DEST's Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund Allocates an Additional $7.6 Million for 11 New Projects. (September 11, 2007)

Since its inception in 2005 the Collaboration and Structural Reform Fund (CASR) has granted some $40 million for what the Department of Education, Science and Training refers to as providing competitive funds to foster collaboration:

• between two or more higher education institutions in course provision;

• between higher education institutions and vocational education and training provider/s or in areas related to teaching and learning;

• between universities and their communities, particularly regional communities; and

• between higher education institutions and business/employers or professional associations.

And its objectives are to foster "innovative projects that will support universities to diversify and to provide high quality education... [and to] promote structural reform in higher education."

The big winners in today's announcement are:

• National collaboration in higher-level mathematics instruction using high-speed high bandwidth internet-based communication technology
  Lead Organisation: University of Sydney
  Partners: Macquarie University, the University of Wollongong, The Australian National University, La Trobe University and the University of South Australia
  CASR funding: $1,195,569
         The University of Sydney, in collaboration with Macquarie University, the University of Wollongong, The Australian National University, La Trobe University and the University of South Australia, will develop, implement and evaluate learning and teaching systems for advanced and honours-level mathematics education, through the use of high-speed internet-based communication technology (Access Grid Nodes).
  
  

• National Collaboration in the Mathematical Sciences: Integrating research, industry and education
  Lead Organisation: Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI)
  CASR funding: $1,986,000
         The Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI), a national collaborative joint venture involving 8 full member universities and 21 associate member universities and other bodies, will use the CASR funding to support collaboration in mathematical sciences and statistics in relation to education, research, industry and outreach between AMSI members, business and industry, government agencies and the broader community; and with enhancing international collaboration, focusing on developing strengths in newer areas of mathematics and statistics and their applications.
  
  

• A collaborative approach to enabling sciences courses at regional universities in New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territory
  Lead Organisation: Charles Darwin University
  Partners: The University of New England, University of Southern Queensland, and the University of the Sunshine Coast
  CASR funding: $893,400
        A collaborative partnership between four regional universities in the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales (Charles Darwin University, University of New England, University of Southern Queensland and University of the Sunshine Coast) will harness each institution’s niche discipline strengths in chemistry, physics and environmental science. Packages of shared high-quality science units will be developed and delivered at the participating institutions.
  
  

• Repositioning Flinders’ Engineering for South Australia
  Lead Organisation: Flinders University
  CASR funding: $948,080
         Flinders University will use the CASR funding to undertake an extensive re-examination and strategic re-positioning of its electronics related engineering areas. The funding will assist in identifying the University’s capabilities, external opportunities and needs, a distinctive future profile of courses and research that both advances Flinders’ strategic place in higher education and meets state and national needs.
  

The injection of $3.2 million of federal funds toward improving the dissemination of mathematical and statistical training has been welcomed by the sector.

AMSI Director, Professor Philip Broadbridge, said the: "grant will enable us to continue to grow and expand our programs that are critical to industry, innovation and product quality." But he also added, "Maintaining capacity for innovation and research is dependent on building Australia’s base in mathematics and statistics which has been declining for some time."

One of the caveats in regard to CSAR grants is that that are essentially one offs; they are "provided to support projects of a developmental, pilot or introductory nature and are not provided for indefinite or ongoing support."

Dr Jim Lewis, Chair of the AMSI Board and a former senior executive in the resources industry pointed out: "This support is a most welcome acknowledgement of the important role mathematics plays in its own right and as a foundation enabling discipline," while the Chairman of the National Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences Research Working Party, Professor Hyam Rubinstein, said: "With this announcement, and the increased funding for the teaching of mathematics and statistics in the May budget, universities should now be in the position to address a national need for more mathematics and statistics graduates."

The high-speed web-based technology, Access Grid Notes, that is proposed to be used by the National collaboration in higher-level mathematics instruction would allow, it is claimed, "unlimited collaboration" including the ability for mathematicians to see -- and comment on -- what others have written on their whiteboards. It could provide the remote teaching support necessary for honours students based in poorly staffed departments.