Discipline Research Strategy for Information Technology An overview of progress 31 December 1996

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (AATSE) has been commissioned by the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs (DEETYA) to undertake a study to develop a Discipline Research Strategy for Information Technology in Australia.

The following set of slides with associated notes provides an overview of progress of the study to the end of 1996. Readers should be aware that material contained in the presentation under the headings of Findings, Goals and Implementation is to be taken as preliminary and simply represents work in progress. Much of it has been derived directly from the Open Forums. There is no implication that it will appear in the final report in its current form. It is being made publicly available so that interested parties can comment and make contributions to the study if they so desire.

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Table of Contents

Terms of Reference The terms of reference of the study are: To prepare a strategy for the development of research in Information Technology (IT) in Australia over the next 10-15 years.

Scientific

1.	To make recommendations for research in IT disciplines including computer science, software engineering, computer engineering, digital communications and information systems that will advance those disciplines and strengthen their contribution to the economic, social and scientific welfare of Australia:
	(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.

Social and Economic

2.	To assess the contribution of basic and applied IT research to the Australian information industries.
3.	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.

Education and Training

4.	To characterise the current education and training of people engaged in IT research in the public and private sectors, and to identify any appropriate changes and their priorities.

Implementation

5.	To identify methods for implementing its recommendations and strategies.

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Members of the Working Party Prof. P. Poole FTSE, Bond University (Chair) Prof. R. Evans FTSE, University of Melbourne Dr. R. Jones, Computer Power Software Group Dr. J. O'Callaghan FTSE, CSIRO Division of Information Technology Dr. B. Robertson-Dunn, Azimuth Consulting Australia Prof. J. Rosenberg, University of Sydney (Deputy Chair) Prof. R. Jeffery, University of New South Wales Dr. G. McMahon, Bond University (Executive Officer)

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Members of the Steering Committee Mr Harry Wragge AM FTSE (Chair) Emeritus Professor John M. Bennett AO FTSE Mr Trevor Robinson FTSE Professor Andrew Lister, University of Queensland Professor Mary O'Kane FTSE, University of Adelaide Mr Mike Moore, Bureau of Meteorology Mr Tom Worthington, Australian Computer Society Professor Henry d'Assumpcao AO FTSE, Signal Processing Research Institute Mr Richard Dixon Hughes, DH4 Pty Ltd Ms Christelle Zmood, DEETYA

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Funding ORGANISATION $ ARC 80,000 AAPCS 10,000 ISHODS 10,000 AATSE 5,000 ACS 5,000 CSIRO 3,000 TOTAL 113,000

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Methodology Open Forums Submissions Web Site Selected Meetings Case Studies Working Party Meetings Joint Steering Committee/Working Party Meetings

Open Forums:

Open Forums were held in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane and Townsville

Separate forums were held for Academics and participants from Industry and Government. About 150 interested parties attended these Forums.

Submissions:

Calls for submissions were made by -

National Advertising (The Australian, The Financial Review)

Mailing lists of National Bodies

The Web Site

Web Site:

URL: http://www.atse.org.au

Selected Meetings:

• DIST
• BIE
• Office of Government Information Technology (OGIT)
• International Science & Technology Collaboration Section, Science & Technology Division, DIST.
• Research Policy, Higher Education Division

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Preliminary Outcomes for Discussion Findings Goals Implementation

"The Age of Networked Intelligence is an age of promise. It is not simply about the networking of humans through technology. It is not an age of smart machines but of humans who through networks can combine their intelligence, knowledge and creativity for breakthroughs in the creation of wealth and social development. It is not just an age of linking computers but of networking human ingenuity. It is an age of vast new promise and unimaginable opportunity"

Source: Don Tapscott The Digital Economy xiv McGraw-Hill.

Don Tapscott is Chair of the Committee for the Alliance for Converging Technologies.

