University Research Commercialisation: Response to the Consultation

This response to the Australian Government’s University Research Commercialisation consultation paper follows its five chapters, within a 1,500-word limit. On mission-driven research, Research Australia notes that missions can build critical mass but may crowd out researcher- and business-generated ideas, and suggests the risk is reduced where government is itself a customer, citing the United States Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency and the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) missions and Frontier Health and Medical Research Initiative. It offers to run a pilot in health and medical research to clarify industry demand. On scheme design, it maintains that current programs are fragmented, so that a proof of concept experiment may require a fresh NHMRC Development Grant application funded some 18 months later, and recommends a single stage-gated process with funding assured as milestones are met, possibly using co-investment models like the Biomedical Translation Fund. On incentives, it highlights support, training and career recognition for individual researchers, leave to pursue commercialisation, well-resourced technology transfer offices, and the Fraunhofer model. On collaboration, it points to commercialisation skills gaps identified for MTPConnect’s REDI Program, suggests revisiting standard agreements and trialling an Industry PhD program. On governance, it recommends representation from multiple departments, Industry Innovation and Science Australia, state governments, universities, medical research institutes and industry and investors.