Category: Submissions 2026

Research Australia’s submission to the Horizon Europe Implementation Consultation strongly supports Australia’s association with Horizon Europe, particularly the opportunities it creates for the health and medical research and innovation sector to access Pillar II funding and strengthen international collaboration.

Research Australia recommends a dedicated, hybrid Health National Contact Point (NCP) capability and a first year focused on building capability, partnerships and targeted participation rather than funding success alone. It calls for alignment with national priorities, including the National Health and Medical Research Strategy, MRFF priorities, SERD and research infrastructure planning.

We advocated that implementation should ensure equitable participation across universities, medical research institutes, hospitals, patient organizations, SMEs and regional, rural, remote and very remote communities. Research Australia also proposes a formal implementation, outreach and evaluation role for itself, helping connect government with the broader HMR&I ecosystem and ensuring Horizon Europe delivers sector-wide research, health, economic and societal benefits.

You can read our full submission here.

Research Australia’s submission to the Joint Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence supports AI adoption that advances health and medical research, healthcare, productivity and sovereign capability while protecting safety, equity, privacy and public trust. It calls for a comprehensive national healthcare AI plan supported by a unified health data strategy, interoperable and secure infrastructure, sustained research investment and exemplar implementations demonstrating safe and scalable adoption.

Research Australia advocates proportionate regulation and clinical governance, investment in AI literacy and workforce capability, and stronger public participation and social licence. It emphasises equity by design, including First Nations leadership and Indigenous Data Sovereignty, and the needs of regional, rural and remote communities.

The submission also calls for public investment, procurement and commercialisation policies that retain Australian intellectual property, data, talent and sovereign capability while translating AI innovation into measurable health, social and economic benefits.

You can read our full submission here.