Australia is facing numerous challenges that will shape its future, and the Australian Academy of Science has recognized the need for a ten-year plan titled ‘Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035’ to address these challenges. The initiative aims to showcase how science must evolve to meet national goals and advance Australian interests both locally and globally.
President of the Academy, Professor Chennupati Jagadish, emphasized the importance of having a resilient and responsive science system that can support national ambitions such as decarbonizing and diversifying the economy, strengthening defense capabilities, and enhancing sovereign capability. He highlighted the need for decision-makers to have access to evidence about Australia’s science system’s capabilities in terms of competition, collaboration, contributions to the economy, security, health, and quality of life.
To achieve this goal, the Academy will engage experts from its Fellowship and beyond in research and innovation sectors throughout 2024. Sector consultations and analysis will be conducted during this time with an independent report expected in early 2025. The Advisory Group members for this project include experts from various fields.
Overall, ‘Australian Science, Australia’s Future: Science 2035’ aims to equip decision-makers with information needed to ensure that Australia’s science system is well-structured to support national ambitions effectively.
