The need to articulate and validate creative practice has been made more urgent by the inclusion of the creative arts in the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) process. The proof of research quality is tied to government funding and universities have strategically sought to increase their share of funding by targeting their own research…

Federal research funding is increasingly pointed towards models of innovation derived from the sciences. And yet, argues Stuart Cunningham, this is an increasingly outmoded model of research discovery. The humanities and social sciences--the poor relations of innovation policy--have been pioneering new and sophisticated paths of research and…

The nature of research in the field of intellectual disability is discussed, categories of basic research from published articles are analyzed, and issues are identified. Strongly recommended is the establishment of a national foundation in Australia to identify research priorities and coordinate research efforts. (DB)

Critics of education research in the recent years have pointed the finger at what they saw as its low quality, impact, and "value for money." In the context of the Research Assessment Exercise, particular concerns have been raised about applied and practice-based educational research and how best to assess its quality. This contribution…

Nineteen articles on the status of the relationship among educational research, policy, and practice around the world are collected in the 1985 edition of the "World Yearbook of Education." Contributors address the development of national policies on educational research in countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and…

This introductory article reviews trends in research in intellectual disability in Australia and reports on a workshop of the Research and Development Advisory Committee of the Department of Community Services and Health, that identified knowledge gaps and key issues. A coherent programmatic research agenda, characterized by interaction between…

The Technical and Further Education (TAFE) National Centre for Research and Development has two broad areas of activity: the undertaking and encouragement of research and development projects that are of national significance to TAFE and the dissemination of information on research and development in TAFE. The center issued its first corporate…

In Australia, Cooperative Research Centres strengthen linkages between universities as producers and industry as users of research. Shifting perspectives on the functions of universities, industry, and government are driven by the need for wealth creation, global competitiveness, and optimum linkages between research and commercialization. (SK)

National research policies are today driven by the concept of the "knowledge society", in which development is deemed to follow the application of new ideas. Australia, like other countries, has encouraged partnerships between the universities and industry. This essay examines how Australian scholars in the humanities have responded to…

This paper raises political and ethical issues related to the 1990 establishment and continuing operation of the Women's Research Centre in Nepean (Australia). Impinging trends in higher education, local factors, and problems and successes of the first year are reviewed. A summary of seven research projects currently being conducted at the center…

It is argued that, for Australia, technological innovation and international competitiveness will require collaboration of two "cultures": science/technology and social sciences/humanities. Natural and social scientists will have to develop strategic alliances to reposition university research and development within Australian national…

This article examines the relationship between research and service provision to persons with severe mental retardation, notes frequent methodological deficiencies in current research, and proposes establishment of Australian research centers to coordinate research efforts and link research to service delivery. (DB)

The need for professional personnel to work with Australians with developmental disabilities would best be met through establishment of multidisciplinary academic centers for teaching and research. Academic staff at these centers should hold conjoint appointments with relevant professional disciplines, and the centers should be networked with…

This paper examines the development of service policy for people with intellectual disabilities in Australia, noting the minor role of research and empirical enquiry. Research's significant role in monitoring policy during the implementation phase is, however, acknowledged. A coordinated research program contributing to both policy development and…

In this paper I argue against a dominant view that social planning, supported by strategically located and tightly controlled research and development, is delivered from above and enacted downwards by the education system. As such the paper argues against a view taken by many theorists/politicians and reinforced by the major components of the…