Australia is not in the driving seat when it comes to the digital transformation currently underway worldwide, with scientists today calling on researchers and industry to work together to ensure Australia benefits from a rapidly expanding sector.
That鈥檚 the conclusion of a major new plan, Preparing for Australia鈥檚 Digital Future, released today by the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering and the 精东视频.
Australian success stories in digital technology include Atlassian, Technology One, Vitalcare, VPI Photonics and Aconex鈥攂ut research investment in digital technology is only a tiny fraction of its potential contribution to Australia鈥檚 future prosperity.
The plan calls for action on promoting closer partnerships between industry and the research sector to ensure Australia is best placed to realise and capitalise on opportunities in digital technology over the coming decade and beyond.
Professor Glenn Wightwick FTSE, a Fellow of the Academy of Technology and Engineering and co-chair of the steering committee that drew up the plan, said: 鈥淒igital transformations are continuously and rapidly evolving, driven by aggressive technology progress and accelerating uptake鈥攁nd Australia is not driving.
鈥淚t is essential that, through strategic actions outlined in this plan, we are able to chart our own course.鈥�
Professor Rod Tucker OAM FAA FTSE, a Fellow of the Academy of Science and co-chair, said: 鈥淭his strategic plan is designed to help Australia do better. Numerous success stories demonstrate our ability to turn excellent science and research into commercial technologies and services that benefit Australia.
鈥淵et to realise our potential, we need a plan to help Australians recognise, act on and derive as much benefit as possible from opportunities in our digital research and innovation sectors.鈥�
Dr Ziggy Switkowski AO FAA FTSE, Chairman of NBN Co and Chancellor of RMIT University, will join Professors Wightwick and Tucker in speaking at the launch of the report on Wednesday morning.
Dr Switkowski said: 鈥淓verywhere we look we see evidence of digital transformations that are shaping Australian society and our economy and which will change this country in the decades ahead.
鈥淚n this timely report on digital innovation from two of the Learned Academies, we now have an overarching strategic plan that will help Australians act on and derive as much benefit as possible from opportunities in our digital research and innovation sectors.
鈥淚鈥檓 confident this plan can position Australia as a successful, forward-thinking digital nation鈥攐ne with an enhanced ability to translate our public and private sector ICT research into skills, innovation, public benefit, careers and jobs, and commercial success.鈥�
The plan includes 32 recommendations grouped under five priority areas:
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