Research excellence

Students at Australian universities are taught by academics recognised internationally for quality research. Australian universities are leading producers of new and critical ideas, and are major participants in international research projects and initiatives. Australia has produced seven Nobel Prize Laureates in the natural and medical sciences and one for literature. And it remains at the forefront of such challenging fields as biotechnology, solar power, drug design and astrophysics, as well as those enterprises only now beginning to emerge, such as nanotechnology and artificial intelligence.The Australian Government invested $5.7 billion in universities and other major research organisations in 2000. Through the Backing Australia's Ability initiative, $2.9 billion will be invested over the next five years to fund research that will stimulate economic and scientific innovation. Over $140 million will be spent over the next five years to establish Federation Fellowships. The fellowships aim to recruit world-class researchers to Australia, with up to five of the fellowships each year awarded to high-profile non-Australian researchers from overseas.More than 25 per cent of international students in Australian universities are enrolled at the postgraduate level. There are 35 special Research Centres and Key Centres of Teaching and Research based at Australian universities undertaking high-level research and providing a diverse range of undergraduate, postgraduate and specialised professional education courses in a variety of fields. Another 63 Cooperative Research Centres which foster joint research between universities and private industry.Other research organisations supported by the Australian Government include:CSIRO, the national scientific research agencyAustralian Research Council which administered $363 million in grants during 2002-03 National Health and Medical Research CentreThe Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources website can give you further information on excellence in areas such as innovation and technology.