Australian Computer Society

Formulating the national strategy for IT research in Australia

This is to request your assistance to formulate the national strategy for Information Technology research in Australia. You have the opportunity to influence the future of IT research of the nation, for the national benefit.

The Australian Computer Society is assisting with funding and expertise for a study to develop a "Discipline Research Strategy for Information Technology in Australia". This was commissioned by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA) to be undertaken by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (AATSE). The ACS was consulted in formulating the study and I am the ACS representative on the study steering committee.

So far, the study has been hampered by a relatively low input from industry, so I am now asking you to help by providing some comment on a number of propositions, which are attached. There is no need to restrict comment to those matters alone; comment would also be welcomed on any relevant matter.

The Terms of Reference for the study are also attached. Further details, including a draft report and ACS contributions, are available from the ACS Home Page at: http://www.acs.org.au/president/1996/drsit/

Please send comments by 21 April so they can be considered for the preliminary draft report. Dr. Bernard Robertson-Dunn is the ACS nominee on the study working party and you can e-mail comments to him at: brd@netinfo.com.au

It is important 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.

Tom Worthington MACS
President of the Australian Computer Society
18 April 1997

1. Scientific

• (a) to determine the degree to which a strong fundamental research base is required in all fields of information technology research in Australia and to recommend on future support for this research;
• (b) to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Australian IT research in an international context and to recommend necessary policy or funding changes.

2. Social and Economic

To evaluate the benefits of Australian IT research for Australian industry and for the well- being of Australian society, and to develop strategies to increase its contribution to both.

3. Education and Training

A. Ministerial Responsibility

Further the enabling nature of IT, means that it forms a key part of very many projects in all other scientific disciplines. For example, the development of innovative software often forms a major outcome from research projects across all disciplines and across all schemes from ARC Large Grants to CRCs. However, there is seldom any input from IT professionals except at a programming level.

Recommendation: Since there is no cohesion and no strategic planning for IT research, and no recognition of the essential role it plays in other areas, a Minister be made responsible for all aspects of research and development for the Information Industries. Amongst other responsibilities would be the development and updating of a strategic plan for IT research. Note that many other countries have defined such a responsibility.

B. Balance of Research

While the move to collaboration with industry is worthwhile, what is important are the mechanisms which reduce the barriers for tactical R&D to benefit from and build on the basic and strategic R&D.

The Working Party's view is that the proportion of Government IT research funds going into tactical research is now too high.

There is therefore a need to determine the appropriate balance for Australian IT R&D between basic, strategic and tactical research, and to strengthen mechanisms which increase the interaction between these kinds of research.

Recommendations:

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

C. Research Priorities

Comparable countries to Australia have a higher proportion of IT research in relation to other scientific disciplines.

Recommendations:

1. Government R&D funding agencies should undertake a research priority process every three years to determine a strategic allocation of funds to scientific disciplines.
2. 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.
3. 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.

D. IT in universities and schools

The Australian education sector is quite diverse with thirty-six universities in the public sector and numerous private institutions Most research training currently takes place in the public institutions and is still concentrated in the pre Dawkins universities. The most common approach to research training in IT is the PhD, with only a few students undertaking research Masters degrees. Most course work Masters degrees are aimed at professional rather than research training. In general, universities experience some difficulty in attracting top students into IT undergraduate courses and into PhD degrees.

The Working Party believes that it is essential that Australia maintain a strong and high standard PhD program if it is to continue to be capable of undertaking world standard research.

Recommendations

1. As a result of the experimental and laboratory-based nature of IT research, the cost of training IT researchers is similar to that in the physical sciences and electronic engineering. Universities should therefore fund IT departments at the same level as the physical sciences and electronic engineering.
2. It is essential that more of the top students are attracted to a career in IT research. This can be encouraged by improving the standard of IT teaching in high schools. It is recommended that funding be provided to train high school teachers in IT so that the intellectual content in secondary IT courses can be improved.

E. A Levy

This is particularly applicable when the industry consists of a large number of small enterprises which cannot support R&D on an individual basis. The IT industry in Australia is characterised by a small number of large overseas owned corporations who have little incentive to engage in R&D in Australia, and on the other hand by a large number of small local enterprises who can afford only short term development projects.

The time has come to explore the possibility of raising money through an industry levy from organisations who are currently unwilling or unable to engage in substantial long term R&D within their own organisations. Prime candidates would be the telecommunication companies who are increasing their business rapidly because of the information revolution.

Recommendation

1. 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.
2. Government and the IT industry should establish an IT Research Board to administer and distribute the funds to be obtained through the levy.

• ACS Seeks Input for Australian IT Research Strategy
• Strategy for Information Technology Research in Australia
• ACS Home Page
• Tom Worthington's Home Page