but mre imprtantly is needs a culture and talent pl with an entrepreneurial spirit which is engaged in design-based thinking and is nt afraid f risk r experimentatin. It is als increasingly the case that STEM skills are required acrss a number f industries and sectrs, beynd technical prfessins. This requires a cmmitment t STEM educatin in rder t create an infrmed ppulatin with high scientific literacy: prblem slvers, evidence-based decisin makers, and independent, creative thinkers with an interest in life-lng learning. Fr Sydney t cmpete and perfrm as a glbal city, the STEM capabilities f Sydney and Australia must be enriched p.3 Respnse f the Cmmittee fr Sydney t Visin fr a Science Natin Page 3

4 Where we re at Australia s current cmmitment t STEM is lacking. The Chief Scientist s call fr a natinal STEM Strategy is timely and crrect, given the fllwing snapsht: Cllabratin: Cmpared t 70% in the US, and 40% in the UK, nly 4% f cllabratin n innvatin ccurs between business and research institutins in Australia 2 Innvatin: Participatin: 2014 Glbal innvatin Index ranks Australia 17 th in the wrld, 4 th in the Suth East Asia Oceania regin, and 81 st glbally in efficiency 3 The number f Year 11 and 12 students studying science subjects is the lwest it has been in 20 years (despite grwth in student numbers) 4 Wmen accunt fr nly ne-third f recipients f tertiary qualificatins in STEM fields 5 Fcus Areas Building cmpetitiveness The Cmmittee cmmends the Gvernment s cmmitment t translating research int cmmercial utcmes thrugh reviews f the R&D Tax Incentive & IP refrms. This will prvide a platfrm fr greater cllabratin acrss research, educatin and business sectrs. We als cmmend a fcus n develping mre strategic cnnectins between these sectrs, including prgrams, alliances, and jint-funding mdels. Finally, we cmmend the cmmitment t develping an Australian Innvatin Bard. There needs, hwever, t be better alignment acrss prtflis and levels f gvernment in develping strategies fr bsting Australia s STEM engagement. STEM des nt lie within the ne Ministry r Gvernment, and Australia s successful engagement relies n cllabratin acrss these bdies. Gvernment cllabratin and apprpriate regulatin needs t help build cnfidence in the private sectr in embracing innvatin and risk, as currently t few firms describe themselves as innvative. This challenges ur ability t develp a cmpetitive edge in internatinal markets fr gds and services. There als needs t be a better public dialgue in Australia, a cultural shift, which builds a narrative arund why STEM matters, fr yung and ld, and why it is imprtant fr 2 Firms cllabrating n innvatin with higher educatin r public research institutins, by firm size, (as a percentage f prduct and/r prcess innvative firms in each size categry). OECD Science, Technlgy and Industry Screbard 2013, p Prf Ian Chubb AC, Chsing the STEM path (Address t the Australian Independent Schls STEM Leadership Cnference) 4 May Kelly Rberts, Engaging mre wmen and girls in mathematics and STEM fields: The internatinal evidence, (Reprt prepared fr the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute) May 2014, p. 2. Respnse f the Cmmittee fr Sydney t Visin fr a Science Natin Page 4

5 individuals and the natin t build STEM capacity. SEE Canada has intrduced a reductin in a variety f tax rates fr private sectr investment in R&D and new businesses, including the Scientific Research and Experimental credit Lcated in East Lndn, the Centre fr Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence (CEME), fcuses n prmting STEM engagement. Cmprising an industrial research institute, ffice space t rent, an innvatin hub and cnference centre, CEME, in cllabratin with public and private partners, prvides schls prgrams, apprenticeships and business incubatin and supprt. In additin t the Australian Innvatin Bard, a Natinal STEM Centre (as in Yrk, UK) culd prvide nt nly a physical space but an accessible resurce-sharing platfrm fr students, researchers and business t engage and cllabrate n STEM-related activities and learning. This Centre culd link int thers in the Asia Pacific regin t bst infrmatin sharing and cllabratin internatinally. It culd be lcated at the prpsed Sydney Science Park at Luddenham. Supprting high quality educatin and training The Cmmittee cmmends the Gvernment s fcus n develping a natinal strategy fr STEM in schl educatin, particularly in cnnecting schls with business and researchers invlved in STEM prfessins t prvide students with applicable and experiential learning. We als cmmend the aim t create strnger links between schls and universities with institutins such as museums t better integrate and cmmunicate the practical applicatin f STEM t the cmmunity. Such cllabratin is necessary t fster an inspiring STEM ecsystem that recgnizes as valuable a diverse range f career paths. We believe, hwever, that the develpment f dedicated STEM high schls, such as thse in the UK and Suth Krea (see belw), is als required t imprve the quality and depth f STEM educatin. With the shrtage f high schls in the Greater Sydney regin, the strength f the NSW educatin system in running specialized and selective high schls, and the cncentratin f firms demanding STEM capabilities in the regin, Sydney shuld be cnsidered as a prime site fr Australia s first STEM specialized high schl. As an innvatin in the educatin system, this culd achieve multiple bjectives: it wuld help address the demand fr high schl places, increase access t a cmprehensive STEM educatin, and if lcated in Western Sydney, wuld raise the prfile f the regin as the lcus fr innvatin. The Gvernment als needs t ensure that mnitring the extent t which the new arrangements are meeting industries need fr STEM skilled graduates results in nging dialgue between business, gvernment and educatinal institutins regarding skills required fr the new ecnmy, with the flexibility t adapt t new skill requirements and technlgies built int Gvernment plicy and educatin prgrams. The Cmmittee cmmends the acknwledgement f the need t prmte female, disadvantaged and Indigenus engagement in STEM, hwever this prmtin needs t g beynd Summer Schls thrugh deeper, lnger-term cmmunity and educatin prgrams. We als urge the Gvernment t cnsider plicies and prgrams aimed at imprving the culture f respect fr and cnditins f the teaching prfessin in rder t increase the quality f teaching acrss the bard, nt nly fr STEM subjects. Investing in prfessinal develpment that builds bth teachers academic knwledge and understanding f career pathways and pprtunities is critical t ensure ptimal engagement by Respnse f the Cmmittee fr Sydney t Visin fr a Science Natin Page 5

