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CSIRO is Australia’s national government body for scientific research. Pictured – growingsemiconductor material for microwave ICs
Smart People, Smart Research
Australia’s enterprising research and development sector plays a major role in producing new technologies around the world.
National research bodies such as the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and National ICT Australia are dedicated to developing products and services with high commercial value.
CSIRO, for example, worked with Macquarie University to develop chip technology that enabled very high-speed communications over wireless local area networks. The spin-off company from the project, Radiata Communications, was bought by Cisco Systems in 2000 for US$295m.
Canon in Australia
The Canon Information Systems Research Australia (CISRA) was established in 1990, and is one of Canon’s largest research centres outside Japan.
CISRA undertakes development work into chip, hardware, software, graphic and user-interface design and quality assurance. CISRA-developed digital image management and photo album software applications are included with digital cameras, inkjet printers and scanners.
Australian-developed software, hardware and integrated circuit designs are incorporated within Canon’s multifunction devices and copiers for global markets.
“Australia has a good supply of high quality people with a good understanding of customer requirements and strong engineering skills. It is an excellent test-market environment,” says Mr Nobuhiko Shinoda, Managing Director of CISRA (pictured).
Bond University on the Sunshine Coast maintains four ICT research centres focused on advancing technology convergence, developing sound ICT policies, creating smart enterprises and supporting software assurance.
Public research groups and private companies, both international and local, are also engaged in collaborative research through Cooperative Research Centres. Focus areas include internet, security, human-computer interaction design and communications technologies.
Australia’s Government plays a strong role in nurturing the research sector, providing A$5.3bn in funding over seven years under the ‘Backing Australia’s Ability’ innovation policy.
People power
Australia’s ICT strengths spring from a highly skilled workforce with specialist knowledge in a diverse range of technology fields. The sector employs 236,000 specialists from a deep pool of talent where engineers, software developers, security experts and optics researchers are easy to source.
“Australian folks are genuinely innovative and enjoy thinking outside the square,” says Kym Teh, Executive General Manager at EDS Australia. Alcatel Australia concurs, rating the high quality of researchers and students as one of the key factors in Alcatel’s investment in research and development in Australia.
An exceptional secondary and tertiary education system is the mainspring of Australia’s technology skills. Some 39 universities support the sector with undergraduate and graduate courses in broad and specialist ICT disciplines. Information systems, computer systems engineering and computer science degrees are complemented by tightly focused programs in areas such as Linux, electronic games, finance, mining and e-security.
