1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2003   
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Contents >> Science and Innovation >> Resources devoted to R&D - Higher education sector

Estimated expenditure on R&D carried out in Australia by the higher education sector in 2000 was $2,775m, an increase of 9% over expenditure in 1998, and 20% over expenditure in 1996 (see table 25.1).

Table 25.11 shows that major fields of research in which higher education R&D expenditure took place in 2000 were Medical and health sciences ($668m, or 24% of total expenditure), Biological sciences ($325m, or 12%), Engineering and technology ($309m, or 11%) and Agricultural, veterinary and environmental sciences ($205m, or 7%). Direct labour costs accounted for 44% of total R&D expenditure.

A slightly different pattern applied to human resources devoted to R&D, with 19% on Medical and health sciences, 11% on Engineering and technology, 10% on Biological sciences and 7% on Agricultural, veterinary and environmental sciences.


25.11 R&D RESOURCES, Higher education organisations by field of research - 2000
Type of expenditure
Land and buildings
Other capital expenditure
Direct labour costs
Scholarships
Other current expenditure
Total
Human resources
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m
’000 person years
Mathematical sciences
0.3
2.6
29.5
3.3
23.8
59.4
0.8
Physical sciences
2.0
12.8
46.7
4.8
45.6
112.0
1.3
Chemical sciences
2.1
15.4
50.0
9.0
50.8
127.2
1.7
Earth sciences
1.2
7.6
38.8
6.9
40.2
94.6
1.6
Biological sciences
9.5
24.8
132.3
19.1
138.8
324.5
4.7
Information, computing & communication sciences
2.1
6.8
51.5
8.5
44.2
113.1
1.8
Engineering and technology
5.2
25.9
123.7
25.1
129.1
309.1
5.0
Agricultural, veterinary & environmental sciences
2.8
8.7
85.6
15.0
92.5
204.5
3.1
Medical and health sciences
7.2
34.7
299.6
33.2
292.9
667.7
8.8
Education
2.0
2.8
41.5
6.0
34.3
86.6
2.4
Economics
0.7
2.5
31.5
3.4
28.8
66.8
1.1
Commerce, management, tourism and services
1.8
3.6
55.8
5.6
44.1
111.0
2.1
Studies in human society
1.5
2.8
41.7
6.8
40.8
93.7
2.0
Behavioural and cognitive sciences
2.3
4.2
39.2
6.8
35.2
87.8
2.0
Other research fields
7.8
10.0
146.6
29.7
122.4
316.5
7.9
Total
48.6
165.3
1,214.0
183.2
1,163.5
2,774.6
46.3
Source: Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations, Australia, 2000 (8111.0).


In terms of socioeconomic objectives (table 25.12), most higher education R&D expenditure ($1,123m or 40%) was directed towards Society. About 29% was directed towards Economic development, 25% towards Non-oriented research and 6% towards Environment. The major subdivision within Society was Health with 27% of total R&D expenditure.

A similar pattern applied to human resources devoted to R&D, with 41% directed towards Society, 27% towards Economic development, 26% towards Non-oriented research and 6% to Environment.


25.12 R&D RESOURCES, Higher education organisations by socioeconomic objective - 2000
Type of expenditure
Land and buildings
Other capital expenditure
Direct labour costs
Scholarships
Other current expenditure
Total
Human resources
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m
’000 person years
Defence
0.1
0.2
1.8
0.2
2.0
4.4
0.1
Economic development
Plant - production and primary products
1.5
4.6
45.9
8.3
48.3
108.6
1.6
Animal - production and primary products
1.0
2.8
26.8
4.4
29.5
64.5
0.9
Mineral resources (excl. energy)
0.9
2.7
14.9
3.1
20.6
42.1
0.5
Energy resources
0.7
2.9
14.0
2.0
12.9
32.4
0.4
Energy supply
1.0
2.6
12.3
3.1
12.0
31.1
0.5
Manufacturing
2.0
15.9
58.1
10.9
53.8
140.7
2.1
Construction
0.9
3.0
23.3
4.7
22.2
54.1
1.1
Transport
0.6
1.3
10.1
1.7
9.0
22.8
0.4
Information and communication services
2.1
8.3
56.7
9.5
51.2
127.7
2.0
Commercial services and tourism
0.7
1.7
20.6
1.8
15.6
40.4
0.6
Economic framework
1.6
4.0
64.8
6.8
53.7
130.9
2.4
Total
13.1
49.8
347.5
56.2
328.8
795.3
12.7
Society
Health
10.6
35.6
333.0
38.4
326.8
744.3
10.2
Education and training
2.4
4.0
51.8
7.0
44.8
110.0
2.7
Social development and community services
6.8
8.9
124.5
22.6
106.0
268.7
6.1
Total
19.8
48.4
509.3
67.9
477.6
1,123.0
19.0
Environment
Environmental policy frameworks and other aspects
0.7
1.1
11.1
1.7
10.5
25.2
0.4
Environmental management
2.7
7.6
54.6
10.4
59.7
134.9
2.4
Total
3.4
8.7
65.7
12.1
70.2
160.1
2.8
Non-oriented research
12.2
58.2
289.6
46.9
284.8
691.7
11.8
Total
48.6
165.3
1,214.0
183.2
1,163.5
2,774.6
46.3
Source: Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations, Australia, 2000 (8111.0).



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