Australia, Science In

Universities

Thirty-seven of Australia's universities are public, and only two are private. Thirty-eight of Australia's universities are represented by Universities Australia, which provides information about Australian universities, development of education and research policy, and advice on government policy.

A greater percentage of Australia's researchers are employed in higher education institutions than in most other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. In the United States, less than 20% of the country's researchers are employed by universities and government organizations compared to almost 80% in Australia, according to a 2004 report by the Australian Vice Chancellor Committee. Similarly, most of Australia's research infrastructure is in universities and other public institutions. Thus, Australian universities are important sources of information about current scientific research.

The Group of Eight is a coalition of Australia's most research-intensive universities. These universities have a broad disciplinary base and strong professional education. They range widely in size (13,400 students at The Australian National University compared to 58,000 at Monash University in 2008) and age (University of Melbourne was founded in 1853 while Monash was founded in 1958). All have strong international enrollments and collaborations. Indeed, international education is the top third or fourth export earner for Australia.

CSIRO

The CSIRO is the national science organization. It was formed in 1926 to conduct research to support agriculture, mining, and manufacturing. CSIRO scientists have many internationally significant accomplishments including invention of atomic absorption spectroscopy in 1956 and development of plastic (polymer) banknotes in the 1980s.

CSIRO is well recognized, respected, and supported within Australia, with over 6,500 staff researching in 16 divisions and nine flagships. Divisions cover a broad range of disciplines from entomology to materials science and energy technology.

Multidisciplinary flagships have been established to conduct research focused on specific issues of national significance. Industry partnerships and collaboration characterize the flagship program that was initiated in 2003, and in 2009, the program includes flagships for climate adaptation, preventative health, water, and niche manufacturing.

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