Australian Innovation System Report 2012 Compendium of Program Updates

SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute

The establishment of the $200 million South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) will draw together more than 700 researchers in a state-of-the-art, purpose-built 25,000 square-metre facility, adjacent to the new Royal Adelaide Hospital (NRAH). Works on the facility commenced in February 2010 and are anticipated to be completed in late August 2013.

Backed by the support of the Federal and State Governments, as well as the three South Australian Universities and the South Australian Department of Health, SAHMRI will foster state, national and global collaborative partnerships. Following an extensive global search, Professor Steve Wesselingh was appointed as SAHMRI’s inaugural Executive Director in December 2010 and assumed the role in full time capacity on 4 October 2011.

SAHMRI’s research themes address some of the most pressing and critical problems that confront our health and wellbeing today. They are: Cancer, Nutrition and Metabolism, Infection and Immunity, Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, Heart Disease, Mind and Brain. SAHMRI has embedded a special focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health into all of its research themes and activities. SAHMRI intends to become a world leader in scientific and translational medical research, and its Scientific Advisory Committee which includes 12 of Australia’s top health and medical scientists reflects this goal.



Artist’s impression of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI). Image provided courtesy of SAHMRI.

Website for further information:

http://www.sahmri.com/

The South Australian Aquatic Biosecurity Centre

In November 2011 the South Australian Aquatic Biosecurity Centre was opened at the Roseworthy campus of the University of Adelaide, in collaboration with Marine Innovation South Australia (MISA). This facility enhances Australia’s capacity to study aquatic pathogens and pests in a secure environment. The 2010 opening of the Veterinary College at the Roseworthy Campus also provides an excellent synergy of expertise and equipment for studying aquatic animals. This centre will contribute to both the security of Australia’s aquatic food supplies as well as Australian marine industries in general.

Website for further information: http://www.misa.net.au/news/sa_aquatic_biosecurity_centre_opens

Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing

The Australian Federal Government, South Australian State Government, the Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Defence SA and the University of Adelaide have invested over $40 million to construct a new facility called 'The Braggs', which will house the University of Adelaide’s world-leading Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing (IPAS) and other science teaching and research facilities. The facility which is due for completion by early 2013 will house a unique suite of trans-disciplinary laboratories and facilities in addition to offices to co-locate IPAS researchers and students from a broad range of scientific disciplines. In the new facility IPAS will enable researchers to develop revolutionary technologies that will bring benefits to health, the environment, food and wine production and defence using some of the most sophisticated fibre optical laboratories in the world.

Flinders University Tonsley Park expansion

Flinders University will establish a $129 million teaching and research facility at the Tonsley Park Redevelopment in which it will teach computer science, engineering and mathematics to undergraduate students while also undertaking an extensive range of research activities and business collaborations. The facility will house about 2000 students and 150 staff and is scheduled to be fully operational in 2015. In addition to teaching undergraduate students, an extensive range of research activities and business collaborations will be undertaken at the site through the Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP), the Centre for NanoScale Science and Technology (CNST) and the Southern Knowledge Transfer Partnership (SKTP). The Tonsley Park facility will also underpin a further strengthening of the existing collaboration with TAFE SA - which is providing alternative pathways to Flinders for students - and will see both institutions playing a major role in the proposed Sustainable Industries Education Centre.

Sustainable Industries Education Centre

A $120 million Sustainable Industries Education Centre is being built at Tonsley Park by TAFE South Australia. The centre will specialise in training more than 8000 people a year – including plumbers, bricklayers, designers and carpenters – in emerging green technologies associated with the building and construction industry. Construction will be completed by the end of 2013 with the first students to start at the beginning of 2014. The new education centre, which is being built in collaboration with the State’s universities and industry, is designed to transform training in the building, construction and water industries. It will also open the way to incorporating more clean green technology into future building projects, and to improve links between green technology research and design in the State’s universities, education and training of workers. The proposed co-location of vocational and higher education with the industry sector will not only give industry ready access to cutting edge training facilities, but will also give students the opportunity to learn in close proximity to industry as they progress from basic skills training through to higher education.

Mining and Engineering Centre

The Mining and Engineering Centre is being built at the Regency Park campus of TAFE SA to support the growth of the mining, engineering, advanced manufacturing, transport and defence industries in South Australia. The new $38.3 million centre will become a centre of training excellence for the mining, and engineering industries. The Mining and Engineering Centre will consolidate and integrate programs previously delivered across the TAFE network, thus creating a training hub for industries. The facility will be able to cater for more than 3000 students per year and have around 80 staff. Construction of the Mining and Engineering Centre is scheduled for completion by late 2014. Construction discussions with the University of South Australia indicate student exchange and facilities sharing between TAFE and the University of South Australia will be achieved.

