Professor Don Bursill FTSE Chief Scientist for South Australia GPO Box 320 Adelaide January 2013

Transcription

1 Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) GPO Box 4055, Melbourne Victoria 3001, Australia ACN ABN Professor Don Bursill FTSE Chief Scientist for South Australia GPO Box 320 Adelaide January 2013 Dear Professor Bursill Science, Research and Industry Innovation Strategy for South Australia The Australian Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (ATSE) 1 welcomes this opportunity to comment on the Premier s Science and Industry Councils- Science, Research and Industry Innovation Strategy for South Australia consultation paper. ATSE has undertaken a large amount of research into this area, including Increasing the Innovation Dividend from Emerging Technologies and Strengthening Links Between Industry and Public Research International Workshop ( ATSE has responded to the questions as presented in the consultation paper below. 1. Increasing research and development capabilities in universities and research institutions to increase world-ranking and State impact Should SA be aiming for at least one of their universities to be in the world s top 100 by 2025? We should encourage all our universities to strive for world ranking and also have significant and demonstrable beneficial impact on the State s economy. SA is ultimately in an international competition, though there are areas where SA universities/research bodies do not have the skills to play in that arena. To achieve State impact research needs to be world class in performance and be translatable for State application. It is the application of research that reveals the true value of innovation and knowledge creation. What can SA do to ensure their universities and research institutions increase their world-ranking and State impact? Suggestions to achieve increased relevant performance and State impact include the following: Training entry level lecturers more thoroughly in teaching Have more English as a second language support and increase tutoring hours for international students Encouraging better outreach programs to connect faculty members and their research to the community by SA s own research programs such as via the radio through a show produced by Professor Chris Daniels. 1 The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) is an independent body of 800 eminent Australian engineers and scientists driving technological solutions for a better Australia. ATSE was established in 1976 with the mission to promote the application of scientific and engineering knowledge to the future benefit of Australia. ATSE is one of four learned national Academies, which have complementary roles and work together both nationally and internationally.

2 2. Building the research workforce How can we better support our early career researchers? Suggestions include the following: Provide additional funding, such that early career researchers (ECRs) have sufficient time to achieve desired outcomes The formation of career structures and development opportunities for example: the two major research councils- (the ARC and NHMRC) could/should work together to encourage and develop the careers of ECRs in universities and research institutions, and joint appointments with industry Maintain world class supervisors What strategies would improve public and industry appreciation of science and research? There is strong consensus that much more effort is required in promoting and achieving community exposure and understanding of science and its achievements. Suggestions to realise this goal include: An active program of sabbaticals for researchers at small, medium enterprise (SME) businesses. Increased support for interactive public science institutions like former Investigator Science Centre - now SciWorld, the CSIRO Science Education Centre at Hindmarsh (note that this is already supported by the SA government through the SA Department of Education and Childhood Services and the Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology- see and/or a wing of SA Museum devoted to such an endeavour Government ministerial advisors experienced in science and technology As described above, outreach programs where university faculty members engage with the community Promotion generally and promoting major global science events and achievements. 3. National and international collaboration Where are the limitations and barriers to national and international collaboration? The CRC model minimises barriers and limitations and should be applied more widely, for which State support might be increased There are few career incentives for scientist and engineers to collaborate when their reward mechanisms are entirely internalised within their employing organisations. There is a lack of awareness at Government and community levels of how much international collaboration does occur from both SA academics, and industry. These efforts should be made more visible to both parties Demonstrable commitment to collaboration should be strengthened at the top.

3 How could existing collaborations and networks be utilised to attract new business investment to the State? Suggestions include the following: A longer term view needed to create long term stable strategies and policies. Greater promotion and replication of the research and successful collaboration models that are occurring currently such as The Thebarton Bioscience Precinct Community where university precincts are clustered with companies, the Medical Devices Partnership program at Flinders and the Waite Campus collocation. High quality infrastructure for such precincts such as the BioSA project which seeks to to promote and accelerate the commercialisation of research and development in South Australia, while contributing to urban renewal and recognition of the high tech corridor arising in the city s west. 4. Strengthening models of collaboration within South Australia How can their existing clusters be improved? Suggestions to this effect include: Emulating/replicating the successful models like the CSIRO/University of Adelaide, BioSA and Medical Devices at Flinders Thinking and being prepared to invest beyond intra-state collaboration (as, for example, is occurring through the National Primary Industries Research, Development and Extension Framework, coordinated through the Standing Council of Primary Industries (Ministers), in which various states lead and agree to fund national research programs Do we have the right clusters? and Are there other clusters that SA should have? There is potential to grow a cluster around renewable energy, particularly leveraging SA s knowledge and experience in agriculture (such as low rainfall, sustainable cropping agriculture) to develop higher yielding food crops with greater disease, environmental and drought tolerance, combined with non-food biomass for renewable energy production. How can we free up researchers to focus on their research, rather than grant applications? This has been a long existing problem; there is consensus that insufficient funding is a major issue. Suggestions to improve this are: Provide incentives to researchers through a model such as the CRC Simplify the grant process and increase the duration of each successful grant Facilitate co-investment (industry and government) in research (factors such as handling background IP, licensing and assignment need to be addressed). Can we identify game-changing R&D opportunities that would bring together a consortium of industry and research organisations which would/are be highly competitive for major Commonwealth funding, fit with the State s priorities, and offer a very strong case for future innovative industries in SA? Game-changing R&D opportunities may include: Integrated renewable energy development. Professor Geoff Fincher (Centre of Excellence in Plant Cell Walls, Waite Institute) has proposed and is coordinating an

