Meeting Australia's research workforce needs

A consultation paper to inform the development of the Australian government's research workforce strategy

• Research Workforce Strategy Reference Group
• Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

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13 July 2010This paper identifies a number of challenges and opportunities for Australia’s research workforce over the decade to 2020 and proposes a set of priority areas for focus to meet those challenges and opportunities.

The paper identifies issues influencing Australia’s capacity to produce the quantity, breadth and depth of research-qualified individuals it requires and to provide viable and productive career pathways to its researchers. Issues are organised under the following broad themes:
 
• Employer demand for researchers; 
• Supply of researchers to Australia; and 
• Research career pathways. 
 
These issues reflect the advice of a high-level reference group, established to support the strategy development process, along with feedback and information garnered from a range of consultation and analysis activities undertaken by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research over 2009-2010, including two commissioned studies and a number of targeted roundtables and workshops with stakeholder groups.
 
The paper then proposes a set of priority focus areas and related actions for Australia to enhance its research workforce over the coming decade.  Specific consultation questions are posed throughout the paper on which all stakeholder views are sought (government, public and private sector research employers, research training providers, individual researchers, students, relevant peak bodies, unions and other interest or advocacy groups).

 Image: 'Australian Synchrotron' bootload (Peter Renshaw) / flickr