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FINDINGS

Information Technology has the potential to change the way we work, the way we are educated, the way we communicate with each other, the way we govern ourselves, indeed, the very structure of our society. Nations which recognise this potential and ensure that IT is effectively utilised in its communities are assured of a bright and prosperous future; those that do not, do so at their own peril for future prosperity.

A Revolutionary Challenge to Decision Makers

Throughout the world, information and communications technologies are generating a new industrial revolution already as significant and far-reaching as those of the past. This revolution adds huge new capacities to human intelligence and changes the way we work together and the way we live together. An information society is a means to achieve so many of the (European) Union's objectives. We have to get it right and we have to get it right now."

Source: Recommendations to the European Council. Europe and the Global Information Society. Brussels, May 1994. URL: http://www.earn.net/EC/report.html#chap12

The National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action

The benefits of the NII for the nation are immense. An advanced information infrastructure will enable US. firms to compete and win in the global economy, generating good jobs for the American people and economic growth for the nation. As importantly, the NII can transform the lives of the American people - ameliorating the constraints of geography, disability, and economic status - giving all Americans a fair opportunity to go as far as their talents and ambitions will take them.

Source: The National Information Infrastructure: Agenda for Action (USA)

URL: http://sunsite.unc.nii/NII-Executive-Summary.html

The Challenge and the Urgency

Our major trading partners - the United States, Japan and the European Union - have all launched multi-billion-dollar initiatives and major policy and regulatory overhauls to encourage the construction of their parts of the Information Highway.

Failure to seize the opportunity of using Canada's Information Highway will also result in reduced competitiveness and the loss of high-growth knowledge industries and high quality jobs.

The social costs in terms of lost job opportunity will be enormous."

Source: Building the Information Society: Moving Canada Into the 21st Century

URL: http://info.ic.gc.ca/info-highway/society/part1_e.html

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The Discipline Information Technology is vital to the successful future of both Australia's economic and social well being All other disciplines are dependent upon IT A "snapshot" comparison of citations for basic IT research indicates Australia ranks 13th in the world* Trend analysis of our world share of published Computer Science Papers discloses a disturbing drift compared with other countries Lack of government awareness Lack of unification of the discipline Lack of recognition of discipline

*Source: National Science Indicators, 1981-1995. Institute for Scientific Information. Research Services Group. Philadelphia PA USA

Source: Australian Business Innovation - A Strategic Analysis. Measures of Science and Innovation 5. A report in a series on Australia's research and technology, and their utilisation. DIST. January 1996

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The Researcher IT is not attracting top level high school graduates The quality of students in IT is not high particularly compared to discipline areas such as law* There is too little movement of personnel between industry and higher education* University graduates are often lost to industry before commencing on postgraduate studies including research training Possible future shortage of research leaders

*ASTEC Report, November 1995: Australia's Science and Engineering Base for Information and Communications Services and Technologies (ICST)

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Research Funding Mechanisms (1) ARC Large Research Grants Information Technology (IT) has low visibility in the ARC structure There is no assessment panel specifically for IT Industry has little knowledge of the ARC and the research it supports There is no common point of convergence between researchers and industry Assessors vary in their competence to assess IT related proposals The proportion of successful applicants for major grants is about 20% The perception is that novel and interdisciplinary projects are often handled poorly The IS Dilemma* The ARC is heavily wieghted against IS Applied research is what IS researchers do The current ARC panel is basically about technology IS is left out in the cold Need a mechanism to have reviewers with multi-disciplinary views Sometimes problems are not IT based ARC Classification codes for IT may need revision

*Source: Open Forums.

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Research Funding Mechanisms (2) ARC Collaborative Research Grants Number of Collaborative Research Grants is on the increase YEAR APPLICATIONS TOTAL IT APPLICATIONS 1996 108 5 1997 400 33 Proportion of successful Collaborative Research Grants presently 50% Federal Government has allocated $30 million over three years towards ARC Collaborative Research Grants

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Other Funding Mechanisms Australian postgraduate awards and ARC research grants are familiar to academics. Industry knows about tax concessions. Otherwise, funding mechanisms and their relationships are not well understood.

