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Australia¡¯s transformational research and development review has veered off course, according to one of the country¡¯s learned academies, which says a funding ¡°crisis¡± is being ignored.

The Australian Academy of Science has the Strategic Examination of Research and Development (Serd) for overlooking a long-term funding decline which has left basic research at ¡°breaking point¡±.

The academy launched its attack a day after representative body Science and Technology Australia (STA) the Serd panel for downplaying ¡°vital discovery research¡± and failing to articulate a ¡°coherent¡± vision for R&D, in a process hamstrung by a ¡°strong focus on budget neutrality¡± and skewed towards translational research and commercial outcomes.

The criticisms, lodged months before the expected release of the panel¡¯s final report, were triggered by six ¡°issues papers¡± published by the panel to guide its final round of consultations ¨C particularly a paper that had been expected to address escalating funding problems.

¡°Even in the paper specifically focused on foundational research, the vast majority of the proposals are in support of translational research,¡± said STA president Sharath Sriram. ¡°The nation¡¯s scientists and technologists [are] questioning whether funding currently directed to discovery research is under threat.¡±

STA said the review was a ¡°once-in-a-generation opportunity¡± to transform Australia¡¯s economy away from a ¡°deep¡± reliance on mining and ¡°build economic complexity through innovation¡±. But the process ¡°lacks a tight focus that can drive fast and tangible change towards a clear objective¡±, Sriram said.

¡°While the issues papers cover much ground, they do so with significant duplication and repetition and fail to properly describe a coherent ¨C let alone transformative and visionary ¨C system change.

¡°The primary goal of the review is to explore ways to boost Australian business expenditure on R&D. But this must not be at the expense of the vital discovery research that will underpin all future economy-boosting Australian innovation.¡±

The academy said the Serd panel had ¡°rightly acknowledged¡± the ¡°striking underinvestment¡± in research by Australian businesses. ¡°However, government investment in R&D ¨C including in fundamental research ¨C is also declining and must be urgently addressed, particularly as the cost of doing research is rising and funding models are at breaking point.¡±

It said public and private research funding served ¡°different but complementary roles¡±. The private sector¡¯s job was to ¡°scale and commercialise viable lower-risk applied research¡±, while government-backed ¡°higher risk¡± fundamental research ¡°that generates new knowledge is unpredictable, can be difficult to commercialise or ¨C in the case of public good research ¨C should not be commercialised.

¡°Fundamental research is the wellspring of innovation,¡± said the academy¡¯s president, Chennupati Jagadish. ¡°There is no ¡®D¡¯ without ¡®R¡¯.

¡°Draining the wellspring of innovation has consequences for Australia¡¯s ability to grow industries that diversify our economy. We must get this right.¡±

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com