All听of these inventions came from听research conducted at Australian听universities.听
Right now,听teams of researchers听in university laboratories听around the country听are working tirelessly to听stop听the COVID-19听global pandemic in its tracks.听Researchers are听developing better tracking听of outbreaks, better protections for health workers and听better听patient听treatments.听听Australians are part of the huge global effort to find a vaccine听
Economists are听building models听to听protect us from the worst of the downturn,听AI experts听are听building听new industries听that听will听create听new jobs听that will be so desperately needed for national recovery.听The nation鈥檚 researchers听鈥听university and industry working听together听鈥听have directed all their expertise,听all their decades of听work and听knowledge, to the fight of our lives.听听
The majority of these breakthroughs come听not from 鈥渁h-ha鈥 light bulb听moments听but careful, sustained academic inquiry over months and years. The focused pursuit of understanding and certainty is what delivers tangible outcomes.听
Investing in university research is听an investment in the national economy.听鈥According听to recent Deloitte Access Economics modelling commissioned by 黑料老司机, for every $1 invested in higher education research, $5 is returned to GDP.听
The听collaborations between Australian businesses and universities generate $12.8 billion a year in revenue听and听in 2018-19听supported听38,500 full-time jobs across the country, according to Ernst and Young analysis.听
Unfortunately, at听the very听time Australia needs听to听flatten the COVID-19 curve and听help drive our post-pandemic听economic听recovery, the funding that supports听university research听is under threat.听
The听simple听fact is,听revenue from international听students听has听become听a听vital听source of funding for听university听research听as well as teaching听in Australia.听听
Australia needs research and development to prosper, economically and socially.听 But Australia鈥檚 investment in R&D is at its lowest level in 15 years.听听In 2017-18,听Australia invested just 1.79 per cent of GDP. The OECD average is听2.4听per cent.听On听these trends,听we can expect听these figures to be even lower in 2020听for Australia.听
Successive governments听encouraged听universities听to听develop education as an export sector听and a new source of revenue.听
Which we did.听Now,听international education听has grown to become听Australia鈥檚 fourth largest export, worth $39 billion per year.听
The international education听sector听in Australia now faces unprecedented challenges, with听borders closed and campuses quiet. International students, like their Australian colleagues, are studying online where they can, but some can鈥檛, and some will听stall enrolling until听face-to-face teaching resumes, and until they can get here.听Some will have to defer or cancel study plans,听as recession hits.听听
And it won鈥檛听be an听overnight听recovery.听International听students will be conspicuous听by听their absence听in 2021 and听for听years听after that.听Students who didn鈥檛 start this year, will not be doing second听year听in 2021 and听so on and so on.听
The university sector is preparing for this enrolment shortfall to extend听for听two, three perhaps five听years. And that鈥檚 not something any industry can听absorb.听
Particularly not universities, which have been excluded from听other broadscale听economic听stimulus initiatives, including the JobKeeper听package.听
Recent modelling by Universities听Australia听estimated the decline in听university听revenue would听mean the loss of 21,000 jobs, or 16 per cent of听the total听university workforce.听
But听because听of the听way research is听now听funded,听research听staff are likely to be at听even听greater risk.听听New modelling by鈥疨rofessor Chris Moran鈥here at听Curtin University鈥痚stimates鈥the听loss of international student income听could be as high as听$2.5 billion听nationally听in 2020, putting听38 percent of听research听salaries at risk.听
It鈥檚 not just these jobs that are at risk.听It鈥檚 also听the future medical breakthroughs, the new technologies,听and the听start-ups听and spin–offs that will employ hundreds听of thousands听of Australians.听听
With听Australia鈥檚 post-pandemic听economic听recovery at stake,听we鈥檙e asking听the Commonwealth听to prioritise听and strengthen听investment听in听research.听We must work together to build a bridge to the future.听
Professor Deborah Terry听AO听is the Chair of 黑料老司机听and Vice-Chancellor of Curtin University.听
As published in The Sydney Morning Herald on 7 May 2020.
