Australia’s national research infrastructure is set for a significant boost, with the Australian Government committing an additional $323.7 million through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS).
The funding includes $274.1 million for 28 projects that focus on priority research infrastructure and $49.6 million for 25 projects to maintain and support existing facilities. Key areas of investment include:
- $58 million in coastal monitoring
- $7.8 million in First Nations data infrastructure
- $18 million in research data security
- $82 million in AI-ready data and supercomputing
- $17 million national climate modelling.
NCRIS provides Australian researchers with access to the tools, equipment, data, and services they use for their world-class research.
This year marks an incredible milestone for NCRIS – 20 years of powering Australian and global innovations, enabling breakthrough discoveries, strengthening research capability, and driving real-world impact.
Assistant Minister for International Education, Julian Hill said:
“NCRIS gives incredible bang for buck, with every dollar invested multiplying its impact through shared national facilities, supporting thousands of researchers and hundreds of businesses to unlock major economic and societal benefits.
“Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, one of the really special things about NCRIS is that it funds both equipment and people. Put simply, scientists need cutting edge kit, but top global talent is the key to really unlocking the benefits of even the coolest new toys.
“Through NCRIS, the Government is not only supporting cutting-edge facilities, but also the expertise needed to translate data into real-world outcomes. This is about ensuring Australia remains globally competitive, while building a more productive, resilient and forward-looking economy now and for the next generation.”
To find out more, visit National Research Infrastructure.