Professor Sakkie Pretorius, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), thanks staff for their role in achieving $100 million in annual external research income for the first time in the University’s history.

 

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As Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) at Macquarie I am fortunate to experience many thrilling moments. One of these occurred earlier this month when audited figures confirmed that, together, we broke through the barrier of $100 million in HERDC income in 2022.

My pride in this achievement is about more than knowing how much world-changing Macquarie research $100 million will generate. I also know just how much collaboration, teamwork and determination this figure represents.

As a university, our steadfast commitment to serving the world through research excellence has seen us go from strength to strength. In addition to growing our overall research income, our researchers’ increasing focus on partnerships and collaboration has seen us increase the proportion of our Category 2-4 funding (that is, funding from sources other than national competitive grant schemes) from 52 per cent in 2021 to 56 per cent in 2022, while simultaneously maintaining our national share of Category 1 income.

You will often hear me use the phrase “Team Macquarie”. I use this phrase because our achievements as an institution are only possible because of the remarkable way we work together and support each other. We are known and envied for our collaborative spirit – embracing interdisciplinary research in a way that is distinct in our sector (and is the backbone of our new Consilience Research Centres). I have heard highly respected Macquarie academics say they could not have achieved their breakthroughs at any other institution – such is the uniqueness of our collegial culture.

Achieving this milestone of $100 million in research income in 2022 is even more remarkable given that it comes off the back of some very difficult years, where, in some cases, research ground to a halt. To all of the researchers, and the staff across faculties and central offices who supported them, thank you for your resilience and for your commitment to rebuilding research excellence.

Acknowledgement and thanks must also go to our graduate research candidates and the academic and professional staff who supervise and support them. They are truly the ‘engine room’ of our research productivity and this result would not be possible without them.

As we look towards the future – and our next thrilling milestone – let this achievement inspire us all to reach even greater heights in a brighter, knowledge-driven future.