NCRIS funding allocations announced

Following Tuesday’s Budget announcement that the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) will receive $300 million in funding over the next two years, Minister for Education and Training Christopher Pyne has revealed the 2015-16 funding allocations for 27 NCRIS facilities.

Pyne noted that the NCRIS “delivers world-class research facilities, providing access to precision instruments, world-class data and analytical capacity as well as high-quality technical and support staff, so that Australian researchers can solve complex problems both here in Australia and around the globe”. The research facilities support a wide range of nationally significant research outcomes, including:

• better understanding of health outcomes by sharing information from patients;
• breakthroughs in cancer testing leading to more personalised treatment;
• deepening our understanding of the oceans, our fisheries, weather and climate;
• breakthroughs in quantum computing;
• improved crop productivity;
• more detailed environmental monitoring for planning and remediation.

Pyne explained that the extension of funding will allow NCRIS to continue while the Australian Government considers a long-term funding strategy after the review of research infrastructure, chaired by Philip Marcus Clark AM, which will report in mid-2015.

“This new injection of funding will also boost our ability to participate in international research initiatives like the Square Kilometre Array,” he added.

$150 million will be allocated to the facilities over 2015-16, followed by another $150 million in 2016-17. The 2015-16 allocations by project can be found here.