ARC grants build strong linkages with industry
Innovative approaches to propel the economy will be investigated in a new research project at Flinders University.
An Australian Government Australian Research Council Linkage project, involving more than $1.4 million in funding from the ARC and Linkage partners over the next three years, will make important progress in promoting visionary systems for advanced manufacturing in South Australia.
Australian manufacturing is set to get a boost from a new research program designed to accelerate industrial diversification.
Industry and product diversification is vital to the growth of export oriented manufacturing in Australia, says Professor John Spoehr, Director of the Australian Industrial Transformation Institute (AITI) at Flinders at Tonsley.
“Our new ARC Linkage project will develop a decision-support tool that helps companies to make more informed decisions about new products they might consider making.
“It’s based on cutting-edge international research on the importance of building economic complexity through high-value goods and services,” he says.
Professor Spoehr says Flinders will be the first university in Australia to work with companies on practical applications of “economic complexity analysis”.
“This will help to ensure that Australia is at the forefront of growth in advanced manufacturing,” he says. “Importantly it will help to ‘de-risk’ product diversification and open up new avenues for growth.”
“The new investments we’re making in the Tonsley district, and the research that Flinders University and other researchers are bringing to bear over the next few years, will ensure that Tonsley is a national and international showcase for how you accelerate the growth of advanced manufacturing,” Professor Spoehr says.
The awarding of this round’s 10 Linkage grants to Flinders highlights the real-world importance and impact of the University’s research, says Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Robert Saint.
“Flinders is committed to making a difference and this is reflected in our growing engagement with business, industry, service providers and others here and internationally to provide solutions to long standing problems and emerging challenges,” Professor Saint says.
The latest 10 ARC Linkage grants worth $3.4 million in Australian Government funding were announced by the Minister for Education and Training, Senator Simon Birmingham. The ARC Chief Executive Officer, Professor Sue Thomas, says these 10 projects will involve cash and in-kind support of a further $6.3 million from 29 partner organisations.
“The ARC’s Linkage Projects scheme is designed to support researchers in our universities in vital collaborations with other parts of the innovation system, including industry partners and community organisations,” Professor Thomas says.
