The government assumes that with the right education and training, a young person will be able to get work. But this is not the case, especially for young people who live in rural and regional areas.
The Tata steel plant at Port Talbot.
EPA/ANDY RAIN
From making renewable energy practical to revolutionising farming, the chemicals industry could make a huge contribution to the environment.
Managing the risks of industry-researcher collaboration: Coca-Cola got caught for funding scientists who shifted blame for obesity away from bad diets.
from www.shutterstock.com
The innovation report fails to mention the risk of bias for researchers collaborating with industry. We must ensure that researchers maintain their independence.
The iPhone is a good example of an entire industry built on the back of publicly funded research outcomes. The ‘iPhone fish’ is designed to teach people healthy eating through portion size control.
Lucy Nicholson/Reuters
Publicly-funded research should contribute to society in some way. But we need to think carefully about how we create a system that allows us to measure the impact of research.
We need researchers to collaborate with industry if we’re to be an innovation nation.
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An emphasis on innovation is great, but we need genuine reforms to universities and tax incentives if we’re to promote collaboration between research and industry.
Open-air irrigation: so last century.
Bidge/Wikimedia Commons
Since the heady talk of a “march of the makers” in 2011, UK industrial policy has been patchy at best. No wonder the trade deficit is at its widest ever.
Steps on the ladder.
United Nations Development Programme in Europe and CIS
Engineering has been a British success story. But its future is in doubt unless the country can educate, recruit and retain many more female engineers. The sector has survived, even thrived, by importing…
Universities have an opportunity to build a closer relationship with industry, but it won’t come cheap and it won’t come easy.
AAP
Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane this month suggested that the funding of research grants to universities should be decided on the basis of the number of patents generated rather than the number of academic…
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Fifth Assessment Report tells us that CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions are continuing to rise and that, unchecked, climate change will likely…
There’s a unique opportunity to reform the VET sector.
AAP
Within a few months of coming to office the Abbott government established a Vocational and Education and Training (VET) Reform Taskforce. Over the past two years there have been three separate parliamentary…
A mini power plant in a North Sydney basement. Trigeneration plants like these generate electricity, heating and cooling far more efficiently than with mains power.
AAP/Short Communications, Girrit Fokkema
The debate about the future of Australia’s Renewable Energy Target (RET) has largely focused on the issue of immediate costs to business. But if we’re thinking about Australia’s long-term economic interests…