The Australian Government introduced the Collaborative Research Networks (CRN) program as part of a suite of new and updated initiatives to reform higher education teaching, learning, research and research training. These reforms, announced in the 2009-2010 Budget, will lead to a more productive and effective university system focused on quality and excellence, collaboration, sustainability, and end-user engagement.
CRN is designed to encourage smaller less research-intensive and regional higher education institutions to develop their research capacity and adapt to a research system driven more strongly by performance outcomes by teaming up with other institutions in areas of common interest. The intention is that all participants in a collaborative network will benefit from the partnership, with flow-on effects for the research and innovation system as a whole.
On 31 May 2011, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research announced his decision to provide $61.5 million of CRN funds to twelve successful projects from 2010-2011 to 2013-2014.
Successful CRN Projects
- Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education, $1,533,451, Australian Indigenous Research and Researcher Development Project
- Charles Darwin University
- Monash University
- The Australian National University
- Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
- Central Queensland University, $5,530,300, CQUniversity Australia - Health Collaborative Research Network
- Curtin University
- Queensland University of Technology
- The University of Queensland
- Charles Darwin University, $5,038,353, Northern Research Futures
- James Cook University
- The Australian National University
- Australian Institute of Marine Science
- Charles Sturt University, $5,396,181, Excellence in Research in Early Years Education
- Monash University
- Queensland University of Technology
- Edith Cowan University, $5,615,052, Growing Research Excellence at Edith Cowan University through Partnership and Engagement
- Deakin University
- Flinders University
- Queensland University of Technology
- The University of Adelaide
- The University of Melbourne
- The University of Queensland
- The University of Sydney
- The University of Western Australia
- University of South Australia
- Southern Cross University, $4,639,448, Policy and Planning Research for Sustainable Regions
- The University of New South Wales
- The University of Queensland
- The University of Sydney
- The University of New England, $4,800,000, University of New England - CRN for Mental Health and Well-Being in Rural Regions
- La Trobe University
- The University of New South Wales
- The University of Newcastle
- The University of Sydney
- Hunter New England Area Health Services
- University of Ballarat, $5,954,970, Self-sustaining Regions Research and Innovation Initiative
- Deakin University
- Monash University
- The University of Melbourne
- University of Canberra, $6,300,000, Murray Darling Basin Futures
- Charles Sturt University
- The Australian National University
- University of Southern Queensland
- Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences
- CSIRO
- Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population & Communities
- Murray Darling Basin Authority
- National Water Commission
- University of Southern Queensland, $5,100,000, Digital Futures
- The Australian National University
- University of South Australia
- University of the Sunshine Coast, $5,450,000, USC Research Futures project
- Griffith University
- Queensland University of Technology
- The University of Tasmania
- Victoria University, $6,142,245, Education, Active Living and Water: Leveraging Victoria University's Research Investment
- Deakin University
- Edith Cowan University
- The University of Melbourne
- CSIRO
Key Dates and Documents
- 31/05/2011 Ministerial announcement of successful CRN applicants.
- 03/12/2010 Closing date for the submission of full CRN applications from eligible institutions
- 04/11/2010 Invitations to eligible institutions to submit full applications [
 PDF 301KB] [ RTF 894KB]
- 27/10/2010 Changes to the CRN application/ assessment process [PDF 33KB] [RTF 32KB]
- 27/08/2010 Closing date for expressions of interest from eligible institutions [PDF 252KB] [RTF 823KB]
- 16/07/2010 Release of Collaborative Research Networks (CRN) guidelines [PDF 131KB] [RTF 1.06MB]
- 22/02/2010 Release of Collaborative Research Networks (CRN) discussion paper [PDF 78KB] [RTF 480KB]
|