UQ leads the way in research networking

August 26, 2004

The University of Queensland will be at the forefront of a new approach to research with the announcement of $4.85 million for three research network projects. As part of the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) $42 million Research Networks program, UQ researchers will lead three of the 24 networks that are aimed at bringing leading researchers together to share their knowledge. The successful projects UQ will lead are the ARC Research Network in Enterprise Information Infrastructure (EII); ARC Research Network in Spatially Integrated Social Science; and The Cultural Research Network.

Professor Maria Orlowska, from the School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, will be the convenor for the $1.6 million ARC Research Network in EII.

EII will target consolidated research towards the comprehensive development and establishment of advanced information infrastructures.

EII will add definite momentum to Australia’s Information Technology research community, increase cross fertilisation among IT researchers, major industry players and leading-edge user groups, and greatly improve the quality and returns from currently funded research activities in Australia.

Increased international recognition will impact positively on future interactions with research communities in Europe and the USA. The collaborative research outcome from EII will be applicable to most Australian (and international) organisations involved in e-business, e-science and global applications in general.

This scale of research initiative will provide a stimulating, competitive and scientifically rich research environment for all involved.

Professor Bob Stimson, from UQ’s Centre for Research into Sustainable Urban and Regional Futures (CR-SURF), in the School of Geography, Planning and Architecture, will be the convenor of the $1.5 million ARC Research Network in Spatially Integrated Social Science (SISS).

The SISS network will build Australia’s capacity and capability for innovative, collaborative, cross-disciplinary effort to investigate the impacts of change on the behaviour and well-being of people to provide an improved evidence base and better informed decision-making to address the significant challenges facing Australia’s people and its places.

This can help governments and businesses to develop more appropriate strategies to address the needs of people and places in Australia in achieving a sustainable, prosperous and just society with an improved quality of life for all people.

Professor Graeme Turner, from UQ’s Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies, will lead the $1.75 million Cultural Research Network.

This network is based on the outstanding reputation enjoyed by Australian researchers working on the production and consumption of culture. By focusing on cutting edge humanities and social science research, projects will deal with new media and cultural technologies, cultural histories, geographies and identities.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor David Siddle congratulated the winning projects and said the funding would aid researchers who are increasingly needing to find ways to work across organisational, geographic and discipline boundaries.

“Sharing knowledge can help advance research and results and UQ is proud to be leading such innovative projects,” Professor Siddle said.

The new research networks will build connections between people, disciplines, organisations and countries, bringing together more than 3,400 participants from Australia and overseas.

UQ researchers will participate widely across the nation’s successful research networks and play an important role in these innovative new initiatives.

The Australian Research Council and the National Health and Medical Research Council will jointly provide $42 million over five years to the program, which is an initiative of the Australian Government’s Backing Australia’s Ability program, which is aimed at supporting excellence in Australian science and innovation.