Study of philanthropy in higher education

The Business, Industry and Higher Education Collaboration Council (BIHECC) has been commissioned by Minister for Education, Science and Training, Julie Bishop, to undertake a $200,000 study of possible strategies to assist the development of a culture of philanthropy towards universities.

Announcing the study, Ms Bishop said that, compared to countries such as the United States, donations and bequests in Australia represent a very small proportion of higher education revenue ($171 million or 1.27% of total revenue in 2004).

The study will involve:

• identifying how universities currently engage with potential donors, including alumni;
• consulting with key stakeholders including universities, business, state government, university development professional offices and peak philanthropic bodies to review and identify best practice nationally and internationally;
• developing a set of national best practice guidelines;
• identifying practical, cost effective options that will assist universities to become more strategic in their fundraising;
• identifying ways of building a culture of philanthropy;
• identifying possible areas of legal reform to facilitate establishment and management of university endowments;
• examining the role of a higher education philanthropy foundation in increasing philanthropy universities and identifying possible models;
• identifying the impact of recommended approaches on the higher education sector; and
• providing a cost/benefit analysis of the options identified.

BIHECC is an advisory body established in 2004 which seeks to increase collaboration between the higher education sector, the business sector and the wider community. Its focus is on developing strategies to encourage greater business/industry involvement in the higher education sector, facilitating partnerships between universities and improving the responses of higher education to skills shortages. Mr David Murray, Chair of the Future Fund and former Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth Bank has been appointed as Chair for a second term.

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Patents Act amended

The Intellectual Property Laws Amendment Bill 2006 has been passed in Parliament, introducing a number of changes to the Patents Act to give effect to some outstanding recommendations of the Government’s response to the Intellectual Property and Competition Review Committee’s (IPCRC) 2000 report Review of the Intellectual Property Legislation under the Competition Principles Agreement and the Advisory Council on Intellectual Property’s (ACIP) report Review of Enforcement of Industrial Property Rights.

One of the key changes to be implemented relates to `springboarding', which refers to using a patent to collect data in order to obtain regulatory approval of a generic version of a pharmaceutical substance during the life of the patent. Springboarding will now be allowed on any pharmaceutical patent at any time under wider provisions. The springboarding amendments to the Patents Act remove an obstacle to the development of generic drugs in Australia, while remaining consistent with Australia’s international obligations.

In relation to trade marks, the Bill allows certain documents to be made available for public inspection at an early stage in the application process. This amendment will enable the development of a system that simplifies requests for information on trade mark files while protecting sensitive business information required in the application.

The Bill and the explanatory memorandum are available at www.aph.gov.au/ParlInfo/BillsNet/main.htm.

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Government pushes international framework for submarine carbon geosequestration

The Minister for Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, is pushing for an international legal framework to enable countries to store carbon dioxide beneath the seabed as part of global efforts to address climate change.

Senator Campbell raised the issue at a meeting in Zurich with Ministers from about 30 countries for an international Ministerial summit on climate change, saying permanent carbon storage was a crucial part of the fight against climate change.

He said that carbon dioxide capture and storage technologies (CCS) such as geosequestration had potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel use during industrial and energy-related processes.

"However, because this application is new, it is not yet covered by the current international legal framework, which was first developed more than 30 years ago. This framework includes the 1996 Protocol to the London Convention of 1972, which aims to protect the marine environment from pollution caused by the dumping of land-based wastes at sea," Senator Campbell said.

Senator Campbell said he had proposed amendments to the 1996 Protocol to the London Convention that would ensure that the carbon-dioxide stream could not be pumped into the ocean water, only into geological formations beneath the seabed.

The proposal has been co-sponsored by France, Norway, the United Kingdom and Spain and will be considered in early November when the 27 Parties to the Protocol next meet.

Senator Campbell said that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had recently reaffirmed the value of CCS in reducing future greenhouse gas emissions, and the Australian Government was driving the development of these low-emission technologies through its $500 million Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund.

