Member Login - Account - Logout

Science and Technology Australia
  • Home
  • About STA
    • Who is STA?
    • Our history
    • Alliances and Partnerships
    • Board
    • Governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Work for us
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Reports and publications
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
    • Super STEM communicator workshop
    • STEM Ambassadors
  • Events
    • Science Meets Parliament 2023
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Join STA
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
    • Media
  • Home
  • About STA
    • Who is STA?
    • Our history
    • Alliances and Partnerships
    • Board
    • Governance
    • Reconciliation Action Plan
    • Work for us
    • Policy Vision
    • Policy Wins
  • News and Publications
    • Latest news
    • Reports and publications
  • Our Programs
    • Science Meets Parliament
    • Parliamentary Friends of Science
    • Superstars of STEM
    • Science Policy Fellows Alumni
    • Super STEM communicator workshop
    • STEM Ambassadors
  • Events
    • Science Meets Parliament 2023
  • Membership
    • Our Members
    • Why be a member?
    • Member Benefits Program
    • Join STA
    • Member How-to Guides
    • Login to member portal
    • Register for member portal
  • Contact
    • Media
23 June 2021

A vision to make Australia a global STEM superpower

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WILL ENABLE US TO SEIZE THE FUTURE.

Australia should make a bold play to become a global STEM superpower with an escalation of our investment in wealth-generating R&D.

We should lift R&D investment to 3 per cent of GDP, develop a strategy to extend crucial science and technology capabilities, and reverse an alarming slide in maths and science skills of Australian school students.     

The proposals are outlined in a new policy vision from Science & Technology Australia – the peak body representing more than 88,000 scientists and technologists.

The statement sets out the sector’s stance on how to harness the power of science and technology to create new jobs and safeguard key industries. 

STA President Associate Professor Jeremy Brownlie said the latest R&D investment ramp-up by Australia’s biggest economic rivals should be a mind-focusing moment.

“Australia should set itself a goal to become a global STEM superpower – and have bigger ambitions on both strategy and spending,” Dr Brownlie said.

“A national R&D target of 3 per cent of GDP would make us more competitive with nations like the US, UK, Israel and China, which are heavily backing science and technology to drive their COVID recovery and grow their economies.”

“An ambitious strategy to level up Australia’s R&D spending should begin with a new $2.4 billion research translation and commercialisation fund and a new initiative to train ‘bench to boardroom scientists’ to turbo-charge research commercialisation in Australia like our competitors.” 

Science & Technology Australia Chief Executive Officer Misha Schubert said another urgent challenge outlined in the vision is to fix an alarming slide in the maths and science skills of Australian school students. 

The average test results of an Australian 15-year-old in maths in 2018 were more than a full year of schooling behind compared to 2003. In science, they were almost a full year behind compared to 2006 test results.

“Exciting frontier technologies in computing, materials science or technology rely on data and analysis. The next generations of young Australians will need strong maths skills to work in all those huge future industries.”

“We need swift action to fix the lack of specialist maths and science teachers in our schools and a major new initiative to inspire school students to grow their skills, knowledge and love of maths, science and engineering.”

“This will be crucial to ensure Australia has the workforce it needs to be a global STEM superpower.”

Media contact: Martyn Pearce, Science & Technology Australia – 0432 606 828

Share
policy vision STEM policy
Previous StoryStrengthening the Medical Research Future Fund’s success
Next StoryIntergenerational challenges can be solved by science

Related Articles

  • Parliament House
    Peak body welcomes new Minister, disappointed by lack of science focus
  • Minister Hunt and Minister Sinodinos
    Peak science body welcomes new minister

ABOUT US

Science & Technology Australia (STA) is Australia’s peak body in science and technology. We represent more than 115,000 scientists and technologists. STA is an influential voice for evidence and expertise in public policy.

Recent news

  • Nominations open for the STA Policy Committee and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee
  • Australia must not miss our ChatGPT moment
  • STA launches Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan

Our members

  • All Members
  • Agricultural and Food Sciences
  • Aquatic Sciences
  • Biological Sciences
  • Chemical Sciences
  • General Science and Technology
  • Geographical and Geological Sciences
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Medical and Cognitive Sciences
  • Physical Sciences
  • Plant and Ecological Sciences
  • Technological Sciences

Search for news

Most popular

  • Working in STEM careers? Have your say and you could WIN a $500 JBHiFi voucher
  • STA backs Voice to Parliament
  • STA launches Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan
  • 2023 Federal Budget: Laying strategic foundations for science
  • Bumper boost to R&D should power Accord

Sign up to our newsletter

STA PRIVACY POLICY

OTHER STA POLICIES

Twitter feed

  • RT @prof_hutchinson: At Parliament House today talking about @OpenAI @New_GPT AI ML Deep Learning and everything in between. “It’s not ma…
  • RT @RichardMHarvey: Fascinating discussion about generative AI at this morning’s Parliamentary Friends of Science event - lots of opportuni…
  • RT @mumwhostats: Incredible discussion about the future of generative (and otherwise) AI in Australia at the parliamentary friends of scien…
  • RT @WomenSciAUST: Complete the @ScienceAU STEM Career Pathways survey. Share widely, as insights are needed from people working in STEM car…
Follow us

Science and Technology Australia Limited (ACN 664 679 056 and ABN 71 626 822 845) (STA) is a company limited by guarantee. STA was formerly known as Federation of Australian Scientific and Technological Societies Inc and was authorised under section 82 of the Associations Incorporation Act 1991 (ACT) to transfer its registration under the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) to its new company structure on 3 January 2023.

Registered charity logo
Click here for more info
  • HOME
  • News and media releases
  • Become a member
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Science & Technology Australia. All Rights Reserved