Top researchers come to UQ to discuss Brain Drain

The University of Queensland will host a workshop this weekend featuring some of Australia’s top researchers as they discuss the recruitment and training of highly skilled academics to foster Australia’s innovation.

The workshop Beyond Brain Drain: Mobility, Competitiveness & Scientific Excellence will be held at the Queensland Bioscience Precinct auidtorium at UQ on Sunday, February 22 and Monday, February 23.

Presented by the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) the workshop aims to provide insights into this highly topical issue and will feature speakers such as Dr David Strangway President and CEO Canada Foundation for Innovation, Professor Luke Georghiou Director Institute for Policy Research Engineering, Science & Technology University of Manchester, Dr Magda Lola Secretary General of the Marie Curie Fellowship Association, Professor Peter Andrews Queensland Chief Scientist and Professor Peter Doherty winner of the 1996 Nobel Prize for Medicine.

Despite government initiatives to combat the ‘brain drain’ there has been ongoing concern by a number of peak bodies and leading researchers that in the face of intense international competition, Australia`s capacity to attract and retain highly skilled personnel is being tested.

This high level international workshop will provide a systematic exploration and analysis of a number of the issues identified above by drawing upon input from leading researchers, the most up-to-date studies in Australia, and benchmarking these studies with the Canadian and European policies and experiences.

At the conclusion of the workshop a small group will compile a set of issues for consideration by the Prime Minister`s Science, Engineering & Innovation Council and for input to the Senate Inquiry into Australian Expatriates.

The workshop is proudly sponsored by the Department of Education, Science and Training; the National Health and Medical Research Council; the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation; CSIRO; the Queensland Government’s Department of State Development and Innovation; The University of Queensland; ARMS; and the Centre for Higher Education Management and Policy at the University of New England.

Media: For more information contact Dr Fiona Wood, workshop convenor (telephone 02 6773 2582, email: fwood@metz.une.edu.au) or Sally Brown at the workshop (telephone 0407 178 200).