The feds have commissioned a review into research at regional unis. The Regional Universities Network suggests more money would help

RUN’s submission to the Australian Council of Learned Academies review points to problems with perceptions, “that regionally-based universities are almost exclusively focussed on teaching” and warns of a paucity of programmes that fund research into “regionally-based” issues.

Some of the solutions RUN suggests focuses on more research money, including “a dedicated per centage” of research agency funds for research projects, research fellows and infrastructure at regional universities, a stand-alone programme to encourage collaboration to build research, Research Training Programme funds to attract research students to regional campuses to work on national priorities and travel-support for students to access city-located National Collaborative Research Infrastructure.

“Additional new resourcing for research would assist in terms of the breadth of research undertaken at regionally-headquartered universities and in attracting excellent researchers. Developing breadth of research would also assist regional communities e.g. in the arts and social sciences,” RUN states.