Hallmark Editions

Funding provided through the National Health and Medical Reseach Council (NHMRC) is to be the subject of an investment review to be completed by March next year.

The review will investigate the impact of additional funding through the NHMRC that resulted from the Federal Government's 1999 budget commitment to double the base level of research funding by 2004-05 with an additional $614 million over the five year period.

The review will be led by John Grant, chairman of listed biotechnology companies, Biota Ltd and Ambri Ltd. Peter Wills, who chaired the 1998 Wills Review, has been appointed Strategic Adviser to the Investment Review. Other members of the panel are yet to be announced.

2. ELECTRONICS ACTION AGENDA SETS GROWTH TARGET

The final report of the Electronics Industry Action Agenda has been released, setting out a strategy which aims to double Australia's electronics exports and turnover by 2008 .

Development of the Action Agenda was led by a Strategic Industry Leaders Group chaired by Bruce Thompson, Chief Executive Officer of KeyCorp Limited. An Implementation Group has been established to monitor and guide implementation of the Action Agenda, with secretariat services provided by Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association (AEEMA).

3. PHARMACEUTICALS PROGRAM LAUNCHED

The Commonwealth Government's Pharmaceuticals Partnership Program (P3) has been officially launched, replacing the Pharmaceutical Industry Investment Program (PIIP).

The P3 scheme offers $150 million over five years in grants to companies with a track record of pharmaceuticals R&D in Australia. They will receive 30 cents for each additional dollar spent on eligible R&D in Australia above a base level of activity. First round applications for P3 close on 15 December 2003. The applications will be assessed by the Industry Research and Development Board, and the program will be administered by AusIndustry.
Further information is at http://www.ausindustry.gov.au.

4. CALL FOR COMMENT ON HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING LEGISLATION

The Higher Education Support Bill 2003 and related legislation has been introduced into the House of Representatives, and is being considered by the Employment, Workplace Relations and Education References Committee as part of its examination of the changes proposed in the budget to higher education funding.

Among matters the committee is examining are: the financial impact of the proposals on universities and students; the differential impact of fee deregulation and expansion of full fee places; provision for labour market needs and skills shortages; the implications for research; governance and regulatory arrangements; and alternative policy and funding options. The closing date for submissions is 10 October and the committee is due to report by 7 November. For further information, visit http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_employment

5. INQUIRY INTO URBAN SUSTAINABILITY

The House of Representatives Committee on Environment and Heritage is to conduct an inquiry into the future sustainability of Australia's urban areas.

The inquiry will seek to identify current and future patterns of settlement, the sustainability issues associated with these settlement patterns, and how government policy might ensure that developed areas retain an Australian lifestyle without diminishing the future value of Australian ecosystems.

A discussion paper can be accessed at
http://www.aph.au/ house/committee/environ or contact the Committee secretariat on (02) 6277 4580 .

CONFERENCES

6. TECHNOLOGY PARKS AND INCUBATORS AUSTRALIA LTD NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Technology Park Conference Centre
Technology Park Adelaide
Innovation House, Mawson lakes Boulevard

28 - 29 October 2003

Habitats of Excellence: Building Tomorrow's Technology Industries

This year the conference will have an international flavour with the participation of a group of Italian Technology Park delegates.

The conference will commence with a key note address by Mr Mark Hollands who for the past 4 years has been a writer for The Australian specializing in IT and business issues.

Topics to be covered during the conference include:

"Tomorrow's Wealth Generators: Grasping New and Emerging Technologies"
Speakers Professor John Rawlston, Iam Wark Research Institiute; Dr Jurgen Michaelis CEO Bio Initiatives SA; Mr Nathan Brumby CEO SEA; and a representative of the Italian Technology Parks

"Stimulating Entrepreneurship and Supporting Start-ups"
Speakers: Mr Steve Montgomery, CEO Australian Technology Park; Mr Nigel McBride, MD Minter Ellison; Mr Paul Weiss, GM DSpace

"The Next Generation of Technology Parks & Incubators - Challenges & Opportunities"
Speakers Ms Anne Skewes GM Technology Park Adelaide; Mr Cameron Frazer Dept of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development Victoria; Mr Mark Jones Zernike WA

There will also be an Innovator Showcase and launch of a new Business Accelerator initiative.

For more details email S.TEvents@bigpond.com

7. ATSE 2003 NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM: WATER - The Australian Dilemma,
17-18 November 2003

The Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) presents a major scientific meeting focussed on finding solutions to the unique problems that Australia faces in regard to WATER. The importance of the Symposium is highlighted by the recent drought but the challenge is for sustainable solutions.