The Australian Government has at least these additional major mechanisms for funding research, including IT research:

ARC Programs:

Australian Research Fellowships
Special Research Centres
Key Centres for Teaching and Research
Collaborative Research Grants
International Research Fellowships

DIST Programs:

Competitive Grants for Research and Development
R&D Start Program
Cooperative Research Centres (CRC)
International Science and Technology Program (ISTP)
Bilateral Science & Technology Collaboration Program
Access to Major Facilities Research Program (MFRP)
International Conference Support Scheme

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IT Research and Industry (1) There is inadequate collaboration between universities and industry. Industry perceives that university research is on the whole irrelevant to its needs CRCs are presently proving to be a less than adequate mechanism for IT research

Source: CRC Compendium 1996.

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IT Research and Industry (2) Australia appears to perform a disproportionately large amount of basic research and a relatively small proportion of experimental development when compared with other nations. This anomaly is due entirely to the relatively low level of business enterprise R&D in Australia*

*Source: Australian Business Innovation - A Strategic Analysis. Measures of Science and Innovation 5. A report in a series on Australia's research and technology, and their utilisation. DIST. January 1996

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IT Research and Industry (3) Australia shows large trade deficits in higher R&D intensity industries and near surpluses in lower R&D intensity industries The trade deficit for high R&D intensity products is the greatest of 14 leading OECD countries studied* Economies which are able to expand their level of economic activity and exports in high technology goods and in knowledge intensive services are likely to be well placed in the emerging world economy*

*Source: Australian Business Innovation - A Strategic Analysis. Measures of Science and Innovation 5. A report in a series on Australia's research and technology, and their utilisation. DIST. January 1996

The direct funding of business R&D by government is proportionally lower in Australia compared with other OECD nations#

#Source: Australian Science and Technology at a Glance 1996 p 29, p31. A DIST publication.

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IT and International Links There should be an international rather than an Australian focus to research International interaction is considered extremely important Distance is a weakness but could be an opportunity Asian neighbours are overtaking our competitive advantage in research

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IT and Society Emerging issues: the knowledge society knowledge based industries telemedicine lifelong learning government accessibility and responsiveness telecommuting*

*Source: Building the Information Society: Moving Canada Into the 21st Century

URL: http://info.ic.gc.ca/info-highway/society/part1_e.html

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Picking Winners Implementing a strategy to recognise and develop priority focus areas, whilst maintaining our foundation in basic research is vital for the nation's future in the emerging knowledge based global economy

"The strategic focus areas* are appropriate to prioritise investment in areas that today show particular long-term promise.

However, Federal agencies should also invest in basic research and in emergent strategic directions as new opportunities arise. These areas may yield fundamental new technologies or breakthroughs that in turn might lead to major changes in information and communication technologies."

*Strategic focus areas:

• Global-Scale Information
• Infrastructure Technologies
• High Performance/Scalable Systems
• High Confidence Systems
• Virtual Environments
• User-Centred Interfaces and Tools
• Human Resources and Education

Source: Strategic Planning Document - Information and Communications. National Science and Technology Council (USA). URL: http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/OSTP/NSTC/html/cic/cic~plan.html

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GOALS

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Scientific Maintain parity in basic IT research in Australia with that being achieved by our trading partners High quality postgraduates entering research Strong links between Australian and international research groups Positive strategically-based government support

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Social and Economic Remove barriers to national progress through IT Strong contribution from IT research to Australian industry through: Increased collaboration between industry and academic researchers Mechanisms to encourage this collaboration Stimulation of industry based R&D Government initiatives to facilitate change Achieve recognition of the knowledge based economy within government - ensure that the nation remains globally competitive ensure that the nation attains economic growth through high-growth knowledge based industries and high quality jobs Achieve recognition of the knowledge based society within the community - economic and social benefits can be realised to facilitate individual development of all Australians the discipline be recognised as a highly valued career path

