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Structure of an Australian Animal Welfare Research Centre
The Research Advisory Group considers that the objectives of the proposed AAWC will be best served by building on, strengthening and focusing Australia’s existing expertise. It does not support creation of a new, potentially competing, physical entity.
It is proposed that a ‘virtual centre’ be established, with a clear charter and structure (illustrated in chart 1. below). This structure recognises that multi-partner, collaborative arrangements inherently carry higher transaction costs than a single administrative unit. However, a ‘greenfield’ centre is neither demanded (by a need for urgent increase in national capacity and/or expertise) nor by market-attractiveness, as unique set-up (including infrastructure) costs would be prohibitively high.
The ‘collaborative research’ approach is widely regarded as an appropriate model, where there are variable global pressures, rapid technological change and the need for sharing heavy technology investments. Corporate entities accept the need for R&D interaction to coordinate and integrate systems from different parties. Further, the ability to control the speed of innovation and thus be timely, is an even stronger focusing factor.
In line with this logic, reducing the uncertainty of delivery from separate, roughly parallel research-oriented groups, is one common approach, strengthening the need for efficient and effective integration of a coherent whole8. This may be more readily delivered where there is an external priority framework driving the agenda of a virtual centre that runs on a collaborative basis by incorporating the strengths from each of a number of different institutions.
6.1 Core Providers
It is anticipated that there will be a core group of research providers, who have already significant strength in the field, comprising the Animal Welfare Science Centre, CSIRO Livestock Industries and the Centre for Animal Welfare and Ethics, and the Centre for Animal Welfare and Ethics, University of Queensland. This core group can be supplemented by other universities with specialist expertise and limited-life agents such as CRCs. The objective is to have a comprehensive network of expertise.
A list of R&D providers invited to become members of the Centre is attached, though it is not intended that this list be exclusive.
The Centre would best operate separately as the R&D arm of a structure that addresses the national need for a representative agency to continue to advance animal welfare in Australia in accordance with the goals and arrangements currently held in the AAWS. This will enable the Centre’s R&D agenda and operational arrangements to be maintained during transition to an overarching administrative body that would succeed the AAWS after June 2009.
Arrangements would however require the Centre to address strategic priority areas set by the overarching administrative body and provide feedback to that body in order to service the needs of a broad base of stakeholders and stakeholder groups in the sectors. It is anticipated that would facilitate access to a range of funding sources.
6.2 Defining the R&D Agenda
The research agenda should be user-driven. ‘Users’ in this context, are represented by the Sectors. An appropriate mechanism for refining research projects would be through a series of iterations, involving the Sectors, research providers and the AAWS Advisory Committee.
It is proposed that the knowledge gaps / priorities identified by the 2nd National Workshop (referred to in Table 1 above) be refined by the Sectoral Working Groups prior to the 3rd National Workshop in December 2007.
This prioritised target list would be considered by the AAWS Advisory Committee and, once endorsed, R&D providers would be invited to develop projects to address them. It is proposed that, to encourage collaboration and enhance knowledge transfer, all projects would have at least two participants (one of them an industry or other end-user).
The AAWS Advisory Committee would consider project proposals, agree to support particular projects and allocate funding. The AAWS Advisory Committee might wish to maintain a standing Research Advisory Committee to monitor projects’ progress, but would itself periodically discuss progress, refine the priority list.
6.3 Funding and the R&D
A co-investment model is proposed, similar to funding of a CRC, with the various animal use sectors’ industries, the research providers, state and Australian governments making contributions. In this model three groups of providers would each contribute one-third of the total resources needed for effective function of the Centre and delivery of the R&D outcomes:
- The research provider contribution would be (principally) in-kind – the time of senior research scientists, use of university/CSIRO infrastructure, facilities and equipment etc,
- grant funding would be sought from the animal production R&D corporations, to address precursor issues relevant to their stakeholders in that sector. Other AAWS sectors will be required to identify and engage funding streams within their ambit for equitable contributions to the work of the Centre
- grant funding from the state and territory and Australian governments. Government contributions are important from a number of reasons, but principally because while all six sectors of AAWS need to be represented in the R&D plan, not all have rural R&D corporation-style backing9 and there is likely to be a need for ‘top up’ funding for work to address the R&D needs of these sectors.
