Category: Media Releases and Statements

The proposed creation of a new body focussed on funding defence related research will boost Australia’s sovereign capability, foster stronger linkages with the United States and United Kingdom and help safeguard Australia’s national security. Group of Eight Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said: “In the current challenging geopolitical environment, it is…

Australia’s leading research-intensive universities will play a critical role in developing and building our sovereign defence industry during these increasingly challenging and uncertain times. The University of Adelaide has been awarded $50 million under the Government’s Trailblazer program to work with researchers from the University of New South Wales and…

Research drives the prosperity of modern, engaged, successful countries and will be critical to finding effective solutions to the challenges increasingly impacting societies across the globe, such as climate change, food and water security, global pandemics, antibiotic resistance, and the ethical use of emerging technologies such as AI and machine…

Australia’s universities are critical to all aspects of our nation’s future economic prosperity and social well-being. Put bluntly, no Government can, or will, get where it wants to go for the nation without backing creation of new graduates and new knowledge. The vital role research-intensive universities play in terms of…

The 2021 National Research Infrastructure (NRI) Roadmap recognises the key role research-intensive universities play in boosting productivity, commercialising R&D, and delivering life-changing and life-saving technologies. Group of Eight (Go8) Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said investment in research infrastructure will be a critical investment in Australia’s future and economic prosperity. “The…

The interim Australia-India Economic Commercial and Trade Agreement (AI-ECTA) marks the start of a new phase with one of Australia’s most significant economic partners, the world’s largest democracy and fastest growing major economy. The Group of Eight (Go8), which comprises Australia’s leading research-intensive universities, has a long history of collaboration…

The successful delivery of major initiatives in the 2022 Federal Budget can only be underscored by the contribution that will be needed from the nation’s research-intensive universities. Government ignores that at their peril. Group of Eight (Go8) universities undertake 70 per cent of Australian university research activity and graduate 110,000…

The Group of Eight (Go8), comprising Australia’s leading research-intensive universities which undertake 70 percent of Australia’s university research has worked collaboratively with Government and the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security (PJCIS) to ensure national security remains a priority in Australia’s higher education and research sector. Go8 Chief Executive…

The Group of Eight Universities (Go8) and the ASEAN Committee in Canberra (ACC) affirm our commitment to work together to support collaboration between our countries through high quality education and research partnerships, including leveraging the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership announced in October 2021. The ASEAN Heads of Mission in Canberra,…

Australia’s leading research-intensive universities, the Group of Eight (Go8) stands in solidarity with the global research community in condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s people and sovereignty. As universities who are committed to research, education and global engagement with the goal of creating a better world, we condemn the invasion and…

The Group of Eight (Go8) which represents Australia’s leading research-intensive universities and enrols one in three of the nation’s international students, is calling on the Government to abandon its proposal to introduce a ‘Diversification Index’ for Australia’s international education sector, and instead work cooperatively on an alternative approach. The Go8…

As the Russian-Ukraine conflict intensifies, Group of Eight universities are offering counselling and other assistance measures to international students impacted by the crisis. Group of Eight Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said Go8 universities had acted quickly to identify and contact individual students from the Ukraine and Russia as well as…

Australia’s leading research-intensive universities, the Group of Eight (Go8), has renewed calls for a collaboration premium as part of an incentive package to encourage universities and industry to work together on life saving clinical trials. In its submission on the Government’s Draft R&D Tax Incentive (RDTI) Determination on clinical trials…

Group of Eight (Go8) Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said the second stage of the Australian Government’s critical infrastructure reforms, introduced into Parliament today, recognised the concerns raised by the Go8 and urged Parliamentarians to support the amended legislation. The Security Legislation Amendment (Critical Infrastructure) Bill 2020, or Bill Two, includes…

Top research universities from the UK and Australia are joining forces to find new ways of delivering ground breaking research, increase trade, investment and boost both countries’ economies. In a joint letter sent to the Australian and British foreign and trade ministers, the Chairs of the Group of Eight (Go8)…

Australia’s lucrative international education sector has taken a significant hit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, plummeting to its lowest level since 2014. Today’s ABS data on international trade for the December quarter confirm that the contribution of international education to the Australian economy has continued to fall from…

The commercialisation of Australia’s world class university research is key to the nation’s growth and prosperity, meeting the challenges ahead and enhancing the lives of future generations. Group of Eight Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said the Morrison Government’s $2.2 billion University Research Commercialisation package will enable research to be translated…

Australia’s future prosperity will hinge on the capacity of our world-class researchers to undertake cutting edge research in collaboration with industry to meet our national priorities and support our economy and society.  Group of Eight Chief Executive Vicki Thomson said the Government’s decision to reform the current governance structure and…

The Group of Eight (Go8) is committed to working collaboratively with Australian industry and Government to better prepare students for the workforce and meet the skills demands of new and emerging industries. Commenting on the release today of two Government reports on workforce shortages, The Review of University-Industry Collaboration in…