President's Message

It is with great enthusiasm that I share with you some of the remarkable initiatives and collaborations that have taken place recently within the Academy and beyond.

In our capacity as Secretariat for the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC), the Academy last month co-hosted with the National Research Council of Thailand, an inaugural meeting of Asia-Pacific social science academies and research councils in Bangkok, Thailand. Over three productive days more than 90 delegates from over 20 countries discussed priorities and opportunities for social science research development, coordination, funding and impact within the region. The event was in partnership with UNESCO and the Global Development Network and supported by the International Development Research Centre. You can find more information in the International section of the newsletter below.

Closer to home, the Academy made two submissions to government inquiries: the Policy Review of the National Competitive Grants Program and the Inquiry into civics education, engagement, and participation in Australia.

The Academy’s Federal Budget response is also available, where we welcomed the focus on higher education and research.

I am pleased to announce that nominations for the Paul Bourke Awards are now open and will close on 31 July. Furthermore, the Academy Workshops Program Grants are also open until 9 August.

Mark your calendars for some exciting upcoming events: On 13 June we are co-hosting a Exploring Indigenous Research webinar with AIATSIS and on 19 June we have the Medicare Symposium in Canberra.  

I am thrilled to inform you that our Seriously Social schools program pilot resources are now officially available, supporting teachers in primary and secondary school to deliver social science content, all produced in consultation with Fellows. 

Finally, we are delighted to welcome Western Sydney University as a bronze sponsor of Social Sciences Week (9-15 September) which is shaping up to be an exciting week to celebrate the social sciences. 

Thank you for your continued support and engagement. If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to reach out to me directly.

Richard Holden
President

Events

Marking the 40th anniversary of Medicare

Join leading academics, policymakers and health professionals on Wednesday 19 June to discuss critical issues and innovative solutions for improving Medicare at The Future of Medicare: Research-informed policy for better access and health symposium.

Organised by the Academy in partnership with the Australian Health Economics Society and with support of the Independent Health and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA), this one-day event is an opportunity to explore how research can inform ongoing policy to modernise Medicare. 

Explore the program and register now (places limited).

AUKUS Symposium – early bird extended

From 15-16 August we are bringing together the top political, legal, strategic and economic experts to share their insights on AUKUS. The program offers an array of exciting speakers, including the below panel sessions:

• What is the vision of international order underpinning AUKUS? with Professor Chris Reus-Smit and Sam Roggeveen (Director of the International Security Program at the Lowy Institute)

• What bureaucratic and political processes does AUKUS require? with Margaret Simons (author and journalist), Professor John Langmore and Professor Stephan Fruehling

• What are the diplomatic correlates/implications of AUKUS? with Professor Kai He, Professor Joanne Wallis and Professor James Curran

• What is the relationship of AUKUS to nuclear non-proliferation? with Associate Professor Marianne Hanson, Professor Maria Rost Rublee and Richard Tanter (Nautilus Institute)

• What are the economic implications of AUKUS – fiscal policy, industry policy, research and higher education policy? with Professor John Quiggin and Dr Sian Troath

• What does AUKUS say about how we see ourselves? with Professor Marilyn Lake, Professor David Lowe, Professor Wanning Sun and Professor The Hon Gareth Evans

We are pleased to announce that the early-bird rates have been extended until 30 June for this two-day symposium. View the program and register now to access the early-bird discounted rate and save $65. 

Celebrating our Fellows: Achievements and appointments 

Our Fellows have had an impressive month of achievements. To name a few, we pass on our congratulations to:

• Fellow George Williams who has been announced as the new Vice-Chancellor of Western Sydney University. 

• Fellow Janeen Baxter on being named a newly elected international member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

• Fellow Jacqueline Peel who has been announced as the recipient of the 2024 Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship. (Hear Jacqueline on our 2022 Seriously Social podcast How much will climate change cost you?).

• Fellow Anthony Elliott who received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the University of Melbourne Faculty of Arts Alumni 2024. 

• Fellow Tom Calma who received an honorary doctorate from the University of Sydney. 

• Fellows Stephen Duckett and Tom Calma who have been included in a new independent body that will steward changes to the tertiary education system in support of the Future Made in Australia policy and Australian Universities Accord.

Opportunities 

The Academy Workshops Program Grants offers Australian social scientists financial assistance to host multidisciplinary workshops which aim to advance research and policy agendas on nationally important issues. The Academy supports up to eight workshops each year with funding to a maximum of $9,000 (excl GST). Find out more and apply by 9 August. 

The Paul Bourke Awards for Early Career Research honour Australians in the early part of their career who have achieved excellence in scholarship in one or more fields of the social sciences. Applications are now open and open until 31 July.

Global impact: Our international work

In partnership with UNESCO, we hosted the Shaping Research Agenda of the Social and Human Sciences in Asia-Pacific workshop in our capacity as the Secretariat for the Association of Asian Social Science Research Councils (AASSREC) at the UNESCO Office in Bangkok, Thailand last month.