6.4 Scale and Budget
Notwithstanding that the research prioritisation process needs to be re-visited and is presently incomplete, it is still possible to consider the quantum of a virtual research centre, given the breath of topics suggested above.
A structure is illustrated in the following scheme:
It is proposed that the Centre be established for six years, with the first year (commencing October 2007) being a development / set-up year. A budget of $12m, over six years, is proposed.
The operational framework is similar to that of a CRC. A portfolio of research projects to address the issues outlined in section 5 (above) might be undertaken by eight professional research staff. The all-up cost for a postdoctoral researcher is around $120,000 p.a10. So a ‘new research staff’ budget of approximately $1m p.y. is envisaged. These staff would be appointed by the institution conducting the projects; the institutions would be funded to undertake approved projects through a contract with the AAWS.
Training the next generation of animal welfare professionals might suggest five PhD students. While such students may well attract APA Scholarships, it would be prudent to budget for two full scholarships (say $30,000 p.a.) and three ‘top-ups’ ($10,000), giving a budget of $90,000 p.a.
An annual conference and international exchange program would provide periodic cross-centre collaboration and information exchange opportunities. It might be run for around $75,000.
The Centre would require a director and small ‘headquarters’ operation. The director might be appointed by the AAWS Advisory Committee, from one of the core research providers, for two-years. To enhance the collaborative ethos, the position could circulate between the three core research providers. If the director was a full-time appointment, a professorial salary would be appropriate (around $170k including on-costs)11. Particularly during establishment phase, it would be important that the director was committed to the enterprise virtually full-time, so an honorary or part-time appointment would not be favoured. The director would be responsible for overseeing the research project portfolio – so liaising closely with all research providers – and promoting the centre’s mandate nationally and internationally.
Options to minimise the costs of the ‘headquarters’ should be explored. This might include a cost-sharing arrangement with the research institution hosting the director at that time, so that office support and finance/accounting support is provided free-of-charge.
Chart 1: Suggested structure of a research centre
6.4 Initial Steps to Establish Centre
The following timetable and steps are proposed to enlist support and establish the Centre.
Development phase
1. September – October 2007
a. Consideration of report recommendations by AAWS Advisory Committee;
b. Subject to endorsement:
i. Confirmation of core membership by CSIRO, AAWC and UQ’s CAWE
ii. Preparation of draft operating arrangements
iii. Engagement of funding sources (DAFF, RDCs, state govts etc)
2. November – December 2007
a. Establish steering/participants committee to oversee development
b. In principle agreement of operating arrangements
c. Confirm membership and establish internal scientific reference panel – draft science plan to revise research focus.
d. Draft and submit OIE Collaborating Centre application
e. Development of funding arrangements
f. Endorsement of progress by AAWS Advisory Committee
g. Presentation at, and feedback from, AAWS meeting.
Stop/go point dependent on adequate progress on funding, science and management arrangements.
Establishment phase
3. January-March 2008
a. Confirm funding arrangements
b. Circulate science plan for comment
c. Steering/participants committee meet and review management, science, funding arrangements.
d. AAWS Advisory Committee review progress and if satisfied, announce centre.
Stop/go point dependent on confirming funding, science and management arrangements.
4. April-June 2008
a. AAWS Advisory Committee appoint Director
b. AAWS Advisory Committee endorses management arrangements and research plan.
Operational phase
5. July 2008
a. Centre established
b. New research staff recruited.
c. Annual conference announced.
9 It is unclear which industry groups would support the Companion Animal, Animals in Sport and Recreation, Animals in Research and Teaching, Animals in the Wild and Fish sectors.
11 Academic Level ‘E1’ at ANU – total cost $162,420 (made up of $126,891 salary plus 28% oncost of $35,529). See the Australian National University web page: The Varied Australian National University Enterprise Agreement 2005-2008
09 Oct 2009