ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥

SA risks losing "knowledge edge", Vice-Chancellor warns

Thursday, 24 May 2001

South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ risks losing its knowledge edge through lack of government funding of higher education, Adelaide ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ Vice-Chancellor Professor Mary O'Kane warned today (Thursday 24 May).

Addressing the Institution of Engineers, ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ (South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ Division) in Adelaide, Professor O'Kane said that at a time when ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ was trying to move towards a knowledge economy it was ironic that governments were reducing investment in universities, the oldest knowledge institutions of all.

She said ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s universities returned $22 billion to the national economy from a direct investment of $9.1 billion, only half of which came from governments. She detailed the many other ways in which universities contributed to the economy, from their role as knowledge brokers to their provision of education and training for new growth areas, particularly high technology fields.

Professor O'Kane said that under-investment in universities threatened to jeopardise ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥'s economic position in the world.

"South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ is particularly at risk," she said. "This is a State with a knowledge edge, a State with three universities performing above their weight in terms of the research we undertake. But unlike other State Governments, the South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n Government has not put in the kind of investment we will need to keep our universities at the leading edge."

Professor O'Kane said ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥n universities had succeeded in attracting increased support from industry by forming a range of strategic partnerships, both locally and internationally. Adelaide ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥ had been successful in forming partnerships in areas of particular value to South ÐÓ°ÉÖ±²¥, such as food and wine related research and commercialisation of knowledge, she said.

Contact details