Interdisciplinary research “not working”

02/04/2012 by
Multi disciplinary

2 April 2012 A  report by Professor Gabrielle Bammer, Director of the ANU National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, shines a light on the flaws in the nation’s interdisciplinary research efforts.   Bammer says the real challenges of interdisciplinary research are not recognised and measures to address the problems are ineffectual.  According to Bammer, even though the value of bringing together insights from multiple disciplines and practitioners is accepted, the measures needed to really embed interdisciplinary research in the academic mainstream are not.  “There are two essential problems. First, interdisciplinary research is treated as if it is one entity, when in fact … [Read more...]

Filed Under: ANU, Research Tagged With: , ,

Cyber defence university challenge

02/04/2012 by
Swinburne logo

The 2012 Cyber Defence University Challenge, Australia’s first national cyber security competition, takes place over 24 hours on 3-4 April, with 18 university teams testing their cyber warfare skills and vying for a place at the 2012 Black Hat Conference in Las Vegas.  The challenge aims to help raise public awareness of cyber issues in Australia and highlight career opportunities to encourage the development of Australian graduates in Information, Communications and Technology fields and particularly cyber security.   A team from Swinburne University of Technology  has been in training for several months for the competition, completing IT Security units which introduce techniques and … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Swinburne University Tagged With: ,

Report calls for “fundamental rethink” of war on drugs approach

02/04/2012 by
Aust21

2 April 2012 A high profile group of Australians, including former Premiers, Health Ministers, a former police commissioner and a Director of Public Prosecutions and a number of academics, say in a report that the war on drugs has failed, overseas and in Australia.  Produced by Australia21, out of a roundtable earlier this year, the report calls for a fundamental rethink of the current policies, and an end to the tough on drugs approach.   Howard Government Health Minister Michael Wooldridge say in the report: "The key message is that we have 40 years of experience of a law and order approach to drugs and it has failed." A coalition of legal experts, drug researchers and health … [Read more...]

Filed Under: General, Research Tagged With: ,

Vic ITABs defunded

02/04/2012 by

The Australian 30 March 2012 & 2 April 2012 The Victorian Government has withdrawn funding from its 16 industry training advisory bodies (ITABs), amidst rumours that the state's open training market has blown the education department's budget by up to $300 million.  It has been estimated the move will save about $2.8 million a year.  While Skills Minister Peter Hall says the changes will make it easier for companies and industry to “articulate their training needs” to the government, “insiders” say the changes will undermine information about industry skill needs in what’s supposed to be an industry-driven training system.  Hall denies the move is a savings measure, pointing out that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Vocational education & training Tagged With: , ,