The Federal Government has appropriated $186 million to create three new Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) and extend four existing CRCs to encourage research that will yield practical benefits to industry and community in fields including agriculture, manufacturing, health care and data security.
Minister for Industry Ian Macfarlane said the creation of new CRCs and the extension of the existing ones would deepen the collaboration between key industry partners, world class researches, the community and the Government, and deliver new opportunities and solutions to assist the Australian industries.
“The benefits of collaboration are well known. These seven industry-driven CRCs will bring together more than 130 organisations across Australia and internationally, including 60 industry partners and organisations in Asia, Europe and United States,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“CRCs provide amazing opportunities. Australian companies such as EOS Space Systems will collaborate with world class researchers and large multi nationals such as Lockheed Martin to develop new technologies, gain access to global markets and improve their competitiveness.”
Mr Macfarlane said the Australian Government has committed more than $3.7 billion to CRCs as part of its CRC program since 1991, with CRC participants contributing further $11.7 billion in cash and in-kind support.
According to the media release by the Minister for Industry, the three new CRCs include the Rail Manufacturing CRC ($31 million), the Data to Decisions CRC ($25 million), and the Space Environment Management CRC ($19.8 million).
The four extended CRCs include the Hearing CRC ($28 million), the Cancer Therapeutics CRC ($34 million), the Capital Markets CRC ($32.4 million) and the CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation ($15.5 million).
“In addition to this funding, the Advanced Manufacturing and Manufacturing Industry Innovation CRCs are well positioned to assist the Australian manufacturing industry to adapt to new, high tech manufacturing processes and will assist in opening new markets,” Mr Macfarlane said.
“These applications displayed merit and are proposing to address issues of national importance. As such I have asked these CRCs to submit a combined proposal for my consideration.”
Applications for the 17th CRC Program selection round will open on March 3rd, 2014 and close on July 3rd, 2014.
For further details about the new and extended CRCs, visit:
http://www.crc.gov.au/Selection-Rounds/16th-Selection-Round/Pages/Assessment-Outcomes.aspx.
