1. Science portfolio axed

Under new ministerial arrangements announced by the Prime Minister, John Howard, following the election, there will no longer be a dedicated Minister for Science, and the portfolio is to be absorbed within the expanded responsibilities of the Minister for Education, Science and Training, Dr Brendan Nelson.

The former Minister for Science, Peter McGauran, has been made Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs and will remain Deputy Leader of the House.

Science agencies, including CSIRO, ANSTO and AIMS, will now report to Dr Nelson, who is also to take on additional responsibility for income support programs for students, apprentices and young people.

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2. Action Agenda for Advanced Manufacturing

An Action Agenda is to be developed for the advanced manufacturing sector, with the aim of enhancing Australian industry and capacity in the areas of precision engineering, machine tool manufacture, die/mould manufacturing, robotics and other automation equipment for manufacture, general engineering and design for manufacture.

Announcing the Action Agenda, the Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane, said the advanced manufacturing sector in Australia was facing a range of issues that needed to be addressed, including international competition, an image which needs revitalising and an ageing skilled workforce. He said there was a pressing need to encourage more industry collaboration to optimize export opportunities and to make local firms the natural suppliers for local industry. Education and training was another urgent issue.

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3. AVCC extends ISI Web of Knowledge agreement

The Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee has extended its National Site Licence agreement with Thomson covering the ISI Web of Knowledge for a further 5 years.

ISI Web of Knowledge is an internet-based product that provides researchers with access to products and services including an index to journals, books proceedings, and patents.

The licence is valued at more than $18.5 million over the next 5 years based on current exchange rates and the costs will be met by the universities without any additional funding support from the Government.

The initial three-year agreement expires at the end of this year, 37 universities of the AVCC's 38 member institutions have entered into the new five-year agreement.

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4. Free Sydney Information Evening – Postgraduate Programs

You have probably heard about our practical, industry focused programs

Graduate Certificates – Grad Diplomas – Masters degrees:

Science & Technology Commercialisation
Entrepreneurship
Project Management

In fact, we currently have participants resident in every mainland state, the ACT and overseas, from a broad range of industry and professional backgrounds.

Come along to our FREE Information evening at PricewaterhouseCooper premises in Sydney CBD – Thursday 18 November, 6pm.

Through a mixture of intensive courses and online education, readings, assignments and <real> projects, you can earn a formal qualification whilst working full time. Live streaming of Intensives is also often available.

Says Horden Wiltshire: "I am applying the skills developed during the [MSTC] on a daily basis as the CEO of one of Australia’s most exciting technology start-ups."
http://www.ecic.adelaide.edu.au/future/testimonial/

To meet some of our current participants in our programs, click here.

RSVP: Sarah Goodman-Jones (02) 9209 4115
sarah.goodmanjones@adelaide.edu.au

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5. Technology Value Estimation & Strategic Business Planning

YOU HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY……
BUT CAN YOU TAKE IT TO MARKET SUCCESSFULLY?

MU Private and the AIC offer the following programs:

Technology Value Estimation

A 1 day program where you will:

• Work through practical examples to define what represents value and the criteria that influences the cost effective delivery of value;
• Learn interdependencies of factors such as customer value, R&D, production and marketing costs, royalty fees and so on;
• Develop skills using a modelling tool to value technology, recognising the information critical for a robust valuation;

Cost: $695 + GST.
Brisbane November 24th 2005

Strategic Business Planning

A 5 day intensive program where you will:

• Learn how to commercialise new products and services
• Find out how to secure finance
• Polish your business planning and strategic skills

If you apply your skill to the completion of a commercialisation plan for your business, you can gain an accredited award at the same time.
Melbourne February 21st to 25th 2005
Cost $2,700 + GST short course only. Award program $4,200.

For more information go to www.muprivate.edu.au/commercialise. or contact Gemma Lane, 03 9810 3174 g.lane@muprivate.edu.au.

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6. Innovation & Ideation : Activating a high impact innovation process for commercial and competitive advantage

Australian organisations that activate a high impact innovation process will reap tremendous benefits. This conference is aimed at both organizations with existing innovation programmes as well as those looking to benefit from first-time innovation and ideation rollouts.

Innovation & Ideation (6th & 7th December, Melbourne) provides an excellent forum for an unbiased view of the world of innovation. It will also examine the key issues and fundamental challenges impacting your innovation plan.

Following the success of the "Winning at Product Innovation" training event and "Product Development and Innovation" conference, this conference will bring together a who's who of Australian innovation leaders in a cutting-edge programme. Drawing on a number of successful case studies and keynote presentations, this conference will provide an in-depth look at the key strategies that your organisation needs to harness to become a true leader of innovation.

