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AUSTRALIA BENEFITS FROM GLOBAL SCIENCE LINKS
18 July 2005

Australia benefits from formal links with global scientific organisations according to a report published by the Australian Academy of Science.

Clear benefits identified in the report, entitled Maximising the benefits from Australia's formal linkages to global scientific activities, include involvement in cutting-edge international science, showcasing of Australian science, capacity building in developing countries, links with overseas scientists, significant international scientific conferences being held in Australia and a large number of Australian scientists involved in leadership roles in global scientific organisations.

'This country's research and development effort is small on the global scale but international linkages provide access to the global resources,' said Professor Kurt Lambeck, an Officer of the Academy and Chair of the Steering Group for the report.

The national membership subscriptions to some global scientific organisations are very modest, threatening Australia's benefits and preventing the scientific community from formally engaging with new and potentially worthwhile emerging global activities.

'Scientific issues are increasingly influential in matters of international environmental policy, international economic policy, national security and capacity building in developing countries. Australia needs to participate in the agenda-setting and decision-making activities,' Professor Lambeck said.

'Science by nature is an international enterprise. Contributing to the progress in science, to the development of excellence of Australian science, and to maximise the benefits of science requires that Australia participates fully in this enterprise.'

The full report is available on the Academy's website at www.science.org.au/reports/linkages.htm.

The report was funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage-Learned Academies Special Projects Grant.