Adelaidean Volume 11 Number 5 News from the University of Adelaide June 2002 INSIDE Zooming in on Magnetic Dalai Lama: surveillance attraction man of peace? page 5 page 7 page 10 $35m and 100 jobs for world-class plant centre BIOTECHNOLOGY in South Australia has been given a major boost, with the University of Adelaide winning its bid to host the $35 million National Centre for Plant Functional Genomics. The world-class centre, to be based at the Waite campus, will lead to significant benefits for Australia’s $8 billion grains industry. The centre’s work will involve identifying and tracking the genes in wheat, barley and other crops that control tolerance to environmental stresses, such as drought and salinity. Through molecular technologies, the centre will help develop plant varieties that are resistant to these environmental stresses, providing benefits for food production worldwide. The centre is expected to play a pivotal role in the growth of Australia’s agricultural bioscience industry and will help to maintain Australia’s commercial competitiveness in crop production. The centre will initially employ 100 scientists, with numbers to grow as it attracts new research grants and commercial investment. Funding for the centre includes $20 million from the Commonwealth ($10m each from the Australian Research Council and the Grains Research and Development Corporation), as well as $12 million from the State Government. An additional $3.6 million is being contributed by the three universities involved in the successful bid—Adelaide, Melbourne and Queensland—with further funding from the Victorian Department of Natural Resources and Environment. The new centre was announced last month at the Waite campus by the Minister for Education, Science and Training, Dr Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training Dr Brendan Nelson announces the new Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics at the Brendan Nelson, and South Australian Waite campus, as South Australian Premier Mike Rann, Vice-Chancellor Professor Cliff Blake and others look on. Photo: David Ellis. Premier Mr Mike Rann. Dr Nelson said the centre would apply genomics (the branch of science devoted to standing as a centre of excellence in plant for the State". further recognition of South Australia's the investigation and understanding of research and this new bioscience centre will Professor Blake said a new building would be capacity to lead the country—and the genomes) to "critical problems and enhance that reputation. erected at the Waite campus to house the world—in developing innovative and opportunities relevant to the Australian "The bioscience industry is one of the fastest research team and the bioscience companies commercially valuable platform technologies grains industry". growing of all global sectors. My likely to be spun off from the centre's for one of Australia's most important export Government is keen to support this industry research. Work on the new building is due to industries." "The centre will have the scale and focus to because it has enormous potential to attract begin next month. The interim director of the new centre is attract world-class researchers and students further investment and jobs for South Professor Peter Langridge from the through the provision of advanced "South Australia already has a competitive Australia over the next 10 years. University of Adelaide’s Department of Plant infrastructure and outstanding research advantage in agricultural biotechnology, Science. Professor Langridge and others in leadership," he said. "Becoming a world leader in bioscience will particularly plant biotechnology, based on also give us a real chance to stop the ‘brain internationally competitive research groups at the department, including department head Mr Rann said the new centre was "a big win drain’ by allowing our graduates and post- the Waite campus," Professor Blake said. Professor Geoff Fincher, were pivotal in for our State". securing the successful bid for Adelaide. doctoral scientists more career opportunities "This has played a significant part in our "The centre will be pivotal in fulfilling our here in Adelaide," Mr Rann said. success in securing the new centre for South "The success of the Waite campus to attract objective of becoming the national leader in The University of Adelaide’s Vice- Australia against strong interstate the centre is built on the close collaboration plant biotechnology—and one of the top Chancellor, Professor Cliff Blake, said competition. The centre will be the only one that has developed between basic and applied three centres for plant research in the world. the new centre was a vote of confidence of its kind in Australia, and it represents an researchers," Professor Langridge said. "The Waite already has international in South Australia's scientists "and a triumph outstanding achievement for the State. It is Continued on Page 2 Advertisement PAGE 2 JUNE 2002 ADELAIDEAN COMMENT ADELAIDE’S RESPONSE TO HIGHER EDUCATION REVIEW LAST month the Minister for designated universities? If so, how would Education, Science and Training, the such universities/centres be selected and Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson, announced a funded? major Review of Higher Education. The Minister has made it clear that the He claims, rightly I believe, that "it is time Government is not likely to inject to take stock of where we are, where we additional funding into the higher want to go and how we intend to get there". education system in the short term. If that The Minister has released an overview proves to be true, and the recent Federal paper, Higher Education at the Crossroads,to Budget suggests it is, what are the sources of initiate debate on key areas of concern. It is additional funding? For example, would a now up to those with a stake in higher deregulated fee environment encourage education to examine the issues facing the greater mobility of students, enhance sector, and to respond accordingly. competition, and genuinely increase choice while providing, for some universities, an A reference group has been formed to help additional income stream? facilitate submissions to the review. Its membership is drawn from a variety of These are just some of the issues that must groups within the sector and the broader be addressed. community and includes representatives There is every indication that the from a range of different backgrounds. government has a serious intent to propose The reference group, which is convened by far-reaching changes to the higher Dr Peter Shergold, Secretary of the education system. While this University Department of Education, Science and might cautiously welcome the review, it also Training, includes three South Australians: recognises that the review poses some our own Chancellor, Mr Robert Champion serious threats. The challenge for the de Crespigny, Professor Denise Bradley Professor Cliff Blake. Photo: David Ellis. University is to identify those aspects of its AO, Vice-Chancellor of the University of present activities and competitive position that it wants to retain while at the same South Australia, and Ms Madeleine framework within which universities are universities to collaborate and develop time preparing itself to accommodate Wooley, Director of the Adelaide Institute required to operate has been too rigid and shared administrative, library, IT and other change that may be imposed upon it from of TAFE and Deputy Chair, TAFE has stifled initiative and innovation. support facilities. Directors Australia. outside. In particular, the "one-size-fits-all" There is also concern about the under- The University's approach, in the first Three major reviews of higher education in approach to funding has not, it is argued by utilisation of the substantial capital assets of instance, will be to identify six or eight key Australia have taken place since the some, encouraged diversity nor has it universities and that workplace reform has issues and focus on these in our response Dawkins reforms of the 1980s. There has enabled universities to build on their been slow in universities and that, over time, submission. I have encouraged all staff to been the Hoare Report on the management strengths and differentiate themselves in the management has lost essential flexibilities in of higher education institutions; the West take an active interest in the review, to read marketplace. staffing to respond to short-term shifts in the overview paper available on the DEST Report, which looked at a number of demand for services. financial and policy issues, especially the Other questions have also been raised. For website, and to make their own contribution impact of IT and telecommunications example, is there a demonstrated nexus The mode of delivery of courses often to the development of the University's developments on the delivery of educational between research and good teaching, or—as reflects the needs of full-time students and response. does not cater for the needs of adult learners services; and, more recently, the leaked many student groups have argued—does the By now all the initial comments by staff will who may wish to combine full-time Cabinet submission prepared under the research involvement of staff detract from have been received by the University’s employment with university studies. authority of the previous Minister, Dr their availability to meet with students and Office of Planning and Development and David Kemp. engage in innovative ways of delivering There has been a noticeable lack of credit the process of developing our submission to It is difficult to determine whether any of academic programs? transfers between universities, but especially the Government begun. As discussion these reports has resulted in significant Universities that have developed since between universities, the TAFE system, papers on specific issues are progressively changes to the nature of universities or to World War II have almost all developed on private providers, and the other suppliers of released, the University will have other their management, administration, or the the comprehensive model, leading to educational services.