[csaa-forum] CHASS Newsletter Number 17: August 2006

Thu Aug 3 12:40:24 CST 2006

Dear csaa-forum

CHASS Newsletter Number 17, for August 2006.  Please feel free to pass on to
your colleagues.

1.  "TO HELL WITH CULTURE"
2.  PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION INQUIRY ON SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
3. LETTER ON KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER FROM MINISTER BISHOP
4.  ALP ARTS POLICY OPTIONS PAPER
5.  ALP WHITE PAPER ON HIGHER EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
6.  NEXT PARLIAMENTARY DINNER
7.  DEFINING 'QUALITY' IN SOCIAL POLICY RESEARCH
8.  CHASS AGM WILL BE AT UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
9.  THE RQF, IMPACT AND THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
10.  CHASS NEWSLETTER CRACKS THE THOUSAND BARRIER

1.  "TO HELL WITH CULTURE"
John Holden and Stuart Cunningham go head-to-head on culture.

Holden:  "But by talking in functional terms about the value of culture,
cultural organisations have lost the ability to describe their real purpose
- producing good work that enriches people's lives. Culture now delivers
government policy by other means."

Cunningham:  "If we stop seeing creativity as a burden on the public purse
and begin to see it as leading the innovation in post-industrial growth, we
could move government focus from cultural to R&D policies, and build a
creative economy that is more independent, self sustainable and profitably
our own."

Gideon Haigh and Emma Dawson commentate.

Haigh:  "This story [on ARC grants] reverberates beyond the groves of
academe, which have in any case been clear-felled: it evinces how
Australia's arena of ideas is influenced by the power of media and the
predispositions of politicians, and how resistance to an abiding Australian
anti-intellectualism is buckling in the face of the new populism."

Dawson:  "Australia can ill afford this kind of intellectual segregation:
while conservatives lament that our universities are held captive by
left-wing thought, progressives should also be distressed by their inability
to penetrate the public sphere and to counter the often destructive and
ill-informed statements of commentators whose pronouncements could easily be
destroyed by a well-researched and clearly written argument."

"To Hell with Culture" a no-holds-barred afternoon seminar in Melbourne on
Thursday 10 August.  Victoria College of the Arts; 3 pm to 6.30; no-cost
drinks and book launch option at 6.30 pm.  Registration is $55
(www.chass.org.au).

Further information at the CHASS web site.

2.  PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION INQUIRY ON SCIENCE AND INNOVATION
The Commission is looking at the impacts of Government support, as well as
impediments and processes, and CHASS put in a submission.

It is sharply critical of what we see as "an outdated view of innovation."

"We would argue that the humanities, arts and social sciences are highly
relevant to innovation. The HASS sector contributes in a number of ways: not
just as a supporting act to science; but also as an equal partner with
science, technology, engineering and medicine in collaborative projects; and
in the new post smoke-stack era of industry, as innovators in their own
right.  

"A study aiming to "cover all key elements in the innovation system" should
explicitly recognise the HASS contribution."

Watch our website for the full submission and a media release::
www.chass.org.au

3. LETTER ON KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER FROM MINISTER BISHOP
The Minister has provided a detailed reply to Malcolm Gillies' letter, and
has asked her Department to discuss with CHASS.  Her letter reads in part:

"Š it is my view that any additional funding for knowledge transfer should
be focussed on universities engaging with business, government or the
community to generate, acquire, apply and make accessible knowledge.  Such
activity should result in economic benefit for the community and the nation.

"It is also my view that in the current environment any consideration of
knowledge transfer should focus on the application and impact of research
rather than on the teaching role of universities."

The full correspondence will soon be posted on our website.

4.  ALP ARTS POLICY OPTIONS PAPER
"This discussion paper signals Labor's intention to develop measures which
would help to support a vibrant and diverse arts sector.  Additionally the
paper identifies areas of critical importance, including arts education,
Indigenous art and creative industriesŠ"  (Peter Garrett)

Paper is available at:
http://www.petergarrett.com.au/FederalLaborArtsPolicyDiscussionPaper.pdf

Comments by August 25 to
andrew.palfreyman at aph.gov.au

5.  ALP WHITE PAPER ON HIGHER EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
"This paper sets out the broad directions for higher education policy under
a Labor Government.  Labor is committed to a substantial increase in public
funding for higher education.  This paper sets out the key priority areas
where Labor believes increased funding is required, and invites comment on
how those priorities in turn should be ordered."  (Jenny Macklin)

Paper is available at:
http://www.alp.org.au/media/0706/mseduloosartrg210.php

Comments, responses by 19 September 2006:
JMacklin.MP at aph.gov.au

6.  NEXT PARLIAMENTARY DINNER
CHASS organises regular dinners with federal Parliamentarians.

The next speaker is is Professor Rikki Kersten, new Dean of the College of
Asia and the Pacific at ANU.   She has just returned from 5 years as
Professor of Modern Japan Studies at the University of Leiden; and her topic
is "Australia's Asian edge: the view from Europe".

7.  DEFINING 'QUALITY' IN SOCIAL POLICY RESEARCH
Michael Darcy has drawn our attention to a new 20 pp report: "Defining
'Quality' in Social Policy Research", by Saul Becker, Alan Bryman and Joe
Sempik.  Darcy says:

"The report on quality assessment of Social Policy research is based on
responses of 250 academics and research end-users.  It has some fascinating
and highly relevant comments to offer about the role of social policy
research, alternative criteria for assessment, and 'user-involvement' in
research (read 'engagement'?).  An extremely useful contribution to debates
we are about to have in Australia."

See: 
http://www.social-policy.com/news/2006/07/17/DefiningLsquoQualityrsquoInSoci
alPolicyResearchReportPublished.aspx

8.  CHASS AGM WILL BE AT UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY
Our AGM will be held at 4 pm on Tuesday 19 September.   We expect to launch
the report on Collaborations between the humanities, arts and social
sciences, and science-technology-engineering-medicine.

According to CHASS practice, a search committee will recommend to the AGM a
slate of candidates for election to the Board.  This does not preclude any
Member nominating other candidates at the AGM itself.

9.  THE RQF, IMPACT AND THE VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
David Williams (ACUADS, ANU Arts School) is working on a CHASS workshop in
Melbourne on Tuesday September 26, at the Victoria College of the Arts.  It
aims to strengthen the network of university-based peak bodies whose
constituents are the major providers of these courses.

More details on the program and registration soon.  It will provide a forum
for an update on developments and discussion about issues of defining
research, research outcomes and the measurement of impact in the visual and
performing arts as it relates to the RQF.

10.  CHASS NEWSLETTER CRACKS THE THOUSAND BARRIER
We now have over 1000 subscribers to our newsletter!  It's a significant
strengthening of the HASS community, which in turn helps us provide the best
and most current advice to Government.  Please feel free to invite your
colleagues to subscribe.

Yours sincerely

Malcolm Gillies
President
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Mr Toss Gascoigne
Executive Director
Council for the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (CHASS)
28 Balmain Cres, ANU, ACT, AUSTRALIA

Postal address
PO Box 8157, ANU, ACT AUSTRALIA 2601

Ph: +61 2 6249 1995 OR +61 2 6230 7179
0408 704 442 (international +61 408 704 442)
Fax: +61 2 6247 4335
Email: director at chass.org.au
Web:  www.chass.org.au
ABN:  75 017 337 844
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