A national investment in research infrastructure
The National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) is an Australian Government investment which funds and coordinates major research facilities, data assets and staff expertise that a single organisation could not support on its own.
These NCRIS capabilities, which are located across the country, are shared and made available to researchers, industry and government.
What makes NCRIS different
NCRIS is not a grant program for individual research projects.
It is a strategic national investment that:
- Builds and sustains infrastructure for shared use
- Enables collaboration across institutions, sectors and disciplines
- Supports long term capability
- Maximises return on public investment through coordination and scale
By investing nationally rather than institution by institution, NCRIS reduces duplication and ensures Australia has the capabilities it needs where they are most effective.
What NCRIS supports
Through NCRIS, the Australian Government supports a portfolio of research infrastructure, including:
- Specialised scientific facilities and instruments
- Large scale data collections and digital platforms
- Advanced computing and modelling capability
- Observing networks across land, sea, atmosphere and space
- Highly skilled technical expertise that enables access and use
This infrastructure is used by universities, research organisations, industry, startups, government agencies and international collaborators.
How NCRIS fits into government
NCRIS operates as part of the Australian Government’s broader science, research and innovation system.
It supports long term national goals by ensuring Australia has:
- The infrastructure needed to respond to challenges
- The capability to collaborate internationally on equal footing
- A strong foundation for industry linked research and innovation