The 2023 National Committee Review was commissioned by the Council of the Australian Academy of Science in June 2023 (384 Council).
The purpose of the review, set out in its terms of reference, is to examine the overall National Committee system to establish a structure that supports the Academy’s objectives in science leadership and strategic engagement, encompassing the National Committees’ complementary international and domestic roles.
Broadly, the review was tasked to examine the committees’ discipline coverage, scope, structure and governance, and to consider issues regarding engagement, evolving disciplines and international linkages.
The outcome of the implementation of the review was articulated as a modern structure and operating context for the National Committees that will enable them to contribute effectively to the Academy's activities and maximise benefit for the broader scientific community in Australia.
A review panel comprising Professor Steven L Chown FAA (Chair and Biological Sciences Fellow), Professor Halina Rubinsztein-Dunlop AO FAA (Physical Sciences Fellow) and Emeritus Professor Frederick Menk was established and undertook the review between May 2023 and February 2024.
The panel consulted through formal surveys of National Committee chairs and members, and both surveys of and discussions with Academy Executive members, and members of the Academy secretariat. The panel chair provided a presentation on the review process and foundational approach to the National Committee chairs at their meeting in November 2023.
The review considered the National Committees in an Academy setting within the broader context of science’s role in civil society, and notably in the framework of Australian needs in a changing and increasingly contested world, and one where Asia-Pacific connections are playing a growing role in many aspects of Australian endeavour.
An exposure draft of the review was provided to the Academy Executive and select members of the secretariat in January 2024, and to the National Committee chairs shortly thereafter for consideration and comment. The report was finalised in February 2024.
Fourteen recommendations encapsulate the review findings.
In brief, the National Committees have delivered substantial value to the Academy and have considerable potential to continue to do so.
The committees are custodians of their disciplines, with deep insight into developments both in the field globally and in the field’s status and future in an Australian context, and partly in an Asia-Pacific context.
Discipline depth that the National Committees bring is an essential foundation for transdisciplinary inquiry, which regularly, and increasingly, forms the foundation for national policy advice and international contributions to policy-relevant evidence.
At the same time, much scope exists for enhancing their structure, governance structure and operational implementation to contribute effectively to the Academy's activities and maximise benefit for the broader scientific community in Australia.
Such enhancement includes explicit emphasis on enhanced interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary capability to deliver scientific evidence to help meet the societal challenges of the day. It also includes further development of a culture that enhances the value of the National Committees in the context of the Academy’s objectives, including an enhanced focus on science policy and international relations.
Overall, the National Committees are a unique and incredible asset of the Academy and should be developed as such. They should be drawn deeper into the operations of the Academy because of the exceptional opportunities they bring to delivering the Academy’s objectives, and the value for diversifying and developing the science workforce of the future.
The National Committees of Council should be retained to serve the Academy’s vision and objectives, but with their governance, structure and implementation altered as recommended in this review.
The National Committee terms of reference should be revised to include their major purposes alongside clear statements about disciplinary contributions, with specific emphasis on National Committees contributing to the overall objectives of the Academy. These terms of reference should note the importance of capability development which should be listed as major benefits in expressions of interest calling for early- to mid-career National Committee members.
Decadal plans need not be a default requirement for National Committees. Rather, they should form one of a series of output options for the National Committees, with the relevance of those output options considered in the context of the particular circumstances of the committee. Other options should include the outputs and outcomes of roundtable discussions, which should include interdisciplinary discussions among National Committees, contributions to the Academy’s national symposia and a focus on general decadal plans that support the sector overall, such as the Women in STEM Decadal Plan.
The way in which new National Committees might be brought forward or a National Committee disestablished relative to the changing obligations and objectives of the Academy should be considered explicitly by the Secretary for Science Policy and Foreign Secretary and their findings incorporated into the operations of the National Committees. That work should be complemented by the following changes to the National Committee structure, which would result in a re-arrangement of the committees and a reduction in number to 19 National Committees:
The annual committee chairs’ day should be restructured to alternate between two major purposes from year to year:
Individual National Committees to undertake a biennial, two-page self-review identifying successes and challenges in categories appropriate to the National Committee. The responsible secretaries to consider the outcomes with Academy secretariat staff in the context of the purpose of the National Committees to help deliver the Academy’s objectives. Actions arising to be considered by the secretaries for onward recommendation if required and for discussion with the chair for the development of a succinct adaptive action plan. Decadal reviews of all National Committees should include a mid-term efficacy assessment implemented by the secretariat.
National Committee members to be selected following an expression of interest that lays out the expectations of members (in position description/expectations form, including the time required per week) alongside the substantial benefits to the Academy’s membership and how the relevant skills can be developed in the setting. Expressions of interest should seek to diversify the committees to represent Australian science and society to the fullest extent possible given the limited committee membership. Chairs should preferably be or have been a member of the National Committee concerned, or any National Committee, and identified a year in advance of taking the position. They should be provided with a statement of expectations and be expected to confirm their availability and time given the expectations. All committee members should undergo induction into the role, including an overview of the Academy purpose, objectives and operations.
The secretaries responsible for the National Committees to participate in National Committee meetings on an annual basis and liaise with the committee chairs at least as regularly, establishing the foundations for multi-way understanding of the place National Committees occupy in addressing the objectives of the Academy. The secretaries to convey to Executive and to Council progress in the business of the committees and to liaise with secretariat staff to do likewise across the operational areas of the Academy.
The Academy Communications team to develop and implement a communications strategy, differentiated by stakeholder target groups, in consultation with the Secretary for Science Policy and Foreign Secretary, the committee chairs and the secretariat staff responsible for the National Committees, to broaden visibility of the work of the National Committees, their benefits to the Academy and to the Australian science community and society, and the opportunities they offer early- to mid-career researchers for capability development.
The International Programs department and the National Committees section, in consultation with the National Committee chairs, should review on a biennial basis the value of international union memberships, confirming ongoing value thereof, and making recommendations to the secretaries for the ongoing situation. Irrespective, the following changes should be effected:
Consider the development of formal links through the National Committees, to the appropriate disciplines and academy bodies in the Asia-Pacific, to offer opportunities for collaboration, exchange and co-learning.
On acceptance of their position, chairs should be provided with governance training to ensure that they can meet expectations of the position, including realisation of the importance of interdisciplinary interactions, and understand the importance of good governance and culture, along with the values embraced by the Academy. To derive full value of the training and to ensure continuity of culture, good governance and implementation of the Academy’s values, chair terms should extend for a minimum of four years and include an annual review held with the relevant secretary. Chair terms could be extended to a second term of up to four years in exceptional circumstances, but this should be a significant exception, negotiated with the secretaries.
National Committees should aim to be no larger than nine members including the chair, at least one Academy Fellow, an identified deputy chair, and at least one early- to mid-career member. Where necessary, observers or ex officio members may be included, bearing in mind the decline in committee efficacy with growing member numbers. Chairs may also invite observers based on the business at hand, noting such invitations are expected to last no longer than for the period of the specific business to be discussed. Where these limits are to be exceeded, the additional membership is to be negotiated by the chair with the secretariat staff and reviewed by the chair and secretariat staff on an annual basis, with terms for these members extending no more than two years per appointment, renewable for a single further term only. The terms of all other members to extend for no more than three years, with the option of a single renewal after review by the chair and the secretariat.
The National Committees section should remain within the International Programs department of the Academy as an appropriate line management entity, and consideration given to increasing the support available to the section both in terms of personnel number and annual resourcing. The National Committees section should work with the secretaries to develop a business case to this effect, pending the response of Council to this review.
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