“Without a doubt, this year, the Learned Academies have continued to come together through ACOLA to deliver unique value to governments, parliaments, and society. ACOLA, with its over 70 years of dedication to interdisciplinary leadership and convening of Australia’s leading minds, has been at the forefront of many key issues of policy debate.”
Professor Richard Holden FASSA FES
Chair, ACOLA
“Over the 12 months, ACOLA has continued to adapt and respond to the needs of the changing policy landscape. This has led to new projects, stronger relationships, greater awareness and increased impact in policy discussions.”
Professor Richard Holden FASSA FES
Chair, ACOLA
“Notwithstanding the ongoing challenges of the pandemic in 2020-21, it has been an especially successful year for ACOLA. Our advice has led to better policy considerations and public scrutiny, and provided the evidence that underpinned new government initiatives.”
Professor John Shine AC PresAA
Chair, ACOLA
“In 2020, there has been a no more significant time in modern history that the research community, ACOLA and the Learned Academies have come to the service of the nation.”
Professor Joy Damousi FASSA FAHA
Chair, ACOLA
“2019 has been another very productive year with ACOLA working on four projects under the Horizon Scanning series for the Australian Government. It also saw the release of the third report in the Horizon Scanning series: Synthetic biology in Australia: an outlook to 2030 at Customs House in Brisbane on 4 September 2018. This provided an overview of the transformative role that synthetic biology might play in Australia across different sectors and the challenges it presents.”
Professor Hugh Bradlow FTSE
Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA
“2018 has been a very productive year for ACOLA. Progressing on several fronts, ACOLA has made landmark achievements internally, where it navigated a major restructure, and also externally, where it gained significant momentum delivering the Horizon Scanning series.”
Dr John Beaton
Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA Secretariat Limited
“Financial Year 2017 has been a year of transition for ACOLA, as we completed the Securing Australia’s Future (SAF) program and initiated several projects through the new Horizon Scanning initiative for the Chief Scientist and the Commonwealth Science Council.”
Dr Christina Parolin
Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA Secretariat Limited
“Financial Year 2016 has been a year of change for ACOLA. Along with substantive completion of the Securing Australia’s Future (SAF) program, ACOLA began to turn in a new strategic direction.”
Ms Anna-Maria Arabia
Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA Secretariat Limited
“In FY2015, ACOLA has continued to deliver the first and second tranches of the program Securing Australia’s Future (SAF). The eight projects involved to date were designed to provide evidence-based research initially for the Prime Minister’s Science Engineering & Innovation Council (PMSEIC) and more recently for the Commonwealth Science Council.”
Dr Margaret Hartley FTSE
Chair, Board of Directors,
ACOLA Secretariat Limited
“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
“2012/13 has seen ACOLA Secretariat Ltd take on a new role, initiated by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Professor Ian Chubb AO, and utilising its function as the liaison body between the four Learned Academies. Since June 2012, the company has managed a major new three-year multidisciplinary research program Securing Australia’s Future, providing evidence.”
Dr Christina Parolin
Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA Secretariat Limited
“2011/12 has seen a rapid expansion of the role of ACOLA as the liaison body between the four Learned Academies. The earlier strengthening of the organisation through the appointment of a professional secretariat has proven to be timely. Those steps enabled ACOLA to swiftly rise to the challenge created early in 2012 when the Office of the Chief Scientist initiated a new role for the Academies, as providers of long-range evidence-based research for the Prime Ministerʼs Science Engineering & Innovation Council (PMSEIC).”
Dr Sue Meek FTSE
Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA Secretariat Limited
“2010/11 has seen a reinvigoration of the affairs of ACOLA, with all four Learned Academies committing to heightened engagement in multidisciplinary projects, over and above the extensive research programs already operating within each organisation. The effects of a professional Secretariat have been to help bring focus and clarity to inter-Academy meetings. A msystematic appraisal of both internal and external research project proposals in in place, plans and schedules have been developed, while correspondence and representation across the sector have multiplied.”
Dr Margaret Hartley
Chair, Board of Directors
ACOLA Secretariat Limited