Wednesday, 15 May 2025 The Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) congratulates Senator the Hon Tim Ayres on his appointment as Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science and welcomes the Hon Dr Andrew Charlton MP as the new Assistant Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy. With the Albanese Government’s…
Download submission (PDF 544KB) The Australian Research Council have released the Discussion Paper: A New Plan for ARC-Funded Research. The paper, which proposes significant reforms to the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program, has been developed in response to extensive consultations with stakeholders undertaken in 2024. Launched in 2024, the Policy Review is examining the fundamental settings…
Download submission (PDF 544KB) Australia’s research and development (R&D) system is at a critical juncture. As global challenges intensify and technological advancements accelerate, the need for a robust, well-coordinated and adequately funded R&D system has never been more pressing. The Australian Government is undertaking a strategic examination of our research and development (R&D) system to…
Download submission (PDF 544KB) Australia’s research and development (R&D) system is at a critical juncture. As global challenges intensify and technological advancements accelerate, the need for a robust, well-coordinated and adequately funded R&D system has never been more pressing. The Australian Government is undertaking a strategic examination of our research and development (R&D) system to…
Media Statement: December 2024 Statement on funding cuts to New Zealand Marsden Fund – Humanities and Social Science Research While it is not usual practice for ACOLA or the Australian Learned Academies to comment on the policy and funding decisions of other nations, we note with great concern, last week’s decision by the…
Full ReportOverview Report Mapping Australia’s Indonesia Research Capability KONEKSI commissioned ACOLA, who, in partnership with their member Academy, the Australian Academy of the Humanities, provided a status update on Australia’s existing knowledge and capability with Indonesia. The report, focusing on Australian data and perspectives, outlines the current state of Australia-Indonesia bilateral research partnerships, highlights…
Media Release: August 2024 The Board of the Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) is delighted to announce the appointment of Prerana Mehta as its next Chief Executive Officer. After joining CSIRO as Head of Global in 2022, Prerana became Head of Strategic Partnerships Group in 2023, where she was responsible for growing the organisation’s…
Generative AI – language models and multimodal foundation models The current ‘ChatGPT moment’ is provoking public conversation about the role AI should have in Australian society. In February 2023, Australia’s National Science and Technology Council, at the request of the Minister for Industry and Science, the Hon Ed Husic MP, commissioned a report exploring the…
Media Release: October 2022 We can do better: training Australian workers to be more responsive to disability With 18 per cent of Australians living with disability, sectors including education, healthcare, justice and social services are being challenged to respond better to their clients and customers. Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth MP said the Albanese…
Media Release: October 2022 ACOLA puts words into action on disability responsiveness Some of Australia’s leading academics have applied their research results closer to home with the adoption of six key principles and five key areas for action on disability inclusiveness. The Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) put four professional sectors under the microscope…