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Report on aspects of nanotechnologies released

The National Academies Forum (NAF) for the National Nanotechnology Strategy Taskforce, established by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources has released a report recommending that Australia’s research strengths in some aspects of nanotechnology need to be nurtured to give Australia a competitive edge in global science and technology and minimise the risk of losing out on the potential benefits of nanotechnologies.

The report resulted from a study, led by the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, to review the environmental, social, legal and ethical issues associated with nanotechnologies and to scope a strategic framework for analysis of real and perceived risks associated with nanotechnologies.

The report found no serious risk evident from nanotechnologies at present given the existing strict regulations, but concluded that potential real risks in the use of nanotechnologies in Australia must be identified so that appropriate risk management strategies can be employed for their safe use.

For example, nanoelectronics and nanophotonics present little risk in fabrication and use, but regulations for disposal should be examined if nanocomposites and new nanomaterials are used in future equipment and packaging.

While risks are generally low, some nanobiotechnology products such as engineered nanoparticles in environmental applications such as soil remediation have the potential to present risks to the environment, and hence to humans and animals. Research needs to be undertaken to demonstrate that potential benefits outweigh potential risks.

In nanomedicine, risks are low given the strict approval and regulation procedures for product development and use.

Production of nanomaterials is covered by existing occupational health and safety regulations but more information is needed on the safety of the applications and disposal of existing and new engineered nanoparticles.

On the economic front, the report says that, in addition to maintaining their strong links with researchers and markets in Europe and the US, researchers and industries in Australia need to be aware of the development and applications of nanotechnologies in the Asia-Pacific region.

“More attention needs to be paid in Australia to the open public communication of a clear understanding of the possibilities and limitations of nanotechnologies. It is important that researchers in the social and physical sciences engage in dialogue with the community about these emerging technologies and the associated risks.

“There is an urgent need to clarify the nomenclature of the topic, from the viewpoint of communication between industry, society and policymakers, particularly on issues of risk.

“Australia should be strongly involved in international standards activities to protect its interests,” the report notes.

The study was led by Professor Greg Tegart AM FTSE and a Steering Committee drawn from the four Academies. The report is based on conclusions reached in workshops attended by Fellows of the Academies and experts nominated by the Academies and discussions with experts from industry and governments.

The report is available at http://www.naf.org.au/symposia.htm

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New Centre for Applied Marine Mammal Science

A new Australian Centre for Applied Marine Mammal Science (ACAMMS) has been launched at the Australian Government Antarctic Division to address key knowledge gaps in mammal conservation, management and policy priorities of Australia's whales, seals, dolphins and dugongs.

Funding of $2.5 million has been allocated over four years to the Centre to:

• assess the status of populations of Australia's marine mammals and their distribution, abundance and structure;
• determine the threats to marine mammal populations with a focus on understanding the nature and extent of interactions with humans;
• develop risk management and mitigation strategies for marine mammal and human interactions and test their efficacy; and
• develop new, non-lethal technologies and methodologies with improved methods of abundance estimation such as distance sampling, acoustic, genetics and remote sensing.

A call has been made for grant applications. More details are at www.aad.gov.au/acamms

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Infrastructure funding for Victorian medical research institutes

The Victorian Minister for Innovation, John Brumby has announced funding of nearly $26 million for 15 Victorian medical research institutes through the Government’s Operational Infrastructure Support Program.

Institutes to receive the funding are:

• Baker Heart Research Institute $2,579,844
• Bernard O'Brien Institute of Microsurgery $283,020
• Bionic Ear Institute $365,596
• Brain Research Institute $262,192
• The Burnet Institute (incorporating the Austin Research Institute) $3,187,272
• Centre for Eye Research Australia $304,304
• Howard Florey Institute $1,827,436
• Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research $1,402,564
• Mental Health Research Institute $572,280
• Monash Institute of Medical Research $1,402,660
• Murdoch Children's Research Institute $2,218,684
• National Stroke Research Institute $358,944
• Prince Henry's Institute of Medical Research $973,300
• St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research $1,526,712
• Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research $8,635,192

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WA Inventor of the Year

The inaugural Western Australian Inventor of the Year Award has been won by Roland Butcher, managing director of Live Technologies for his LiveLens technology, which has solved the problem in photography of image loss through poor exposure.

