Public support of research for economic development purposes is discussed, focusing on the Australian context and the debate over commercialization of research. It is argued that the solution is not to leave policy open to market forces. Five possible policy approaches are outlined, each with a different emphasis. (MSE)

The process and criteria by which the Humanities and Social Sciences panel of the Australian Research Council evaluates research proposals are described and discussed. Peer review is the primary method of evaluation, and the primary criteria are the potential of a given proposal for significant conceptual advance and research/researcher quality.…

We are living in an era of market-driven, globalised economies characterised by reduced public investments in what, until now, have been considered public goods and services. In Australia and elsewhere, education, and higher education in particular, has seen steady declines in government funding. This has prompted universities to become much more…

The current funding of research in Australia's universities is examined, including the recent forces that have changed the research system and resource allocation, allocations by field, expenditures per researcher by field, and measures of and emphasis on productivity. Prospects for research in the late 1980s are discussed. (MSE)

A University of Canberra (Australia) program pairs new researchers with experienced researchers as mentors. Mentoring is supplemented with a workshop on research skills and on researchers' issues, questions, and projects. Participants benefitted from support of mentors and other peers. Mentors assisted participants with specific aspects of their…

This collection of papers discusses issues of quality, institutional research culture, and processes which encourage, achieve, sustain, and assure high quality teaching and research in universities, primarily from a British and Australian perspective. Part 1 is titled "Issues of Quality and Institutional Research Culture" and contains…

Issues in the impact of educational research on educational policy and practice in Australian schools are addressed in this paper, which provides an overview of the numerous research and evaluation projects being conducted in Australian education. Specific questions examined are the extent to which: (1) the research subjects (schools) benefit from…

Purpose: The intention of this paper is to encourage debate among ethical researchers on this very important issue. Research necessary to underpin health education and health promotion is often controversial and often involves vulnerable populations such as young people and children. It is essential that the rights of these respondents are…

Australia's Cooperative Research Centres Program, a system of 52 research and development (R&D) units, links researchers from public and private sectors, helping industry and scientific community coordinate research efforts. The program represents 6% of the national R&D effort and spans six major R&D and industry sectors. (MSE)

The history of research in Australian higher education gives insight into fundamental tension about the role of research and the university's role in society. It is concluded that each university will have to choose what it is good at, and researchers should be faculty who have a demonstrated research talent. (MSE)

The role of Australia's National Health and Medical Research Council, an independent statutory body, in distribution of funds for research projects, programs, units, and major institutes. The agency's evaluation system, resource allocation practices, and training and career support system are described briefly. (MSE)

The history of direct government funding of research in Australia's higher education institutions is chronicled, focusing on the evolution of research policy and emphasis on excellence. The establishment of the Australian Research Council and its statement of specific mission and priorities is also detailed. (MSE)

This paper uses a comparative approach to investigate the ethical policies and practices of Australian and American universities. In Australia, 26 institutional surveys were returned in which institution heads responded to questions about the professional ethics of faculty, the ethics of student assessment, research ethics, and the ethical element…

Characteristics of the American university are examined as they are relevant to the concerns of Australian higher education. Aspects discussed include diversity of institutions, methods of governance, tenure and academic freedom, external peer review of programs and projects, research funding, and curriculum design and patterns of attendance. (MSE)

This volume contains the proceedings of an international colloquium on higher education in federal countries with complex divisions of responsibility for the many facets of higher education. The volume is organized in four parts. Part I contains one paper, "The Federal Context for Higher Education" by Ronald L. Watts and a description of…