Skills for All

Skills for All is a South Australian Government initiative that is changing the way vocational education and training is funded in South Australia and will bring fundamental changes to the State’s training system in order to:

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  raise the skills level of South Australians;
  
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  increase the number of South Australians with post school qualifications; and
  
• 
  increase labour force participation.
  

Fundamental to the reforms will be a renewed partnership with industry underpinned by a strong commitment to training. The South Australian government, through Skills for All, has committed to working with industry to promote workforce development, maximise investment in training and encourage more people to gain skills through training over their working lives. The Skills in the Workplace program also will allow employers in key target industries to co-invest with government to up-skill employees at higher qualification levels and support workforce development. Selected priority courses with a strong STEM requirement are fully subsidised.

MEGA

MEGA is an entry level entrepreneurship program for the digital content and application industries in South Australia which has been running since 2006. It acts as a pathway to more advanced programs such as industry development programs, ANZATECH export programs, VET and higher education. MEGA provides practical skills in innovation and commercialisation, and a cross discipline methodology for team development. It has an extensive in-kind contribution by industry (leadership, presentations and mentoring) and cross sectoral collaboration. Participants form project teams and, guided by industry experts, develop and pitch new products and services to investors, buyers and business identities at a high profile Pitch Day. In 2011 there were 19 participants in seven teams who pitched at the Public Pitch Day_. A number of previous participating teams have achieved commercial outcomes.

Website for further information:

http://www.mega.org.au/

The Trans Tasman Commercialisation Fund

Commencing in 2008-09 the $30 million Trans-Tasman Commercialisation Fund (TTCF) is a collaboration involving South Australia’s three local universities, Monash University in Victoria and the University of Auckland and a capital provider – AustralianSuper. The parties have been brought together through the common goal of generating enhanced returns through investment in the commercial applications of research excellence. TTCF invests pre-seed, seed and venture capital into early stage commercial research projects and spinout companies generated by member universities across all sectors including life sciences, information and communications technology and engineering/cleantech.

Website for further information:

http://ttcf.com.au/

Materials and Minerals Science Learning and Research Hub

A new $50 million Materials and Minerals Science Learning and Research Hub has been built at the University of South Australia's Mawson Lakes campus. The centrepiece of this hub - the Materials and Minerals (M2) Science Building was officially opened on 6 August 2012 and is one of the nation’s most advanced research facilities for materials and minerals science. It will be home to 120 research students and staff from Australia and countries around the globe and will be the setting for teaching and learning in the University’s new Bachelor of Science (Advanced Materials), as well as providing a place for a critical mass of research capability to industry. It is a key step in forging new university and industry collaborations and partnerships and attracting students, researchers and industry contribution to new technologies in health, engineering and manufacturing, mining and materials.

Medical Device Partnering Program

The Medical Device Partnering Program (MDPP) supports the development of cutting-edge medical devices through unique collaborations between researchers, industry, end-users and government. The objective of the MDPP is to provide a streamlined approach to the product development process, from early stage concepts right through to manufactured products. The program facilitates the development of medical devices by coordinating the efforts of key stakeholders. It provides a mechanism for the development of prototypes, proof of concept and/or commercialisation planning for potential Australian medical device products. Professor Karen Reynolds, the MDPP leader at Flinders University, has recently been awarded the South Australian Scientist of the Year (2012) in recognition of the industry/university partnering model.

Website for further information:

http://www.flinders.edu.au/mdpp/mdpp_home.cfm

Bio Innovation SA (BioSA)

In 2001, the State Government established BioSA to foster the growth of the South Australian bioscience industry. BioSA provides world-class infrastructure, high-level business advice and expertise, financial assistance, marketing and communication services to support the growth of the bioscience industry. The State Government-funded $12 million BioSA Business Incubator Building at the Thebarton Bioscience Precinct was established in 2008 to promote and accelerate the commercialisation of research and development in South Australia. This state-of-the-art, purpose-built building, provides modular office and laboratory space to accommodate early stage bioscience companies.

In the ten years since its inception BioSA has laid the foundations to grow the state’s knowledge-based economy by assisting the bioscience industry to diversify and more than double the number of employees and companies and treble the value of revenues and exports. Over 100 bioscience companies currently operate in SA, employing more than 1,700 people and generating about $250 million in revenue. The strength of BioSA has been in acting as a neutral broker and facilitator with effective networks in both the academic and private sectors. BioSA provides a catalyst function and delivers government policy where it is most valuable: connecting business and academia with dedicated programs that ultimately result in long-term employment and wide economic benefit driven by the private sector. BioSA also actively encourages networking, collaboration and employment opportunities in SA. For example, the Adelaide Integrated Bioscience Labs or AIB Labs, a network of laboratories providing specialised equipment to the national and international research community, which has grown significantly over the last 10 years. The network now comprises 18 facilities and over 60 staff.

Website for further information:

http://www.bioinnovationsa.com.au/



The BioSA Business Incubator. Photo Drew Lenman.