LiveLens is a liquid crystal technology which is manufactured using standard, commercially available microdisplay processes. It increases exposure latitude in all types of cameras, improving the technical quality of the image and providing greater scope for creative possibilities in a photo shoot.

The LiveLens is expected to have applications in many key areas such as consumer video cameras, medicine (endoscopes, microscopes), military (gun sights), astronomy, underwater photography, SLR cameras, night vision cameras and forensic cameras.

As the WA Inventor of the Year, Mr Butcher received prizes valued at more than $100,000 which he will use to further secure his company's intellectual property position; to visit the United States of America for discussions with a potential partner; and to develop a marketing strategy for application of the technology in security cameras. More information is at http://www.livetechnologies.com.au/

Other category winners are Dr Leon Adams and Mr Max Bulsara, from the University of Western Australia, in collaboration with Dr Ric Rossi from PathWest, who were awarded almost $40,000 for their Hepascore invention.

As winners of the research organisation category, the team will use the prize money to help commercialise a tool which accurately predicts significant liver fibrosis among patients with the hepatitis C virus.

Runners-up received up to $24,300 in prizes, including participation in The University of Western Australia Centre for Entrepreneurial Management and Innovation's respected Innovation Excellence Program.

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AARNet3 launched

Australia's Academic and Research Network (AARNet) has launched its high capacity research and education network, AARNet3, which will provide Australia with high-speed links to Asia, Europe, and the USA as well as to other Research Networks around the world.

The new network will also provide high-speed services to regional and isolated areas of Australia.

AANet3 consists of a national 10Gbps backbone from Brisbane to Perth over the Nextgen network, with 10Gpbs links to the US west coast over Southern Cross and links to North and South Asia and onto Europe over the recently launched TIEN2 network.

The high-speed service is based on STM-64c (10Gbps) circuits from Nextgen Networks and is linked through Trans-Pacific Optical Research Testbed (SX TransPORT) to multiple Internet Providers in the USA . One of the SX TransPORT 10Gbps circuits connects through Hawaii and terminates in the US at Hillsboro in Oregon, and the other circuit terminates at San Luis Obispo in California.

The $44.8 million project resulted from a partnership between Southern Cross and AARNet and the Australian Government contributed $16.4 million.

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Application called for Round 3 of the Pharmaceuticals Partnerships Program

Applications are being called for Round 3 of the Australian Government's Pharmaceuticals Partnerships Program and close at 4pm AEDST on 20 November 2006

The Pharmaceuticals Partnerships Program is a $150 million program offering a maximum $10 million grant per company through a competitive merit-based process. This round is the third and final under the program. Several changes have been made to the third round of P3. These look to build on the successes of the first two rounds of the program.

In round 3, grants have increased to 50 per cent of the additional expenditure above a base on an agreed portfolio of eligible pharmaceuticals R&D activities in Australia. Round 3 will also double the allowable expenditure cap for intellectual property protection.

Additionally, round three will place greater emphasis on applicants’ existing and proposed partnerships and collaborations, and the subsequent benefits to the industry and Australia.

It is also now open to pharmaceuticals companies with a three year track record in undertaking pharmaceuticals research and development activities either in Australia or overseas or a combination of both.

The Pharmaceuticals Partnerships Program is delivered by the Australian Government’s business program delivery division, AusIndustry, and is one of more than 30 business products AusIndustry delivers to about 10,000 businesses every year – others include innovation grants, small business services, tax and duty concessions, industry support, and venture capital products.

