CRCs and Australian biotechnology-oriented research

Abstract

The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program was established in 1990 to bring together the research efforts of Australia's universities, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), industry, and other research providers. It was hoped that long-term strategic research relationships would be more effective than the existing arrangements, and that a cooperative research effort would involve research users and also provide a broader education and training experience. To date, 68 centres have been established from five highly competitive selection rounds. A sixth selection round is presently under way to select a new round of centres to commence in 1999. There are 35 centres which have been involved in biotechnology at one level or another. These centres are in the manufacturing, agricultural, environmental, and medical sectors. The activities in biotechnology cover such areas as genetic engineering, molecular genetics, cell culture and fermentation, pest management technologies, plant genetics, germplasm evaluation, reproduction technology, vaccine development, waste treatment, environmental biology, therapeutics, and the development of diagnostics. The CRC program has brought about a cultural change in Australian research and research management. Significant achievements are now being identified as outcomes from the program. Some of these achievements can be seen as commercial outcomes, but noncommercial outcomes such as improved postgraduate and extension education services, technology transfer, and improved research management have also been important. Drug Dev. Res. 46:171–175, 1999. Published 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.