$15m for WA research centres

Western Australian universities have featured prominently in an expanded research funding program announced by Education Minister Christopher Pyne today, with three resources-related centres scoring nearly $15 million between them.

The Research Hub for Offshore Floating Facilities and Training Centre for Liquified Natural Gas Futures, at the University of Western Australia, and the Training Centre for Mining Restoration at Curtin University were among nine such centres nationally to receive grants.

Almost $40 million was allocated through the government’s new industrial research program, which is designed to improve connections between universities and the business community in priority areas.

“This (Australian Research Council) funding program helps to deliver on the government’s commitment to boost the commercial returns of research,” Mr Pyne said.

“These new research hubs and training centres will see Australia’s best researchers work collaboratively with industry to deliver important outcomes that would not be achieved working independently.

“The training centres will also equip our future generation of researchers by supporting higher degree by research students and postdoctoral fellows in gaining real-world practical skills and experience through industry placements.”

It will be welcome news for UWA, which recently declined a major grant from the federal government to establish a research centre with Danish academic Bjorn Lomborg due to an uprising among a minority of staff and students.

In a press release, UWA vice-chancellor Paul Johnson said UWA researchers continued to make important contributions to economic development in the state.

“UWA is strongly committed to ensuring that our research and research training provides real benefits to society and we are excited about the opportunities that these projects will provide for us to work in even greater partnership with our industry communities,” Professor Johnson said.