The Pharmaceuticals Partnerships Program guidelines and additional information on changes to the merit criteria is available on the AusIndustry website.

Potential applicants can contact an AusIndustry customer service manager via the AusIndustry hotline 13 28 46 to discuss their eligibility for the program, requirements and the application process.

For more information about the Pharmaceuticals Partnerships Program or to subscribe to the AusIndustry e-bulletin or to ‘email updates’ about specific AusIndustry products, visit the website here or call the AusIndustry hotline on 13 28 46 for more information.

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Call for proposals 2007: French Australian Science and Technology (FAST) Programme

Overview
The Australian Government in conjunction with the Government of the Republic of France has established the French-Australian S&T (FAST) Programme. The Programme is jointly managed by the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST) and its French counterparts, the Ministry of National Education, Universities and Research (MENESR) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE).

The objective of FAST is to promote and support scientific and technological cooperation between Australian and French researchers in both public and private sectors.

Support Available
FAST will provide financial assistance, on a competitive basis, for small collaborative research projects (including project specific follow-up meetings) between Australian and French researchers. Activities that are eligible for funding support are only international travel and living expenses. Accordingly, funding does not extend to insurances, salaries and equipment expenses.

Under the FAST programme, Australia will contribute up to $A250,000 per round and France up to 150,000 € per round. Individual applications may request funding for up to 2 years.

Under the 2007 FAST programme round, applications will be considered for research collaboration in the areas of natural resources, energy and life sciences. The following (2008) FAST round will consider applications in the areas of materials, and information and communication technologies.

Australian beneficiaries:
Support to and all grants for successful Australian applicants will be provided by DEST to the coordinating Australian organisation. A suitably audited financial report will be required to acquit DEST funding.

French beneficiaries:
Support to French beneficiaries is provided by the French Government in France. Scientific and financial reports will be required at the end of each of the 2 years to acquit French funding.

How to Apply
Applications must be for funding for collaboration between Australian and French partners. Each partner must submit an application to their respective Government (DEST for the Australian applicants, EGIDE for the French). The 2007 call-for-proposals round will to open on Monday 4 September 2006 and close on Friday 13 October 2006.

Australian applicants should refer to the FAST guidelines, available at
http://www.dest.gov.au/science/isl/, before commencing their application.

French applicants should refer to the EGIDE website:
http://www.egide.asso.fr/fr/programmes/pai/  

Information about the FAST programme is also available on the Embassy of France website:
http://www.ambafrance-au.org/science/

Information
If you require more information please direct all specific questions by email to:
Australia – email here
France –  email here

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Fifth International Conference on CFD in the Process Industries

The Fifth International Conference on CFD in the Process Industries is the premier event in CFD for the minerals and processing industries. It attracts professionals from industry and research organisations throughout the world.

This year’s program will present papers on a wide range of applications including: flotation, aluminium reduction cells, casting, fluidised beds, smelting, furnaces, slurries, steelmaking, crystallisation, stirred tanks, biomedical, granular flow and many more.

Industries include:
• Mineral processing
• Metal production
• Bioengineering
• Chemicals
• Food
• Oil and gas
• Power generation

Keynote speakers:
• Professor Suhas Patankar
Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota
• Professor Mark Kendall
Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland
• Professor Li Jinghai
Institute of Process Engineering, and Vice-President, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• Professor Jan Cilliers
Minerals Processing, Imperial College London
• Professor Harrie van den Akker
Director, Dept of Multi-Scale Physics, Delft University of Technology
• Dr Andrew Shook
Global Technology Manager, Process Automation and Pyrometallurgy, BHP Billiton

Mini symposia on:
• Light metals applications
• Gas particle flows
• Gravity separation
• Electro-magnetic applications (MHD)
• Bio-engineering

Who should attend?
• CFD practitioners
• R&D and plant managers
• Post-graduate students
• Process engineers, metallurgists, and engineering specialists involved in the process industries

Major sponsors:
• BHP Billiton
• Rio Tinto
• Light Metals Flagship

The Fifth International Conference on CFD in the Process Industries is proudly organised by CSIRO.

