2014 Annual Report
In FY2014 ACOLA Secretariat Ltd has continued to deliver the research projects of the first tranche of the program Securing Australia’s Future. The company has also been closely involved in developing and initiating several second tranche SAF projects. All of these were designed to provide evidence based research for the Prime Minister’s Science Engineering & Innovation Council (PMSEIC).
Dr John Beaton, Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA Secretariat Limited
ACOLA STRATEGIC STATEMENT
Australia’s four Learned Academies are independent organisations made up of the nation’s leading experts in all of the major fields of enquiry. More than 2000 of the nation’s most eminent scientists, researchers, scholars and practitioners contribute to this rich source of expert knowledge.
ACOLA provides the forum for the four Learned Academies to work cooperatively to develop cutting-edge thinking and integrated problem solving. ACOLA’S purpose is to harness expert knowledge from multiple disciplinary perspectives, to inform national policy and to develop innovative solutions to complex global problems and emerging national needs.
Chair’s Report
In FY2014 ACOLA Secretariat Ltd has continued to deliver the research projects of the first tranche of the program Securing Australia’s Future. The company has also been closely involved in developing and initiating several second tranche SAF projects. All of these were designed to provide evidence-based research for the Prime Minister’s Science Engineering & Innovation Council (PMSEIC).
In order to implement and support the program, the ACOLA Secretariat Melbourne staff was maintained at EFT 3.85. Part-time project managers continued to be employed in Canberra and Sydney.
In addition to the projects that comprised the program Securing Australia’s Future, ACOLA Secretariat has continued to manage a 2010–2012 LASP project (Making Interdisciplinary Research Work). The final phase of this project, extended from 2012 to September 2014 by agreement with the ARC, will be completed during FY2015.
ACOLA Secretariat staff members network across the research sector through the Research Agencies Meeting, the Australian Research Management Society, participation in public events and occasional presentations at conferences. The constant involvement in interdisciplinary research projects and the engagement with the theory of interdisciplinary research has fostered valuable expertise in this area.
The ACOLA Board has served fully, regularly and effectively in support of the company, the ACOLA projects and the Council. For the 2015 calendar year a smooth transition has been designed to pass Council and Board Chairs from ASSA to ATSE.
I warmly thank my colleagues on the Board for their diligence and collegiality in 2014.
Dr John Beaton
Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA Secretariat Ltd
