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Media release
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Australia’s research workforce will be severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects are likely to be felt for an extended period. Universities in particular have been dealt a double blow by the pandemic.
A new research report published today details how a dramatic drop in international student fees and business research spending will impact the sector significantly in the next six months and beyond.
University job losses of up to 21,000 full time equivalent (FTE) positions are projected over the next six months of which an estimated 7,000 could be research-related academic staff.
Research interruptions and travel and visa restrictions suggest that more than 9,000 international research students will not resume their research in 2020, according to the report’s authors.
The report’s authors are concerned that women, early career researchers and recent graduates will disproportionately experience negative impacts.
The report was produced by the Rapid Research Information Forum, a group of 35 research sector lead organisations. The forum is chaired by Australia’s Chief Scientist, Dr Alan Finkel, and its operations are led by the Australian Academy of Science.
Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering (ATSE) led the workforce report.
ATSE Chief Executive Officer, Kylie Walker said industry sectors may experience a reduced capacity to innovate given that universities perform approximately 43% of all applied research in Australia.
“A decline in innovation may limit economic growth by slowing the development of new technology, skills, and efficiency gains in service and production processes,” Ms Walker said.
The report also found:
· Income to universities, medical research institutes, publicly funded research agencies, CRCs, and the industrial sector is suffering from the loss of foreign students and a sharp decline in business research spending and philanthropy.
· These impacts are greater than during the 2008 global financial crisis and are being observed internationally.
· To try and make ends meet as budgets contract, universities are reducing the number of casual teachers and increasing the teaching loads of permanent staff, further limiting their research capacity.
This rapid research brief responds to a request for advice from the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission on what impact the pandemic is having and likely to have on Australia’s research workforce, and whether we will have the research workforce capability to support our recovery efforts.
The report synthesises the evidence base on this matter, has been informed by relevant experts and has been peer reviewed. Details of the report’s contributors can be found in the report’s appendix.
Background information
The Rapid Research Information Forum was launched on 29 April. The first four published reports respond to questions posed by the Minister for Health, the Hon Greg Hunt MP; and the fifth to Minister for Education, the Hon Dan Tehan MP.
The RRIF will answer a range of questions in upcoming reports at the request of Industry, Science and Technology Minister the Hon Karen Andrews MP; and Health Minister the Hon Greg Hunt MP.
The growing list of questions includes:
1. COVID-19 vaccines and treatments being developed globally that are regarded as having most promise (including national and international collaborations and consortia), and what are the mechanisms for action for each of these?
2. What motivates people to download and continue to use the COVIDSafe app?
3. What impact is the COVID-19 epidemic having on women in the STEM workforce?
4. How long does the SARS-CoV-2 virus remain viable on different surfaces, particularly cotton, wool, other common textile blends, cardboard, plastic, stainless steel and copper?
Read all the reports of the forum here: https://www.science.org.au/covid19/rapid-research-information-forum
Rapid Research Information Forum member organisations
* Australia’s Chief Scientist (Chair) * Australian Academy of Science * Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering * Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences * Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia * Australian Academy of the Humanities * Royal Society Te Apārangi (New Zealand) * Australian Council of Learned Academies * State and Territory Chief Scientists * Chief Science Advisor to the Government of New Zealand * Scientific expert members of the National Science and Technology Council * CSIRO * Universities Australia * Science & Technology Australia
Expert Reaction
These comments have been collated by the Science Media Centre to provide a variety of expert perspectives on this issue. Feel free to use these quotes in your stories. Views expressed are the personal opinions of the experts named. They do not represent the views of the SMC or any other organisation unless specifically stated.
Professor Marc Parlange is Provost and Senior Vice-President of Monash University
Over coming decades Australia’s prosperity will be determined by how well it advances research and innovation to address the many hurdles that it and every nation will face.
Despite challenges of geographic isolation and comparatively low population, Australia has attained a remarkable record for research excellence – contributing more than four per cent of global scientific research publications with just 0.3 per cent of the world’s population, and counting the third highest number of top 100 universities globally. Australian research has driven creation of numerous start ups, new technologies, new industries and jobs. This reputation for research excellence creates further benefits in turn, attracting international talent and fostering deeper cross-border relationships and trade.
The disruption to Australia’s research due to COVID-19 is without precedent. How we respond to sustain our researchers and research platforms during this crisis and throughout the recovery will influence the shape and prosperity of our society for many years. Building awareness of the importance of research to Australia’s post-pandemic recovery will be core to this endeavour. This report by the Rapid Research Information Forum is instrumental to doing so successfully, and to continuing to advance the record of prosperity and innovation to which all Australians aspire.
Professor Chris Moran is Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research at Curtin University and a contributor to the report
The sum of government block grants and research income earned by all Australian universities is ~$4.2B (2017 and 2018 data). Universities must cover the cost of academic salaries, co-investment in research, research infrastructure and other research operating expenses. The difference or “research funding gap” totals ~$3.6B per annum which includes approximately 60% of research academic salaries and ~$1B per annum in co-investment (amounts in individual universities vary considerably). International student fees are the main revenue source used to close this gap.
COVID-19 is estimated to result in a decrease in international student fees in 2020 alone of $2.2-2.5B. The government could ease the challenge for universities through two mechanisms. First, by assuring that they will not reduce the research block grant or modestly increase it in the next budget. Second, immediately stopping university cash co-investment in government grant programs, which would create no cost to government (ARC, NHMRC and CRC programs currently cost universities ~$700M per annum). Further, government could assist industry, particularly small and medium enterprises, to maintain their investment in research by providing a premium on research and development tax concessions for businesses conducting their research in collaboration with universities.
Professor Tony Peacock is Chief Executive of the Cooperative Research Centres Association.
In the short-term, CRCs are helping as much as they can with the covid response like the conversion to telehealth, testing for the virus and manufacturing of PPE. Medium-term, because CRCs rely on collaboration, there are delays to research that needs to be conducted on multiple sites. Longer-term, Australia's very high reliance on university-based researchers will have lasting consequences as they are drawn to focus on their teaching responsibilities and simply won't be as available to conduct research for industry as they have been in the past. Australia will need to maintain the urgency in our regulatory response and how industry and governments have collaborated to maximise our recovery so that we become a more resilient, flexible and innovative nation.
Attachments
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