Registration information, programs and past proceedings can be viewed at: www.cfd.com.au/cfdconf  

For further information, contact:
Dr Phil Schwarz
CSIRO Minerals
Ph: +61 3 9545 8500
Fax: +61 3 9562 8919
email: here

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Commercialisation Bootcamp

Knowledge and Research…. Is it time to commercialise?

How much is your organisation’s know-how and IP worth to others?

Do you have the skills to develop and sell your knowledge and research to industry?

The School of Enterprise, University of Melbourne, in association with the Australian Institute for Commercialisation (AIC), are pleased to announce that they will be holding a 2 day short course; Commercialisation Bootcamp.


TAKE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND RESEARCH TO NEW HEIGHTS
This course has been specifically designed for people in research organisations involved or likely to be involved in commercialisation activities. The Bootcamp introduces participants to various stages of the commercialisation process, from structuring a research program through realising the potential of commercial outcomes in the market.

Numbers are limited, so be quick!

Cost: $850 + GST
When: 16th & 17th October 2006
Where: The University of Melbourne,
Hawthorn Campus
442 Auburn Rd, Hawthorn

NEED TO KNOW MORE?
Click here

Express your interest in this course or related courses by contacting;
Elise Strande on (03) 9810 3136 or email here

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Responsibilities and Ethics of Clinical Research!

Thinking of Further Education?

Enrol now for the October intake in to the Graduate Programs in Clinical Research.

Objectives:
• Demonstrate a sound understanding of the basic concepts in human ethics, including the principles of:
- Autonomy
- Justice
- Beneficence
- Malfeasance
• Understand the need for integrity in both research and researchers
• Understand the need to protect human rights in research
• Appreciate the requirement for informed consent
• Appreciate both sides of the risk-benefit tension
• Understand the impact of different cultural perspectives on ethical issues

Description:
• Structure of Informed Consent documents
• Meaning of “Informed” in the context of blinding and randomisation to allocated treatments.
• Basic human rights in experimental settings
• The human being as an experimental subject and unit of analysis
• Data monitoring and safety committees
• Exercises in complex ethical situations
• Ethics committees – structure; membership; terms of reference
• Assessment of ethics applications (mock exercise)
• Cultural differences in ethical viewpoints
• Ethics under adverse conditions or under duress
• Ethical responses to unlawful collection of data or specimens
• Ethical issues of individual or volunteered experiments on the dying

Cost: $1975
When: November 10th, 11th and December 8th, 9th
Where: The University of Melbourne
Level 3, 442 Auburn Road
Hawthorn, Victoria Australia 3122

www.soe.unimelb.edu.au/clinicalresearch  

Express your interest in this course or related courses by contacting;
Brad Atkins on (03) 9810 3185 or email here 

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Sustainnovation® Pty Ltd – Grants, Tax Concessions and Strategy

Sustainnovation® Pty Ltd supports and encourages R&D, innovation, commercialisation and sustainability through:

• ensuring that you are making the most effective and efficient use of government incentive programs such as the R&D Tax Concession/Offset and Commercial Ready;
• helping you identify and capture the business benefits of innovation and sustainability thinking; and
• making your organisation more rewarding for all stakeholders.

Sustainnovation® Pty Ltd’s approach is to help you build the internal capabilities, processes and culture to create sustainable value for your business. Recent examples of services delivered to clients include:

• helping satisfy the social and environmental sustainability criterion for a major tender;
• delivering an in-house sustainability strategy session leading to the development of a company-wide policy;
• supporting applications for the Queensland Innovation Start-up Scheme (ISUS), Commercial Ready and the Renewable Energy Development Initiative (REDI);
• helping identify eligible R&D projects to maximise the benefits under the R&D tax concession;
• addressing R&D tax concession eligibility issues raised by the ATO on a tax audit; and
• delivering commercialisation education to entrepreneurs.

