The enormous contribution made toward combating the skills shortage in science by the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Programme has been revealed following the presentation of a fact sheet to the Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon. Julie Bishop MP by the CRC Association and the Shadow Minister for Innovation, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr.
The fact sheet, entitled The Impact of Cooperative Research Centres on the Australian Education System highlights programs that have been developed by CRCs not only within Tertiary levels but also the Secondary and even Primary levels of education. The programs go even further and encompass vocational training and wider education aimed at the general community.
The CEO of the CRC Association, Mr. Michael Hartmann said "The contribution of CRCs to education in Australia is normally associated with the post-graduate programs that are a core component of every CRC. This fact sheet however highlights specific examples where CRCs have voluntarily gone beyond their brief and instigated initiatives that foster the development of our future science capacity throughout all levels of Australia's education system."
"Combating skills shortages is vital for the future prosperity of Australia, and no more so than in the field of science and innovation. The CRC Programme is a leading light not only in industry-focused applied science, but now also in the field of science education."
"Our fact sheet shows that CRCs are not only the home of Australian innovation; they are also the breeding ground of Australia's innovators."
Mr. Hartmann concluded, "The CRC Programme was born under Labor and nurtured by the Coalition. It has come of age, and we now look forward to a Government that will allow the Programme to continue to grow and bloom into adulthood".
Cooperative Research Centres are the hub of applied research in Australia across a broad range of sciences, technologies and industries. The CRC Programme was established in 1990 to increase collaboration between researchers and industry and to better promote the uptake and use of research. A 2006 Government study showed that as a result of the research, training and commercialisation activities of the CRCs, Australian GDP has been increased by nearly $2.7 billion. The CRC Association is the representative body of 57 CRCs.
