Research centre applies skills to community projects

Research centre applies skills to community projects

The University of Queensland's Social and Economic Research Centre (SERC) has picked up a sizeable chunk of government, private and university contracts since its establishment last year as a specialist research consultancy.

SERC director Emeritus Professor John Western said the Centre conducted multi-disciplinary research into significant economic and social issues.

"Two University faculties - Social and Behavioural Sciences and Business, Economics and Law - have combined their expertise to undertake research and consultancies for private and public sector agencies," he said.

"As a result, the Centre is able to draw on the services of a large number of internationally-recognised scholars."

Contracts won by the group in the past 12 months include:

o reports for the Office of Women's Affairs and the Department of Natural Resources;
o a major-south-east Queensland survey for the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute;
o advice and projects for the Department of Premier and Cabinet, the Queensland Treasury and the Department of Training and Industrial Relations;
o student surveys for Union College; and
o migrant profiles for the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs.

The Centre has recently commenced an evaluation of the last three years of the Supported Accommodation Assistance Program, a joint Commonwealth, States and Territories initiative for the Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services.

Professor Western said Centre researchers specialised in fields including:
o social trends analysis;
o social impact assessment;
o workplace relations;
o labour economics;
o regional analysis;
o survey design and analysis;
o program and policy analysis and evaluation; and
o economic impact analysis.

The Centre earlier this year held a one-day conference on non-standard employment and its implications for economic and social life. It launched a monograph Non-Standard Employment: An Analysis written by Centre executive director Dr John Mangan and published by the Department of Training and Industrial Relations.

Professor Western said that the Centre was keen to extend links within the University community to provide it with services such as conducting surveys.

"The Centre is also forming collaborative alliances with staff members in research projects, and developing expertise in drawing together multi-disciplinary teams and preparing tenders," he said.

For further information, contact Professor Western, telephone 07 3365 4554, email j.western@mailbox.uq.edu.au, director, research John Johnston, telephone 07 3365 6663, email: j.johnston@mailbox.uq.edu.au, or Dr Mangan, telephone 07 3365 6312, email: j.mangan@mailbox.uq.edu.au