Education officialdom has released a progress report on implementing the government’s research training plan, released to minimum scrutiny on December 22 last year. The plan was a response to the Australian Council of Learned Academies 2016 review of research training, which called for closer links between higher degree training and industry as well as alternatives to ordeal by thesis (CMM April 14 2016).

This new report does not have much progress to report, beyond work in progress, which may, or may not, be progressing. For example, the Australian Council for Graduate Research and the Australian Industry Group are briefed to “development and disseminate” principles, “that build on the range of available models of industry engagement in HDR training.” The principles were scheduled to be published mid-August but CMM has not sighted them.

But out in the world where things happen, the iMove Cooperative Research Centre is accepting applications for its industry PhD programme. iMove works on transport for people and goods – very broadly defined, it’s newest research projects is on insuring autonomous vehicles. The CRC is offering PhD students $40 000 pa for three years to work with partner universities or anybody in industry with a problem in need of a smart solution. This is as applied as research gets.