[csaa-forum] CHASS newsletter April 2005

[Toss Gascoigne]

Here is the CHASS newsletter for April.  There are now 680 subscribers.

Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Newsletter 8.  April 2005

1.  MAKE A SUBMISSION on RQF
2.  MEASURES OF QUALITY AND IMPACT
3.  COMMERCIALISATION IN HASS
4.  DIRECTORS OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTRES
5.  MEMBERSHIP OF CHASS
6.  DINNER WITH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
7.  PLANNING MEETING FOR ARTS AND HUMANITIES ORGANISATIONS
8.  'HUMANITIES, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ON THE HILL"
9.  MEETING PETER HOJ OF THE ARC
10.  CHASS POLICY
11.  R&D TAX CONCESSION
12.  IAIN MC'CALMAN APPOINTED TO PM'S COUNCIL
13.   PROJECT TO EXAMINE COLLABORATION WITH SCIENCE


1.  MAKE A SUBMISSION on RQF
The Research Quality Framework paper came out last week.  It is most
important that people from the HASS sector respond with comments.

A strong flow of submissions will be read as a strong interest from the
sector. If there's only a sluggish representation, then the RQF committee is
likely to conclude that the HASS sector isn't really interested in the
issues.

The paper is at:
http://www.dest.gov.au/resqual/issues_paper.htm

To make a submission:
http://www.dest.gov.au/resqual/Submission/Pages/Home.aspx

Read Malcolm Gillies' article on Impact from the Australian:
http://www.chass.org.au/


2.  MEASURES OF QUALITY AND IMPACT
We have received a huge input of ideas on this major project, and clearly
the sector is beginning to realise there is a chance to change the way HASS
research is measured and weighed.

The next stage is to run 6 case studies to test the new measures.  That
process has begun.

Results from this project will feed straight into the RQF discussions, and
the CHASS report is on a tight schedule to complete by mid-June.


3.  COMMERCIALISATION IN HASS
CHASS has completed a project investigating the commercialisation of
research in the HASS sector.   The 40-page report will be launched in about
a month, and all Members of CHASS will be invited to attend.


4.  DIRECTORS OF UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTRES
CHASS invited all DVC(R) and DASSH Deans to nominate their most innovative
Centre Directors, to attend a meeting in Brisbane in March.

Eighty Directors attended, from 39 universities in Australia and New
Zealand.  Discussions ranged from the nuts-and-bolts issues of running a
centre, to national discussions on identifying new measures of quality and
impact in HASS research.

Following a positive response from the Directors, CHASSS plans to continue
these discussions at another meeting.


5.  MEMBERSHIP OF CHASS
Our Membership has now reached 123 different groups and organisations, and
these are listed on our web site:  www.chass.org.au

Membership is still open and membership application forms are also on the
web site.


6.  DINNER WITH MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT
CHASS organised a very lively dinner for a selected group of
Parliamentarians, to discuss the issue "Ageing Well" - what are the
implications for Australia of an ageing population?

Seven Federal MPs attended (from the Liberals, Nationals and ALP), with
three of their staff members and 12 other guests.  The discussion took the
form of a conversation between two Ageing experts, Professor Sue Richardson
of Flinders University and Professor Hal Kendig from Sydney, with questions
and contributions from the floor.

Our thanks to Ian Chubb of the ANU for hosting the first in a series of
three dinners.


7.  PLANNING MEETING FOR ARTS AND HUMANITIES ORGANISATIONS
CHASS will convene a meeting the executive officers of organisations in
these areas.  This will allow them to discuss matters of common interest,
including policy influence and networking.

The meeting will be held later this year, in Sydney or Melbourne.  More
details soon.


8.  'HUMANITIES, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ON THE HILL"
We will be announcing the date of this year's "HOTH" event in the next week
or so.

The inaugural event was immensely popular, and we had to close off
registrations early.  It included individual meetings with Federal MPs,
lunch at the National Press Club, and a Briefing Day at the National
Library.

This year we aim to make the event better, rather than bigger; and the
comments of last year's registrants are proving a useful guide.

Those affiliated with our Member Organisations will have first call on
registration, as a benefit of membership.


9.  MEETING PETER HOJ OF THE ARC
Malcolm Gillies and CHASS Secretary John Byron had an extended meeting with
the (relatively) new Director of the Australian Research Council, Professor
Peter Hoj.

Issues discussed included the role of HASS in the innovation agenda, the
operation of the current policy context including the National Research
Priorities and the Research Quality Framework, and the importance of the
peer review process.

10.  CHASS POLICY
The Board has posted a draft policy statement on the CHASS web site.

We are now open for comments and suggestions.  These will feed into the
final version, which in turn will be launched in time for the "HASS on the
Hill event." 


11.  R&D TAX CONCESSION
Minister for Revenue Mal Brough has responded to CHASS' request for a review
of the R&D Tax concession.  The current Act allows companies to gain tax
concessions for R&D - but only if it is done within the area of science,
engineering and technology.

Mr Brough's senior taxation advisor says in his letter

"The basic intent for the criteria of activities to be eligible for a
research and development (R&D) tax concession is that the R&D must be
systematic, investigative and experimental."

There seems no reason to us why HASS research might not fit these criteria.
CHASS views the non-allowance of HASS work for the R&D Tax Concession as
being hopelessly out of date, and reflecting a view which may have had
currency 30 years ago.  We will pursue this with the Government.


12.  IAIN Mc'CALMAN APPOINTED TO PM'S COUNCIL
Iain's appointment adds a welcome voice for the HASS sector to the important
Prime Minister's Science, Engineering and Innovation Council (PMSEIC).

He will sit with the Prime Minister, 8 members of cabinet and
representatives of science and business organisations on the Council.

The appointment marks a recognition that HASS CAN be innovative!


13.   PROJECT TO EXAMINE COLLABORATION WITH SCIENCE
CHASS is currently negotiating the terms of a new project with DEST.  This
will examine the ways in which HASS works collaboratively with science,
engineering and technology, the issues they jointly tackle, and how these
collaborations might be enhanced in education, research, practice and
innovation.

All Member Organisations will be invited to have input into the project,
which will begin in the second half of this year.

It is the third of three projects announced by Minister Brendan Nelson, when
h spoke at the breakfast launch of CHASS in June last year.


Regards
Malcolm Gillies
President, CHASS