4 approach to use SA s solar and other renewable capabilities to support a variety of biomass sources biofuels in regional areas of SA Agrifood industry. With the associated challenges of working with overseas owned major corporations and local SMEs 5. Encouraging industry to better utilise SA research capabilities This question must equally be Encouraging SA research capabilities to be better directed to industry needs. We must identify global excellence in technology and innovations generated in businesses and seek to apply research from our institutions to achieving business outcomes. Matching excellence in industry with excellence in relevant research capability is the holy grail of outcomes. Databases of both industry capability and research capability and relevance to industry are inadequate to non- existent. Should SA focus on building on our strengths and current areas of growth, or should we chase new opportunities? There is consensus that SA should do both i.e. focus on its strengths, but seek new growth opportunities to which those strengths could be applied. Other than for a very small proportion of high risk high return speculative investment, our economy is far too small for us to devote resources other to areas in which we have a global sustainable competitive advantage. Our strengths include world leading technology developed by entrepreneurial individuals striving to grow businesses. These must be identified and supported Suggested new areas include: Low rainfall agriculture- for example maximising yields for adaption to climate change, developing new non-food crops for bioenergy Demography- develop programs that link increased productivity and automation with methods of supporting the community through its second demographic transition to a stable population How does SA get the balance right? We must begin by ensuring we gather and maintain excellent data of our strengths and excellence in both industry and research institutions, and the matches between them. Then and only then can sound focus and investment decisions be made. We do not have this data today. How does SA get better linkages between industry and universities? A heightened focus is required on the collaboration needed by and sought by industry, not the other way around. Specific suggestions include: Co-investment/jointly funded project based collaborations are required where both industry/business and research institutions have a specific role in the project and have jointly secured funds to perform it As mentioned in Question 2, sabbaticals for staff between industry and research institutions

5 Do SA universities need to adjust their policies and reward systems to encourage interaction with industry, particularly with regard to early career researchers? The consensus is that the policies and reward systems must motivate and incentivise towards the right behaviour/outcomes. A review and overhaul is almost certainly required. As a specific suggestion: Answers to earlier questions suggest co-funded models where the institution is funded together with and/or by industry on joint projects. This must flow through to appropriate incentives for the researchers themselves. 6. Strengthening the commercialisation of research and development Are the current institutional models of commercialisation working? How could they be improved? This is a view that much better outcomes are required. See Question/Section 5 for suggestions. How could the BioSA model be replicated for the broader research community? The consensus is that the model should be studied, analysed and replicated in other sectors as appropriate. SA has other successful models e.g. Medical Devices Partnership Program at Flinders University, plant breeding (Grains R&D Corporation, University of Adelaide and SARDI, the latter being partly state-funded. National and international models of success should also be studied and considered for SA. Different models will suit different sectors. Should industry have a role in advising on government investment in R&D given their better understanding of commercial viability? The short answer is a resounding yes. If we seek to utilise science, research and innovation to drive economic growth and productivity, then there is an ever-increasing need to bridge the divide between research and innovation and to further encourage universities to focus on end-user/industry-driven research agendas. In other words, how otherwise can the projects, partnerships and co-funded activities be identified and implemented? 7. The Role of state government What could the State Government do to foster more effective collaboration and R&D? There needs to be a good understanding of science and R&D across the government which could be improved with up-to-date briefings on key areas. The government needs to preserve a culture of objective decision making based on sound scientific principles. When this can t be achieved, the scientific position should still be acknowledged and it should be made clear that a counter decision has been taken for political, community or social reasons. An example is the South Australian GM crop moratorium which is supported by a small group of strongly motivated individuals who may have the capacity to influence voters at a time when almost all of the industry wants the moratorium lifted (as it has been in all other states except Tasmania). The result is that the state s grain producers are disadvantaged by having to produce primarily export crops with no commodity wide market premium, higher input costs and likely lower yields. Regulation must be informed by sound science, over

6 conservative regulation of technology can lead to States industry missing out on productivity improvements to be gained from safe and effective technology. Universities should be rewarded and researchers incentivised for collaboration with industry. Government research grants should also facilitate a focus on market research in order to assist researchers and industry partners in their ability to assess the benefits of their new product in the marketplace and whether it will succeed or fail in the worldwide market. More strategic planning of government investment is required. More often than not decisions for investment are made in response to Federal timelines and programs but we should have a larger strategy and plan within which to set them (refer to Figure 1 below). Figure 1- SA Government Investments How could innovation strategy be implemented across State Government departments? Much stronger coordination and collaboration between key departments is required. What could the State Government do (or stop doing) to improve innovation? Ensure we gather and maintain and promulgate the data on SA s sustainable competitive advantages/strengths/areas of excellence in both industry/businesses and research institutions. Without the right data we cannot achieve the right focus and make the right investment decisions.

7 Understand the need to focus, to identify and back winners i.e. support financially and with infrastructure, data and advice, the world class businesses and the world class research activities in SA. Particularly ensure there are matches between excellent research capabilities, excellent businesses and opportunities. SA is a relatively small economy; without focus we will have difficulty in achieving success in innovation. I trust these comments are useful and would be happy to discuss them further. I would like to acknowledge the contributions of the Fellows of the South Australian Division, notably Dr Mike Heard FTSE, Dr Meera Verma FTSE, Dr Ian Chessel FTSE, Dr David Topping FTSE, Walter Stemm, Dr John Radcliffe FTSE, Emeritus Professor John Agnew FTSE, Richard Hills, and Paul Sandercock. Yours sincerely David Klingberg Chair, ATSE South Australian Division