This report is an update on progress in implementing the Research Training Implementation Plan. The Plan, released on 22 December 2017 by Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training, responds to the Review of Australia’s Research Training System (2016) prepared by the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA).

The Plan was developed by the Research Training Implementation Working Group, which comprised representatives from the higher education, industry and government sectors, including Indigenous and higher degree by research (HDR) student representatives.

The working group developed eighteen actions to address the Review’s findings under five Priority Issues:

1. Pathways to HDR training

2. Industry-university collaboration, including placements

3. Equity, including Indigenous participation

4. Quality of the HDR training system

5. Data and evidence to better monitor HDR system performance.

The Plan identifies lead organisations for each action, including the Department of Education and Training (DET), the Australian Council of Graduate Research (ACGR), Universities Australia (UA), and the Australian Industry Group (Ai Group). Drawing on updates from the lead organisations, the department will publish six-monthly progress reports until the actions are fully implemented.

This first report documents the progress the organisations have made from December 2017, when the Plan was released, to July 2018.

For each action, the report outlines the progress made by the lead organisations and their next steps. Where relevant, links to related documents are provided.

The department is grateful to the lead organisations for their contributions and assistance in preparing this report. We would also like to thank all those working to implement the actions.