ACDS welcomes Ambitious Australia report

The Australian Council of Deans of Science (ACDS) has welcomed the release of Ambitious Australia: Strategic Examination of R&D Final Report, describing it as an important contribution to national discussion about how Australia can strengthen its research, development and innovation system.

Key points highlighted in the ACDS statement include:

University science is a national asset — universities create knowledge, build scientific capability, and educate the next generation of scientists and researchers.

Universities are the bedrock of foundational research and enabling sciences — these are essential to mission-driven research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and long-term national capability.

Universities preserve Australia’s research pipeline — research training pathways should support both industry-connected opportunities and curiosity-driven academic research.

Reform should incentivise industry to partner with universities — settings should encourage greater business investment in R&D and stronger university–industry collaboration.

Careful implementation matters — changes to funding and evaluation should strengthen the system without weakening the broader research base.

ACDS stands ready to work with government and partners across the system to help ensure reform is implemented well.

Download the full statement