This pivotal event, organised under UNESCO's Management of Social Transformation (MOST) Programme, brought together research councils and scholars to define the future of social and human science research in our rapidly changing world and engage in meaningful discussions on the advancements in the field of social sciences.

Several areas of synergy were identified between the MOST program and the AASSREC Boosting Social Sciences in the Indo-Pacific program, which will enhance the sustainability and impact of both programs. Together, we are advancing the deployment of the UNESCO Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers (RS|SR) to foster impactful academic collaboration across the region.

Promoting collaboration, harnessing potential: Highlights from the 2024 Regional Social Science Summit in Bangkok

Delegates at the Regional Summit for Social Science Funding and Collaboration in the Indo-Pacific

From 9-10 May 2024, Bangkok played host to a pivotal gathering of academics, policymakers and funding bodies at the Regional Summit for Social Science Funding and Collaboration in the Indo-Pacific. Co-hosted by AASSREC and the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), the event served as a unique platform for fostering collaboration and innovation in social science research.

The summit, convened under the auspices of AASSREC's Boosting Social Sciences and their Contribution to Better Lives across the Indo-Pacific program, welcomed over 90 representatives from more than 20 countries, demonstrating a commitment to collaboration from social scientists with diverse national affiliations.

With a focus on three key themes—bilateral and multilateral collaboration opportunities, policy engagement and prioritising funding initiatives—the summit facilitated dynamic discussions aimed at addressing critical societal challenges across the Indo-Pacific region.

The Summit was supported by partners UNESCO and GDN and was organised by AASSREC with funding from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

To receive updates about the summit including a report on the event, sign up to the AASSREC mailing list.

Policy updates

Last month the Academy made a submission to the Policy Review of the National Competitive Grants Program, making nine recommendations to support the Australian Research Council. 

Australia’s social science researchers are highly reliant on the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) as an essential and primary source of competitive funding for their research. Current funding structures have facilitated the emergence of a strong and vibrant research ecosystem and contributed to the growth of Australia’s research and innovation capacity. However, the NCGP has become overly complex, and this review provides an important opportunity for a full-scale redesign of the purpose, objectives and processes of the NCGP. Thank you to our Fellows who provided written contributions or attended the consultation session to inform this submission.

On 23 May 2024 the Academy made a submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters Inquiry into civics education, engagement, and participation in Australia.

A high-quality education in the social sciences is critical to democratic participation and understanding the social systems that shape our lives. For some students, the social science education received in school will be their only formal encounter with these subjects.

Student performance in Civics and Citizenship is consistently low. Drawing on findings from the State of the Social Sciences 2021 and Seriously Social Education Program our submission made three recommendations to improve the effectiveness of formalised civics education throughout Australia.

The Academy welcomed Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ 2024-25 Federal Budget, in particular the investment of $1.1 billion over five years in the first stage of Universities Accord reforms, and the commitment to undertake a comprehensive review of Australia’s research and development system.

A comprehensive summary of our youth policy roundtable held in November 2024 Shaping the Future: A new approach to policy that works for young people is available to read and download now.

Indigenous Data in the spotlight

The Australian Government has released a new Framework for Governance of Indigenous Data, a welcome development that will give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people greater stewardship over their data, and which is consistent with the priorities outlined in the Academy’s recently released Decadal Plan for Social Science Research Infrastructure.

Geopolitical dynamics explored

Read, listen and attend

Read

Available for pre-order now (release date 25 June) is Fellow Amin Saikal’s new book How to lose a war: The Story of America's Intervention in Afghanistan which traces the full story of America's intervention, from 9/11 to the present crisis, offering an insightful account of one of the US's most significant foreign policy failures-and considers its dire consequences for the people of Afghanistan.

Listen

Listen to Fellow Grace Karskens interview on ABC’s Sunday Extra discussing her 2017 discovery of an extraordinary manuscript: a handwritten list created in 1829 of 178 Aboriginal place names for Dyarubbin and Ganangdayi, also known as the Hawkesbury and Macdonald Rivers in New South Wales. A team of Darug researchers, educators, linguists, artists, geologists and archaeologists have successfully relocated many of these names and produced a Story Map. 

Attend

Join us for a collaborative webinar on Exploring Indigenous Research: Conducting ethical research and improving access of research outcomes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on Wednesday 13 June. This interactive online session aims to deepen your understanding of ethical and responsible research practices within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Engage with leading researchers, stakeholders and institutions as they share insights and practical guidance on conducting ethical research and enhancing the accessibility of research outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This event is co-hosted by AIATSIS and Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, with support from the Australian Academy of Science, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, ACOLA and DASSH.

How do we effectively support and empower fellow women in their academic journeys? Join the Women in Research Collaboration over competition: Supporting fellow women researchers webinar on 13 June with Fellows Sharon Parker and Jane McAdam with Scientia Professor Martina Stenzel. 

The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia.

We acknowledge and pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our national office is located, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, and

to their elders past and present.