Monash University > News and Events > Monash Memo

Monash prepares for research quality assessments

31 August 2005

Monash last week continued preparations for the introduction of the federal government's Research Quality Framework with a series of information sessions on the framework and the UK's Research Assessment Exercise.

From left: Professor Edwina Cornish, Dr Robin Jackson and Ms Nicola Sainsbury.

The government is developing the framework - as part of its Backing Australia's Ability II package - to assess the quality and impact of publicly-funded research. It is expected to be introduced in 2007/2008.

Monash staff received briefings from Dr Anne Bryne, director of the Department of Education, Science and Training's Research Quality Assessment Framework Team; Dr Robin Jackson from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and Ms Nicola Sainsbury from the Quality Assurance Office at King's College London.

Deputy vice-chancellor (Research) Professor Edwina Cornish said the briefings helped prepare the Monash community for the framework's introduction.

"Monash supports the development of a framework that will ensure Australia maintains and enhances the international standing of its research," Professor Cornish said. "If, as a country, we do not continue to maintain a commitment to supporting research that is of an international standard in terms of excellence, future generations will not have the capacity to compete internationally.

"The other main objective for introducing it is to provide a mechanism to assure the Australian community and Commonwealth Government that appropriate returns on investment are resulting from their investment in research."