Researchers from all faculties are being invited to explore new synergies and potential collaborations at workshops in July and August, ahead of expressions of interest for the Macquarie University Research Centres (MQRC) Scheme round, which opened on Monday 4 July.
At least four workshops will be co-hosted by Pro Vice-Chancellor Research Performance and Development (PVC RP&D) Professor Amanda Barnier, and Deputy Deans Research and Innovation (DDRI).
The themes so far include Aging Well, Aging Together; Brain Capital; Sustainable Cities and Living Pasts, Resilient Futures. These themes have been identified to start conversations in areas that embody “big problems” and where significant strength already exists across the University that may lead to new opportunities for external funding, partnerships and impact.
Macquarie’s increased emphasis on building research collectives from within disciplinary strength and interdisciplinary collaboration is consistent with the University’s Operating Plan and follows a call by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) Professor Sakkie Pretorius for researchers to interrogate opportunities to collaborate in new ways.
“Often great new ideas don’t emerge within an individual or a discipline, but at the intersection of people or disciplines that have never met,” said Professor Pretorius at his 2022 Weather Forecast.
Researchers, research leaders and aspiring collectives are encouraged to start conversations about collective opportunities with their DDRIs and attend the workshops to further those ideas.
“Successful MQRCs will build research excellence at scale within and/or across disciplines in areas of competitive advantage. They will encourage consilience in the service of solving significant problems and they will bring new external opportunities – funding, partnerships and impact – to the University,” says Professor Barnier.
In parallel, current MQRCs will hold Open Door Workshops for members as well as colleagues from across the University to join bid discussions. People and teams can attend more than one workshop and can be involved in more than one bid.
Applications for the 2023 Macquarie University Research Centres (MQRC) Scheme round are open to all Macquarie researchers and close on Friday 26 August.
More information about the 2023 MQRC Scheme and Workshops can be found on the Research Centres webpage.
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