Collaborating for research excellence

THE HON CHRISTOPHER PYNE MP 
Minister for Education 
Leader of the House
MEDIA RELEASE

27 June 2014

Collaborating for research excellence

Improving Australia's mining industry, accelerating canola breeding and reforming healthcare are just some of the research outcomes identified through 251 new collaborative research projects that will inspire innovation.

The projects, totalling more than $88 million, were announced today by Minister for Education, the Hon. Christopher Pyne MP, and have been awarded through the Australian Research Council's (ARC) Linkage Projects scheme.

Mr Pyne said collaboration and co-investment in quality research was fundamental to a prosperous future.

"It is critical we have opportunities for our researchers to work together with industry and business, who hold the knowledge and are often the end-users or commercialisers of the innovations that flow from research."

A total of 415 partner organisations will be involved in the 251 projects, and have pledged an extra $169.8 million (cash and in-kind). This represents $1.93 from partner organisations for every dollar funded through the ARC.

Some of the projects include:

• $630 000 for researchers at The University of Queensland, who will work in partnership with Bayer BioScience, to look at ways to improve canola crops using novel genomic tools
• $330 000 will be used by researchers at The University of South Australia, who will partner with BHP Billiton Iron Ore Pty Ltd to find a solution to the environmental issue of sulphide oxidisation of mining waste
• $499 000 will fund research at Monash University, who will partner with the Victorian Department of Health and numerous other health services, to help ensure investments in redesign and innovation have 'whole system' economic and healthcare benefits.

A breakdown of funded projects per state and university is attached. For information on all 251 Linkage Projects—including those examples mentioned above—visit the ARC website or view the Linkage Projects 2014 funding outcomes.

Mr Pyne's media contact: 0407 691 050 or pynemedia@education.gov.au
ARC Media: 0412 623 056 or communications@arc.gov.au
 

Linkage Projects 2014 funding outcomes—snapshot by State and Organisation

Administering Organisation	Total number of Projects	Total ARC Funding
Australian Capital Territory	9	$3,819,471.00
The Australian National University	8	$3,549,779.00
University of Canberra	1	$269,692.00
New South Wales	77	$26,376,725.00
Macquarie University	9	$2,971,103.00
Southern Cross University	1	$320,000.00
The University of New South Wales	30	$10,480,983.00
The University of Newcastle	5	$1,622,000.00
The University of Sydney	16	$5,359,406.00
University of Technology, Sydney	5	$2,071,000.00
University of Western Sydney	7	$2,305,198.00
University of Wollongong	4	$1,247,035.00
Queensland	49	$17,615,211.00
Central Queensland University	1	$232,132.00
Griffith University	7	$2,333,055.00
James Cook University	2	$769,032.00
Queensland University of Technology	15	$4,931,192.00
The University of Queensland	24	$9,349,800.00
South Australia	19	$6,479,252.00
The Flinders University of South Australia	2	$615,000.00
The University of Adelaide	10	$3,859,717.00
University of South Australia	7	$2,004,535.00
Tasmania	9	$3,591,399.00
University of Tasmania	9	$3,591,399.00
Victoria	63	$21,265,230.00
Deakin University	7	$2,544,197.00
Federation University Australia	1	$120,000.00
La Trobe University	3	$955,207.00
Monash University	19	$6,416,248.00
RMIT University	8	$2,364,326.00
Swinburne University of Technology	1	$538,000.00
The University of Melbourne	24	$8,327,252.00
Western Australia	25	$9,007,553.00
Curtin University of Technology	9	$3,236,657.00
Edith Cowan University	2	$420,000.00
Murdoch University	1	$341,291.00
The University of Western Australia	13	$5,009,605.00
Total	251	$88,154,841.00