AUSTRALIA'S INFORMATION FUTURE: SECURING THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
Australian Research Council, AGSO Building, Canberra, 16 August 2000
This seminar was hosted by the Coalition for Innovation in Scholarly Communication (CISC), with support from the National Academies Forum (NAF), the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the Australian Vice Chancellors' Committee (AVCC).
Over the last decade Australia's access to the world's total store of information has sharply declined. That decline now threatens Australia's capacity for world-class research, development and innovation.
During the past year the Coalition for Innovation in Scholarly Communication has undertaken five projects (indicated by an asterisk in the program below) designed to deepen understanding of technological, economic and user needs related to Australia's current information infrastructure. These projects were set against a backdrop of recent international comparisons and initiatives, and the findings were outlined during the initial sessions of the seminar.
In later sessions, key stakeholders considered national strategies for restructuring the scholarly publishing process and disseminating information for research and innovation. These strategies were set within a global context and with special reference to the Principles for Emerging Systems of Scholarly Publishing (www.arl.org./scomm/tempe.html) recently ratified by the Association of Amerian Universities, the Association of Research Libraries and several major US universities.
Program
Chair, AVCC Standing Committee on Information Policy (SCIP)
Overview of scholarly communication issues
Chair, CISC and National Academies Forum
Size and nature of present economic investment in information infrastructure
Vice Principal Information, University of Melbourne
Economic and business models underlying Australia’s access to global information
Director, Centre for Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University (for Dr John Houghton)
International strategic initiatives related to information infrastructure
University Librarian, Australian National University (ANU)
Identification of user groups and stakeholders and their expectations of information resources
Deputy Director General, National Library of Australia (NLA)
Survey of initiatives relating to the development of a national information infrastructure
Chief Executive Officer, CAVAL
Andrew Wells
Assistant Director-General, Resource Sharing Division, NLA
New Zealand information infrastructure
Past President, LIANZA
The scholarly communication process: Consideration of future directions
Director Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS), ANU
Dr Paul Wellings
Deputy Chief Executive, Environment and Natural Resources, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
Professor Elspeth McLachlan
National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC)
Professor Jim Piper
Macquarie University
Information dissemination for research and innovation: Consideration of future directions arising from CISC initiatives
Chair, AVCC SCIP
Professor Sue Serjeantson
Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies (FASTS)
Professor Vicki Sara
Chair, ARC
Dr Warren King
Department of Industry Science and Resources (DISR)
Summary and recommendations
University Librarian, Macquarie University
In March 1999 the Fighting Fund of the Australian university research libraries convened a symposium to address Australia's information future. The proceedings were published by DETYA as Australia's Information Future. Innovation and Knowledge Management for the 21st Century.
That symposium led to the formation of the Coalition for Innovation in Scholarly Communication, with the twin roles of fostering widespread ownership of the agenda for change in scholarly communications, and developing a national strategy for cost-effective access to research information.