segra conference presentation - regional universities network helen thompson

SEGRA 2012Advancing Industry - Academic Research Collaborations: getting your research funded

Dr Helen ThompsonUniversity of Ballarat and National Broadband Champion

Being a Regional University

• Make major contributions to regional economies and create regional jobs

• Key role in building regional growth and development through producing, retaining and attracting qualified people

• Play a lead role in regional innovation and business development

University of Ballarat Technology Park

Ballarat, has emerged as the most competitive location in Australia for the delivery of IT services

NBN services being rolled out across region

State government investment of $2.9 million confirmed paving the way for more investment and jobs in Ballarat

An additional 22 hectare site. Additional 11 buildings with room for 1500 employees

CBD Technology Park activities will open in July 2013

Major IBM announcement pending

Being a Regional University

• Enrich the social, cultural and environmental quality of life in regional communities

• Significant contributors to ‘closing the gap’

• Conduct research that matters• Demonstrate excellence in learning,

teaching and the student experience

Collaborative Research Network

As part of the UB Blueprint research strategy was re-aligned

CRN funding secured – a 3 year $16m project with $6m from the Australian Government

CRN Self Sustaining Regions Research and Innovation Initiative is focuses on the significant challenges that face regional areas and explores ways of strengthening regional well-being, health and social connectedness, and driving regional rejuvenation

RUN’s Objectives

1. To provide policy advice to government particularly about tertiary education and regional development;

2. To strengthen and to promote the contributions of regional universities to regional and national development; and,

3. To share best practice in educational delivery, training, research and organisational management.

RUN seeks development of a comprehensive new strategy, the Regional Development and Innovation Initiative, that recognises the role played by regional universities in facilitating and strengthening regional economic development.

RUN Research Collaboration

Research collaborations are beginning to emerge

• Sharing information and access to research infrastructure

• Exploring the potential for a shared response to research needs across Medicare Local Network

• Initiating collaborative research and engagement around Digital Rural Futures - Smart Farm, Smart Region

NBN enabled telehealth and 3D medicine

UB Secured state government funding via Broadband Enabled Innovation Program

Led by UB’s Associate Professor Andrew Stranieri - multiple partners

12 Sites in Victoria

• Tele-dentistry• Tele-psychiatry• Tele-oncology• Tele-wound• Tele-geriatrics

Centre for eCommerce and CommunicationsOffice of Deputy Vice Chancellor ResearchUniversity of Ballarat

Digital futures and eResearch

CeCC established in 1998 when dial up internet was being rolled out in regions

Organisational responsibilities expanded in 2012 to include digital futures, knowledge management and eResearch

Supporting UB and regional organisations in developing and implementing strategies to support effective use information communications technologies

Regional Strategic Planning

Not just building strategy but helping regional organisations to progress staged implementation• Assist with securing

funding,grant identification, writing

• Represent region and lead advocacy in many areas

• Early rollout region for the National Broadband Network

• Ballarat Smart 21 Intelligent Community of the Year

Visualising Victoria’s Groundwater

Smartly manage our environment utilising high speed broadband capabilities to capture, aggregate and spatially depict Victoria's groundwater systems for public access and sustainable development and management

Sport and Recreation Spatial

Bring data together around active participation, facilities and club data, population and health outcomes together to inform policy and practice

Dairy Innovation Australia

An online spatial application to visualise dairy production per region and dairy industry location. The data used in this prototype consisted of milk, protein and fat production levels for dairy producing regions.

Integrated Fire Management Planning

A knowledge database and data portal using web-based mapping to support strategic fire-risk planning using community, regional, state and commonwealth data

Central Highlands Digital Enterprise Program

Increase digital engagement via two year public awareness and skills development program

Deliver training and advice for SMEs. NFPs and cultural organisations

Approximately $1m secured to support 150 group session and 660 individual mentoring sessions

Strengthen established network capacity and foster local champions

National Telework Week

• Telework promotes flexible work practices and the use of the latest technologies to stay connected with colleagues, clients and managers

• UB signed on as partner• Established internal and

regional working groups• Workshops and forums with Jon

Dee and Tim Fawcett• Mapped location for over 1,000

UB staff to provide planning insights for the future

Eureka I’ve found it!

NBN enabled skills and education – funding being sought from other sources

Goal is to build regional capacity - digitise regional newspapers, historical collections and documents from Ballarat and beyond

Identify, describe and create digital repositories of collections of historical documents, maps, print resources, artefacts, images

Interlink with TROVE and other national, state and educational resources

Strongwill and serious games

Partnership with Hume Riverina Community Legal Services

Online visitors are led through a three stage game process to help make decisions about the content of their Will.

The game explores what would happen if they were to die without a Will, collects personal information and gives a summary of decisions.

Further information

ContactHelen Thompson

Director

Centre for eCommerce and Communications

Office of Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research)

University of Ballarat

Email h.thompson@ballarat.edu.au

Web www.ballarat.edu.au and www.cecc.com.au