6 students in STEM. SEE Dedicated high schls have been successfully implemented and culd prvide transferable mdels t replicate: In the UK, EluTec engineering and design schl is part f the Centre fr Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence in East Lndn In Suth Krea, science magnet high schls have been established fr gifted students, including the Krea Science Academy f KAIST in Busan which ffers exchanges and interactins with internatinal universities and research centres as part f its curriculum. Meanwhile, Meister High Schls are vcatinal-skills fcused schls which prvide diverse training prgrams and cnnectins t firms, help high schl students attain in-demand skills, which in turn, enable imprve their emplyability Micrsft China Cmpany has facilitated cllabratin between Micrsft and Chinese universities whereby students wrk at Micrsft fr a semester and undertake the Micrsft certificatin exam Finland publically recgnizes the value f the teaching prfessin and teachers rles as leaders in Finnish sciety. Cmpetitive psitins and salaries help them t recruit the best and brightest and set a standard f quality and respect fr the teaching prfessin The French educatin system has recently thinned cntent fr primary and high schl STEM subjects in rder t help students develp better integrated prblem-slving and decisin-making skills The UK has expanded funding fr universities t prvide mre STEM-fcused curses, degrees and places A key pillar f the US Educate t Innvate campaign is t expand STEM educatin and career pprtunities fr underrepresented grups, including wmen. The US administratin has recgnized the imprtance f a crdinated and cnsistent strategy t clse the gender gap in pprtunities fr STEM engagement, requiring crss-gvernmental and crss-sectral partnerships. Fr example, by cnsequence f the US Administratin fstering cllabratin between NASA and the Girl Scuts f the USA, 17,000 girls were prvided pprtunities t participate in STEM activities at the annual Girl Scuts cnventin and learn abut careers in STEM. Ggle Australia, thrugh Ggle.rg, is pledging $1 millin t help fund the grassrts wrk being carried ut by FIRST Rbtics, Australian Indigenus Mentring Experience (AIME) and Engineers Withut Brders Australia with the aim f inspiring 10,000 Australian children frm under-represented sectrs f sciety t pursue STEM studies and careers. The Gvernment culd wrk with cmpanies such as Ggle t integrate these prgrams and this kind f investment int schls and gvernment-delivered prgrams. Strengthening internatinal engagement The Cmmittee cmmends the aim t develp an internatinal science engagement strategy fr Australia. We als cmmend the Gvernment s cmmitment t attracting internatinal STEM talent t Australia, including a review f the current visa framewrk. The Cmmittee has cnducted extensive research int the enablers and barriers t attracting glbal Respnse f the Cmmittee fr Sydney t Visin fr a Science Natin Page 6

7 talent t Sydney thrugh the Sydney as a Glbal Talent Hub prject in cllabratin with NSW Department f Industry. Our research shwed that cmpetitive career pprtunities are as strng an attractr as lifestyle factrs in the decisin-making prcess fr mbile glbal talent. This means that Sydney, and indeed Australia, need t ensure that ur STEM career pprtunities, be it in business, educatin r research, are cmpetitive n a reginal and glbal scale. It als means that immigratin and taxatin regulatin needs t be cmpetitive t attract this flw f talented STEM graduates frm diverse lcatins int Australia. The Cmmittee suggests better leveraging the skills f internatinal students, by extending permanent residency t internatinal STEM PhD graduates, and targeting high perfrming STEM graduates t pursue pst-graduate study in Australia. SEE Immigratin refrm t attract glbal talent has been implemented in the U.S.: PhD graduates can stay fr additinal 12 mnths beynd graduatin n nnimmigrant visa; Emplymentbased visas can be issued t freign natinals spnsred by US cmpanies, and t freign natinals with graduate degrees frm US universities. This apprach culd be applied t Australia with a STEM-skill fcus. ingenius is the Eurpean Crdinating Bdy in Science, Technlgy, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Educatin that aims t address the challenge f students lack f interest in STEM educatin and careers and the cncmitant skills gap in the labur frce. ingenius is supprted by 42 partners spanning the EU, including Ministries f Educatin, multinatinal cmpanies, industry assciatins and universities. The netwrk s crss-reginal, crss-sectral cllabratin enables the sharing f knwledge and experiences and the scaling-up f innvative initiatives t supprt the mainstreaming f schl-industry STEM activities in the curriculum. In a study tracking the results f the platfrm after tw years f peratin, 86% f EU teachers agreed r strngly agreed that students expsed t ingenius prgrams were mre interested in engaging in STEM. Cmmittee fr Sydney Issues Papers explring Sydney as a Glbal Talent Hub: Issues Paper 3 - City f Chice - Sydney as a glbal talent hub (2013) Issues Paper 6 - City f Chice 2 Visa and tax refrms t ensure Sydney remains pen t the wrld's talent Respnse f the Cmmittee fr Sydney t Visin fr a Science Natin Page 7