MEDIA RELEASE

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ACS Seeks Input for Australian IT Research Strategy

Friday 18 April 1997 - The Australian Computer Society (ACS) is calling for assistance from its 15,000 members to help formulate the national strategy for IT research in Australia.

The ACS is providing funding and expertise to a joint government/industry project called the "Discipline Research Strategy for Australian IT".

ACS President, Tom Worthington, a member of the project steering committee, is calling on IT professionals, companies and interested parties to comment on the recommendations from the working party within the next week.

"It is critical to the future of our industry and of the nation that we have your views on where to take IT research in the next century," said Mr Worthington.

The Working Party has made the following recommendations:

1. A Minister be made responsible for all aspects of research and development for the Information Industries. Among other responsibilities would be the development and updating of a strategic plan for IT research.

2. The Government should strengthen mechanisms for IT R&D which facilitate the interaction of basic, strategic and tactical research by collaborating organisations.

3. Government mechanisms to encourage private sector investment in IT R&D should not receive Government funding at the expense of funding for basic and strategic research in IT.

4.Government R&D funding agencies should undertake a research priority process every three years to determine a strategic allocation of funds to scientific disciplines.

5.Government R&D funding agencies should implement an "affirmative action" process to increase the proportion of Australian research in the physical sciences particularly in IT.

6. Government R&D funding agencies should revise the "merit" criterion used for awarding grants to include the potential of applicants as well as their track record.

7. Universities should fund IT departments at the same level as the physical sciences and electronic engineering.

8. Funding be provided to train high school teachers in IT so that the intellectual content in secondary IT courses can be improved.

9. Government and the IT industry should examine the possibility of establishing a levy to provide funds for IT R&D in Australia, with some form of exemption to be provided on the basis of local R&D activity.

10. Government and the IT industry should establish an IT Research Board to administer and distribute the funds to be obtained through the levy.

Comments on the above recommendations should be sent by 21 April to Dr. Bernard Robertson-Dunn, the ACS nominee on the study working party at: brd@netinfo.com.au

This media release is located on the Web at http://www.acs.org.au/news/itrd2.htm

See also Strategy for Information Technology Research in Australia and Open Letter to Members

ENDS

Media Enquiries:

Tom Worthington, ACS President, Tel: (0419) 496 150, Email: tomw@acslink.net.au

Caroline New, Caroline New PR, Tel: (02) 9630 2108 or (0411) 889 456, Email: cnew@acslink.net.au