R&D Info subscribers receive 10% discount; for programme details please see
http://www.marcusevans.com.au/pdf/408.pdf or contact Chris Low at marcus evans on 02 9223 2137

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7. Australian Industrial Research Group Dinner Meeting

AIRG (www.airg.org.au) is holding another dinner meeting, and invites those people interested in commercial innovation to attend.

The meeting will be held at the Qizine Restaurant, 230 Dorcas Street, South Melbourne from 6.00pm until 9.30pm.

In addition to networking with AIRG members, the following presentation will be made:

Presentation: “Plantic – Leveraging a Major Commercial Start-up from the Cooperative Research Centres Program” David MacInnes, Managing Director, Plantic.

Plantic is a biodegradable packaging product made from plants. The technology was developed in the Cooperative Research Centre for International Food Manufacture and Packaging Science and involved work by scientists from the University of Queensland, Swinburne University of Technology and CSIRO. Plantic Technologies Ltd was formed in 2002 to seek venture capital and secured investment worth $11.5 million to commercialise the technology. Plantic's technology is already gaining commercial acceptance. In Australia seven companies, including the chocolate-maker Cadbury Schweppes, use it for packaging trays. On the 11 August 11th, Plantic Technologies was awarded the prestigious Australia Museum Eureka Prize for Industry 2004 for its biodegradable plastic. David will explain how Plantic reached its present position, what obstacles were overcome and its plans for the future.”

Contact: Dr Allan Clark, Chief Executive Officer, AIRG
Tel: (07) 3378 0248 Email: airg@zip.com.au.

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8. Contentious Issues – University Governance Symposium:

18 November 2004 @ Shangri-la Hotel, The Rocks, Sydney
B-HERT AWARDS Dinner
18 November @ Shangri-la Hotel – Keynote Address by a relevant Federal Minister

A ONE DAY SYMPOSIUM pursuing the themes of:

1. A Business View
2. Academe & Business: is there a common skills set for governance?
3. Is there more than one model?
4. Issues in Australian Universities Corporate Governance
5. Future Directions

PROGRAM INCLUDES: Vice-chancellors Yerbury AO (Macquarie), Brown (Sydney), Poole (Edith Cowan), Young (Swinburne) & Cox (Ballarat), as well as Dennis Gibson AO (Chancellor, RMIT), corporate leaders Peter Laver (company director), Garry Ringwood (Executive Interim Management), Dr Mark Toner (company director), & Catherine Rossi Harris (company director & council member).

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: University councillors, vice-chancellors & university administrators, deans, staff representatives, business & community leaders interested in higher education, leaders from the professions, senior officers & policy makers from all levels of government, educational administrators, senior management & leading researchers from public/private research organizations, all those interested in improving the quality of higher education in Australia

Register at: bhert@bhert.com
Contact B-HERT Secretariat: 03 9419 8068

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9. Business Development Manager

• Life sciences sector
• Newly created position
• Attractive remuneration package
• Location Melbourne

This biomedical research organisation is focused on finding new targets for therapeutic drug development to treat chronic human diseases. Its internationally-recognised expertise in applied research spans three sites in Australia and is underpinned by major global business partners.

Answering to the CEO, you will work with a talented team in managing projects and intellectual property, developing and implementing commercialisation strategies for domestic and international markets.

Ideally combining postgraduate life science qualifications with formal business and/or technology transfer credentials, your technical and professional experience will equip you to manage complex multi-disciplinary projects. Your skill set should encompass the management and exploitation of an IP portfolio, facilitating and capitalising upon opportunities for future growth.

Please send a CV (Word format, up to 5 pages)
jw@brookerconsulting.com.au or ring
Jeremy Wurm on (03) 9602 1666, in confidence.
www.rustonpoole.com

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10. Assessing the true market potential of R&D commercialisation opportunities

Market analysts AC Nielsen estimate that around 70% of new products and services, including new R&D, fail in the market. There are two key reasons for this: inadequate market research and poor business planning---and the two are inextricably connected.

Careful market research is a critical step in the R&D commercialisation process, particularly in the early-stages. Market research reduces the risk of failure in R&D commercialisation projects by:

• assessing whether a research outcome, discovery or technology is commercially viable, and to what extent
• establishing the level of demand for a technology in the marketplace, and the likely returns
• identifying existing and potential competitors
• providing insights into current market trends
• predicting the growth potential of markets and industries
• informing decision making, product development and the formulation of business and marketing plans.

However, market research can be costly, and not all providers understand the market for specialised R&D, nor the issues facing small R&D project teams and early-stage companies.

The Australian Institute for Commercialisation (AIC) offers a reliable and comprehensive market research service, specifically designed to meet the information needs of early-stage commercialisation projects. A range of tailored market research reports are available—from snapshots to in-depth assessments.

For more information on market research and opportunity assessments for early-stage commercialisation projects, please contact Dominic Poon on (07) 3853 5225 or email dominic.poon@ausicom.com.

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