Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program Fact Sheet 

Key Points

• The CRC Program supports end user driven research partnerships to address clearly articulated, major challenges that require medium to long-term collaborative efforts.
• The CRC Program contributes directly to the Government’s objectives of improving skills and expanding research capacity, increasing innovation in business, government and the community sector and boosting collaboration – within Australia and between Australia and other countries.
• Funding under the CRC Program will support CRCs for varying periods up to 10 years. In exceptional circumstances CRCs may be able to apply for further funding - up to a maximum of 15 years in total - after which time the CRC would be required to exit the Program.
• The CRC Program encompasses all research disciplines, including the humanities, arts and social sciences and delivers on the Government's promise during the last election to reinstate public good as a key objective of the CRC Program.
• Selection rounds are held annually and information sessions are conducted before each round. Details of these sessions are advertised in the national press on the CRC Program website at https://www.crc.gov.au/.
• The Minister announced the outcomes of Selection Round 12 of the CRC Program on 16 December 2009. Seven CRCs were successful in gaining funding of $130 million.
• Selection Round 13 of the CRC Program was opened by the Minister on 16 December 2009. While applications are encouraged from all industry and community sectors and research disciplines, applications in two priority areas (manufacturing innovation and social innovation) are particularly encouraged.
• The first CRCs were established in 1991. The Commonwealth has committed more than $3.3 billion over the life of the program with over $10.8 billion committed in cash and in-kind by CRC participants.

Background

• CRCs are partnerships between publicly funded researchers and end-users (either from the private, public or community sector) to address clearly articulated, major challenges that require medium to long-term collaborative efforts.
• The first CRCs were established in 1991. The Commonwealth has contributed more than $3 billion over the life of the program with approximately $9 billion contributed in cash and in-kind by CRC participants.

Facts and Figures

• The funding allocation for the CRC Program is $179.0 million in 2009-10. In February 2010, following the finalisation of the new contracts with Round 11 CRCs, there will be 48 active CRCs operating in six sectors:
• Agriculture and Rural Based Manufacturing: 14
• Environment: 9
• Medical Science and Technology: 8
• Manufacturing Technology: 6
• Information and Communication Technology: 5
• Mining and Energy: 6
• Commonwealth Agreements with successful Round 12 CRCs are anticipated to commence from 1 July 2010.

Comparative funding data awarded by round

* Note: contracts are currently being negotiated with the successful applicants in Rounds 11 and 12.

CRC Program Performance data