National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)

Earlier this year the Academy helped lead the National Research Alliance’s call for an end to funding uncertainty for the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).

Alliance members wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister outlining the adverse impacts caused by the funding uncertainty.

Continued funding for NCRIS was at risk, with the government stating it would not fund the program unless its higher education deregulation Bills were passed by the Senate.

The Academy worked with other Alliance members to coordinate a campaign to raise awareness of the need for continued availability for the 27 facilities established under NCRIS funding that directly employ 1,700 highly-trained staff and are used by 35,000 researchers. A number of high-profile scientists and members of the business community made personal representations to Ministers and cross-bench Senators, and Alliance members wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister outlining the adverse impacts caused by the funding uncertainty.

Following this campaign and a concerted communications strategy, the Government announced that NCRIS would be funded for another 12 months. A review into the ongoing funding and operation of NCRIS is currently underway and the Academy hopes that this will result in a long-term funding solution for Australia’s major national research infrastructure.