The Symposium will be held at the Carlton Crest Hotel, Melbourne on Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 November 2003 and will bring to Victoria some 300 delegates from industry, government, research organizations and educational institutions.

The Symposium will address major issues from the perspectives of Government, private industry and communities and will bring together Government Ministers, senior bureaucrats, researchers, international and Australian authorities in technology and policy fields as speakers and participants. The program will be invaluable to organizations and individuals in business or community activities with responsibilities for finding solutions to the dilemmas of water in Australia.

The objective of the Symposium is to gain integration of effort and identify new activities whereby all stakeholders can advance effective positive change in overall water management throughout Australia.

Renowned International Speakers include:

* Professor Kristalina Georgieva, Director, Environment Department, The World Bank ,Washington DC, USA

* Mr Paul Gagliardo, Senior Program Director, EarthTech Inc, California USA

* Professor Uri Shamir, Director, Water Research Institute, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, ISRAEL

* Mr Ash Seetal, Director Water Allocation, Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, South Africa

For further information and Registration Brochures please contact PAULA WILLIAMSON at the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering on (03) 9347 0622 ; email paulaw@atse.org.au
http://www.atse.org.au/events/vicsymp2003/symp2003-background.htm

8. A MULTI-DISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO CORPORATE INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL

* Dramatically increase your return on R&D!
* Hear secrets from Cochlear * BHP Steel * So Natural Foods * Interbrand * Baldwin Shelston Waters * Deacons * Coudert Brothers * Mallesons Stephen Jaques

This conference is jam-packed full of exciting new examples of how companies make more money from their existing intellectual capital. This is cutting-edge information from people who've actually proven that their market-driven approach to IP is highly lucrative!

You'll hear how remarkable improvements to sales are achieved, how assembling multi-disciplinary teams breaks-through the commercialisation stumbling blocks.

Announcing a first for any conference worldwide, BHP Steel's crack intellectual property unit reveals how they combined proprietary marketing leads and R&D know-how to creative highly profitable new products for foreign markets. Talk about amazing!

And So Natural Foods relays how their marketing strategies were formed around valuable intellectual property rights - if you want real insight into what's possible when marketing and IP interact, here's the case study.

World brand experts, Interbrand, show how branding is not simply a marketing function, that real brand value is generated through the interaction of different types of intellectual property.

And if that weren't enough, Peter North, Director, Cochlear and Chairman, The Warren Centre for Advanced Engineering has boardroom insights to offer research professionals and IP experts on how IP strategies must evolve as you mature in the marketplace. This keynote address will open eyes.

PLUS ... SHIELD your successful products from rival copy-cat and commoditisation strategies, HEAR war stories on the practical implications of trademarks, brand fatigue and licensing arrangements, EXPLOIT profitable inter-relationships between data, IP and customer relationship management and SAVE money on legal costs when disputes arise in the use and ownership of corporate intellectual capital.

Law & Finance's CORPORATE INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL conference.
19th - 20th November 2003 * Sydney

You SAVE $500. Pay only $1,299 + gst (Normal price $1,799 + gst)
Must register and pay by 17th October

View entire program at http://www.lawfinance.com.au

CALL TODAY (02) 9252 4455

WORKSHOP

9. ADVANCES IN MEDICAL IMAGING AND DIAGNOSTICS

1 Day Workshop to be held on Thursday November 13th, 2003 at the Industrial Research Institute of Swinburne University of Technology (IRIS - 1 Dalmore Drive, Scoresby, Victoria).

Eminent Speakers from:

* The Howard Florey Institute;
* Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre;
* Monash University;
* Swinburne University of Technology;
* Parkinson's Victoria;
* Siemens Medical Imaging; and
* Compumedics.

The central theme is coregistration of medical images for diagnostic purposes.

Limited funded places available for postgraduate researchers to attend at no cost.

A $100 fee to cover the cost of lunch and administration applies to professionals.

Parking is provided. Contact the organisers:
Dr. David Liley (dliley@swin.edu.au) or Dr. Dario Toncich (dtoncich@swin.edu.au) as soon as practical to register.

TRAINING AND FURTHER EDUCATION

10. THE SCIENTIST'S MBA: INFORMATION SESSION IN CANBERRA

APESMA Management Education is holding another information session for you to learn more about Australia's most successful MBA. The session will be presented by the Chief Executive of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia (APESMA), John Vines.

John holds tertiary qualifications in Civil Engineering and Economics and is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In 2002, John was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his contribution to the science and engineering professions with particular reference to his role in promoting management education among professional engineers and scientists.