All of our services are delivered in a flexible and personal way by Paul Hodgson, founder and director of Sustainnovation® Pty Ltd. Until recently, Paul was a director at a Big 4 consulting firm, responsible for accessing over $30m of government incentives annually for innovative Australian companies. Prior to this, Paul spent over 6 years at AusIndustry, leaving as Deputy Regional Director, Queensland in August 2000. Paul has a Master of Sustainable Development, a Bachelor of International Business, a Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training and is a Certified Developer of Enterprise.

Please contact Paul on 0421 052 091 or visit our website here to see how we can help you create your own sustainable value.

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ISI Web of Knowledge(SM): Getting the right answers, quicker

ISI Web of Knowledge is a single, integrated research environment that helps you easily search a broad variety of evaluated, high quality content in the sciences, social sciences, arts and humanities. In one search – through one interface -- you can access data from journals, conference proceedings, patents, books, and Web sites. And tools such as CrossSearch(SM), cited reference searching, and the Analyze Tool help you search, sort, and analyze the data the way that works best for you.

If you research –You’ll be able to easily explore multidisciplinary information and follow links to additional data; gaining speed with no compromise in the quality or accuracy of results.

If you publish – You’ll easily find high impact articles upon which to base your articles – increasing the quality and credibility of your published work, resulting in more publication in more prestigious sources.

If you teach – Your students will be assured of using the highest quality resources – finding valuable information in sources they may not have the knowledge and experience to seek on their own. They can begin with basic methods of searching, and move on to more precise methods as their experience grows.

For more information see website here, or contact Thomson Scientific directly via email or +61 2 8587 7948 or 1 800 007 214 (from Australia)

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id+e helps Quantum Technology release Jot-a-Dot

id+e is a leading product development company capable of developing innovative designs to meet market needs and engineering these products so that they can be effectively and more importantly, profitably manufactured.

We have successfully assisted numerous companies take early stage concepts and turn them into successful products.

Quantum Technology is one company id+e has assisted take its world first portable Braille printing device for the vision impaired, the ‘Jot-a-Dot’, to market. id+e provided expert advice and services in relation to the design and manufacturability of the product. id+e was also instrumental in helping Quantum negotiate early production challenges and assisted in implementing sound quality control and production practices.

For further information about id+e see website here

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Help is only a click of the mouse or a phone call away with AusIndustry

AusIndustry is the Australian Government’s business program delivery division and provides a range of programs that support business innovation.

AusIndustry delivers a range of more than 30 business products, including innovation grants, tax and duty concessions, small business services, and support for industry competitiveness worth nearly $2 billion each year to about 10,000 small and large businesses.

Developing a cutting-edge product, process or service? AusIndustry’s innovation grants program Commercial Ready offers project funding of $50,000 to $5 million for research, development and pre-commercialisation.

The Commercialising Emerging Technologies (COMET) program has a strong focus on mentoring, business management, advice and support and offers grants in the range of $5000 to $120,000.

To help customers with product and eligibility information, AusIndustry has customer service managers located in 26 offices across Australia, a national hotline and website, plus almost 60 Small Business Field Officers in regional areas.

Small businesses play an integral part in the Australian economy. About 95 per cent of all Australian businesses are small business, providing a vital source of jobs, economic growth and innovation.

AusIndustry offers both entitlement and competitive based products. For an entitlement based product, such as a tax concession, a customer qualifies to receive the assistance. For a competitive or merit-based product, such as an innovation grant, applicants compete on merit for limited funds, based on their application.

To subscribe to the AusIndustry e-bulletin or to ‘email updates’ about specific AusIndustry products, visit the AusIndustry website or call the AusIndustry hotline on 13 28 46 for more information

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