ATSE considers that international research collaboration is critical to Australia’s technological development and economic growth. International research collaboration underpins the Government’s innovation agenda.
The Academy of Technological Science and Engineering (ATSE) acknowledges the increased investment that the present Government has made in science, technology and innovation. International research collaboration funding is one area that remains to be addressed. This collaboration plays a key role in ensuring that Australia maximises the benefits from its investment in research and innovation. Citation data indicate that research undertaken in collaboration with Australia’s overseas partners has a higher impact than other research.
ATSE’s unique contribution to international research collaboration is in opening new, and enhancing existing pathways, for science and technology cooperation with priority countries, through our significant networks with research institutions and other academies. These pathways have led to tangible benefits for Australian research and business. ATSE contributes the time and resources of its Fellows to this effort, with financial support from the Government under the International Science Linkages Program (ISL). Funding for this Program expires in the near future. Further, lack of long term funding commitments by the Australian Government in the ISL-SAP program could jeopardise productive collaborative Science and Technology relationships that have been successfully established to date.
In ATSE‘s view, Australian participation in European Framework Programme research is valuable and needs to be better supported by the Government.ATSE recommends that the Government significantly increase funding for collaboration under the bilateral agreements to give these agreements critical mass and allow the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research to make a more rational allocation between these agreements- ATSE recommends overall funding for the ISL Program be increased to $25m per annum.