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Education and Training Secure researchers of the highest standard and instil the value of synergies between IT and - the global community industry other disciplines society

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IMPLEMENTATION

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Scientific Funding Mechanisms The ARC establish a new discipline panel called Information Technology to assess grant applications in this field Assessors of grant applications to indicate on the assessment form their confidence level for assessing the application Infrastructure grants within universities should recognise the experimental nature of the IT discipline Postgraduate scholarships to enable research students to attend conferences and make short term visits to industries overseas ABS to review the classification system for fields of research in IT to reflect current technology Structural Changes Mechanisms to be developed that facilitate Australian groups joining in Esprit programs Develop better coordination between the government and funding programs:- ARC collaborative grants with IR&D board ISTP with ARC MNRF with ARC Special Research Centres Consider recommendation on impact of more funding and funding mechanisms for applied research on basic and strategic research. Consider balance of funding in other countries 1:10:100 model for basic:strategic:tactical Examine funding for ISTAC in the context of the need for increased international collaboration

Further strategies: Evaluation of research proposals should take into account other outcomes beside published papers Research proposals involving international visitors should receive favourable consideration

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Scientific Priorities for IT Research The priority areas for IT in Research are as follows: Building software systems Communications technology Networks Online commerce Evaluation of research proposals should take into account the experimental nature of IT Research Evaluation of research proposals should recognise the importance of secondments and visitors and the potential of excellence

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Social and Economic Economic ARC to establish and maintain an online database and directory with details of current and previous research projects Specific strategies to be developed along with adequate funding for networking infrastructure including the introduction of Internet II and Asia-Pacific regional networks Facilitation for establishing disciplinary based networks in the Asia Pacific region Aggressively seek collaborative partners in industry eg. mining, banking, information, etc Research groups to take a level of responsibility for dissemination of research intelligence through structured industry forums,workshops and web based groups Encourage presentation on key issues in IT R&D to forums eg PMSEC, ASTEC Promotion of forums and workshops presented throughout Australia and SE Asia to coordinate these R&D activities*

*International Science & Technology Program (ISTP) (DIST) possible source of funding

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Social and Economic Social Stimulate IT R&D through government initiatives that recognise the present and future needs of a knowledge based society to maintain standards in education health culture equality

Information & Communications R&D Support for NSTC Societal Goals:

• Harnessing Information Technology
• Job creation and economic growth
• Enhanced national security
• World leadership in Science, Engineering and Mathematics
• A Healthy, Educated Citizenry
• Improved Environmental Quality

Source: Strategic Planning Document - Information and Communication, National Science and Technology Council (USA) March, 1995

URL: http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/OSTP/NSTC/html/cic/cic-ap-c.html

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Education and Training for Research Develop a mechanism to enable PhD students to spend periods of time before they graduate - working overseas working in industry with recognition of these achievements Honours students in IT to be exempt from HECS Restore the National priority premium of at least $4000 for IT postgraduate research grants awards DEET and other bodies who set curriculum to evaluate the IT curriculum against best practice in other leading countries Provide teaching relief scholarships as part of ARC postgraduate awards

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VISION: As the information revolution unfolds, information and communications technology will lead to dramatic transformations in our Nation's economy, defence, and society. Geographic distance, time to accomplish tasks, separation of people from resources, and outdated organisational structures are critical barriers that inhibit our country from ultimately achieving national goals. Information technology has a pervasive and unprecedented ability to remove these barriers to progress. Never before has there been an opportunity on such a grand scale to harness such a diverse range of technologies and to integrate them into such a pervasive array of interconnected information systems. These emerging and potential systems will benefit not only all Americans, but people everywhere.

Source: America In The Age of Information: A Forum Sponsored by the Committee on Information and Communications National and Science and Technology Council (USA) URL: http://www.hpcc.gov/cic_forum_v224cover.html

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Last updated 21 February 1997
Authorised by Prof P.C. Poole, Working Party Chair
Maintained by Jeanette Niehus
Copyright ©1997