APESMA Management Education is one of Australia's leading management education providers for managers and corporations in the technology sector. Owned by APESMA, we offer Australia's premier MBA for technology professionals, in partnership with La Trobe University.

The APESMA MBA (Technology Management)* is known and respected in technology-based organisations in Australia and throughout the world.

Session Details
Wednesday 15th October
ALIA House, 9-11 Napier Close, Deakin
Time: 5.45pm

To register for this information session, please visit
http://www.mba-distance-learning.com or contact our Client Care Centre on 1300 853 377, or email inquiry@apesma-ed.com

11. INFORMATION EVENING IN PERTH - MASTER OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALISATION (MSTC)

* Using knowledge to add value to traditional activities
* Creating, using and sharing knowledge to create new businesses
* Connecting into broader knowledge networks

A common theme throughout the presentations at the BHERT Conference in August and at Ausbiotech 2003 was the need to develop business skills amongst our engineering and science professionals.

Well, at the ECIC, we have a complete suite of Science & Technology Commercialisation courses, which lead to GradCert, GradDip and Masters (MSTC) awards.

You are invited to an Information Evening on Thursday, 6 November 2003 at 5:45pm. The evening will be held at Technology Park, in Bentley, Perth, and we are pleased to announce there will be a presentation by Dennis Graesslin, General Manger, Innovation Technology & Incentives Group, for KPMG:

From Thought to Profit: An Advisor's Role

Dennis is a current participant in our MSTC and will reflect on the commercialisation process in light of his experience and our program's insights.

There will also be an information evening in Brisbane on 20 November, and others in Sydney and Adelaide as specified on the website: http://www.ecic.adelaide.edu.au/ne/calendar/index.html

On the night, we will offer some refreshments. RSVP is essential, please send your registration details to: sarah.goodmanjones@adelaide.edu.au
Or phone Sarah: 02 9209 4111 for more information.

FELLOWSHIPS

12. ABC MEDIA OPPORTUNITY FOR SCIENTISTS

* Are you a scientist who is passionate about sharing your knowledge and bringing your ideas to a wider audience?

* Do you want to find out how the media works and how to get accurate science into the news?

Science Media Fellowships

The ABC is offering three Science Media Fellowships in 2004 for practising scientists and engineers with several years experience in their fields. The six week, full-time fellowships, based at ABC Sydney, will commence on March 15th, 2004. You will undergo a science media course then work with ABC science radio, television and online production teams.

It is expected the fellows will continue to be paid by their employers during their placement but they will receive a grant to cover domestic travel costs and accommodation.

Fellows will spend at least 4 weeks of their placement working on a Radio or TV program or with Online Science.

Applications

Your application must include:

* A brief CV including details of any involvement in communicating science to a general audience.

* A covering letter no longer than 400 words on why you are applying for the fellowship, how you think you will benefit from the experience and program ideas you would like to explore.

* A letter from your employer to confirm you can be released for the period of the fellowship.

Send written applications to:
Science Media Fellowships
ABC Radio Science Unit
GPO Box 9994
Sydney 2001
Applications may also be sent via email to: science@your.abc.net.au
(Please be sure to include the words "Science Media Fellowship" in the email heading.)
Enquiries: 02 9333 1237 or http://www.abc.net.au/science/fellows
Closing date: Monday, November 3rd 2003
The fellowships are not intended for scientists who wish to become journalists.

BUSINESS SERVICES

13. ERNST & YOUNG R&D SERVICES

Ernst & Young Australia boasts one of the most experienced and multi-disciplined Innovation & Incentives practices in Australia. Comprising specialists with hands-on expertise in developing technology and leveraging government assistance, Ernst & Young's team is dedicated to helping clients gain maximum value from their R&D investments.

Ernst & Young has extensive experience with the R&D Tax Concession, R&D Tax Offset (cash rebate), R&D Start grants and loans, and Biotechnology Innovation Fund. We can also assist companies to access Export Market Development Grants and other State and Commonwealth grants. We help hundreds of Australian companies to access substantial R&D benefits each year.

Ernst & Young can help you to select the type of R&D assistance that best suits your company, considering your circumstances, your industry and your R&D projects. For more information on how Ernst & Young can help, please contact an office near you or visit our website at http://www.ey.com.au

Perth: Robin Parsons - (08) 9429 2251
Melbourne: Steven Batrouney - (03) 8650 7571
Melbourne: Alun Needham - (03) 9288 8099
Sydney: Mark Tafft - (02) 8295 6987
Brisbane: Lindsay Somerville - (07) 3011 3236
Adelaide: Chris Sharpley - (08) 8233 1685