The Exposure Draft of the 2026 National Research Infrastructure (NRI) Roadmap is now available for consultation. National research infrastructure plays a vital role in driving government priorities by providing world-class infrastructure, expertise and collaborative platforms that help strengthen Australia’s social and economic resilience and industrial capability.
National research infrastructure is fundamental to Australia's sovereign research and development system. Providing infrastructure to advance research and its applications requires strategic foresight and nationwide, long-term planning. National research infrastructure roadmaps have been developed every 5 years since 2006.
More than 100,000 Australian researchers and 30,000 international users rely on Australia’s research infrastructure network. The network includes facilities funded through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS), as well as through state and territory governments, research funding agencies, universities, research organisations, and the private sector. Australia’s NRI also includes engagement with international research infrastructures.
The Exposure Draft, developed and released by the NRI Roadmap Expert Working Group, has been informed by extensive consultation, including responses to a public survey and issues paper, which together received over 800 submissions. This input, together with targeted engagement with government and sector stakeholders, has helped identify emerging trends, opportunities and priorities that will influence research infrastructure requirements over the next 5-10 years.
NRI Advisory Group Chair, Professor Liz Sonenberg said:
“In this time of considerable geopolitical change, enhanced sovereign R&D capability is essential. The ambition we seek to capture in the 2026 NRI Roadmap is for a more coordinated and efficient national research infrastructure system, to be achieved through a refreshed strategic approach to planning and prioritisation. We are appreciative of the extensive input to date and look forward to your views on the Exposure Draft.”
Virtual public Townhall sessions will be held on 28 September and 6 October to present the Exposure Draft Roadmap to Australia’s NRI stakeholder community. Both sessions will include the same material. To register, visit 2026 NRI Roadmap Issues Paper Townhall.
Consultation on the Exposure Draft closes at 12pm (AEDT) on 26 October 2026. To read the draft and have your say, visit 2026 National Research Infrastructure Roadmap.