Science & Infrastructure 

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The Australian Government's $3.1 billion increase in funding for science, research and innovation over the next four years reflects the importance of science and technology to Australia's economic and social well-being.

The Science and Infrastructure Division promotes Australia’s science interests by managing national funding of major research infrastructure, developing global science partnerships, providing advice on science and technology issues and fostering the Department’s relationship with Australia's research agencies.

By backing Australia’s science and research efforts and investing in significant infrastructure, Australia has the edge to compete at the forefront of international research.

What's New

• Applications are being sought under the French-Australian Science and Technology (FAST) Program.
  
• The Australian and German Governments have signed a funding agreement to support collaborative research partnerships in key areas of importance for both countries, including clean energy technologies. 
  
• The Prime Minister has announced a major new investment to build scientific links with India. Bilateral research efforts will be targeted at the challenges both countries face in energy, food and water, health and the environment.
  
• The Pawsey High Performance Computing Centre for Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Science, a new high-performance computing centre, demonstrates Australia's capacity to host the SKA.
  
• The Atlas of Living Australia will integrate information on all Australian species. It is funded under the Department's National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
  

Super Science Initiative

Announced in May 2009, the Super Science Initiative will add $1.1 billion to support research in priority areas of Australian science until 2013.Priority areas include climate change, biotechnology, nanotechnology, space science, astronomy and marine science.

Research Infrastructure

Through initiatives like Super Science, NCRIS and the Education Investment Fund competitive rounds,the Australian Government provides the infrastructure to enable Australian science to deliver lasting returns to the Australian community.

• National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)
• National Research Infrastructure Council (NRIC)
• Education Investment Fund (EIF)
• Australian Scheme for Higher Education Repositories (ASHER) and the Implementation Assistance Program (IAP)

Square Kilometre Array and Astronomy

$160.5 million is being invested to strengthen Australia's record in space and astronomy research and boost our chance of hosting the world's largest and most powerful radio telescope, the Square Kilometre Array.

International Science

Effective engagement and interaction with the global science system enables the Australian science community to achieve much more than it could on its own. International engagement is essential to sustain a high quality science system and to provide broader social, environmental and economic benefits.

International engagement facilitates ideas and expertise exchange, skills development, access to large infrastructure, foreign investment and enhanced international relationships.

Research Agencies

Australia’s scientific research agencies are at the cutting edge of discovery. Find out more about the portfolio's agencies - the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS).

View paintings from the opening exhibition for 'Ilgarijiri - Things Belonging to the Sky'. The project explores indigenous art and astronomy in a collaboration between astronomers of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) and the Yamatji Arts organisation in Geraldton. Issue 23 (July 2009) of the auSKA newsletter, which reports on the the exhibition, is available for download from the SKA website (.pdf, 7.58MB).