2nd Master Class in Research Management in Agriculture

Held at the Hyde Park Plaza Suites, Sydney

September 1 - 14 2003

Report

Left to Right. Back Row: Jim McWilliam, Bruce Holloway, Ir. Nusyirwan Hasan, Professor Pham Van Bien, Ian Metcalfe, Neil Inall
Second Row: Bernie Bindon, Dr Li Rongwei, Dr. Adi Widjono, Ir. M. Basir Nappu, Dr Naihuwo Garry Ahai, Dr Le Thanh Luu, Assoc. Prof. Dr Bui Cach Tuyen
Third Row: Dr Nguyen Van Tuat, Ir. I Gusti P. Sarasutha, Dr. Nur H.I., Dr. Ridwan Thahir, Dr. Kusumah Effendie 19. Dr. Ishak Manti, Dr. Sahardi
Front Row: Mr Richard M Juanillo, Ms Chan Phaloeun, Ir. Atien Priyanti, Dr Ha Huy Thinh, Dr. Jacob Nulik, Ir. Sulusi Prabawati

The organisation and management of the class was a joint effort between the Crawford Fund and the Asia Centre at the University of New England. The course was attended by 21 senior agricultural scientists, most of them directors of regional research institutes from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Vietnam.

This was the second course in Research Management to be undertaken by the Master Class Program of the Crawford Fund. This second class was an improved and updated version of the first Master Class in Research Management in Agriculture developed by Professor Brian Stoddart, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research, UNE, in conjunction with Professor Bruce Holloway of the ATSE Crawford Fund. Sponsorship of the Master Class came principally from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) for Vietnamese participants, and from the Agency for Agricultural Research and Development (AARD), Indonesia for the Indonesian participants, and these organisations were also instrumental in the genesis of the Master Class. Additional sponsorship came from NSW State Forests (Chinese participant), The Crawford Fund (Filipino participant), and AusAID (Papua New Guinean and Cambodian participants).

The important objective of the course was to communicate to the participants the major changes and developments that have occurred in the practice and management of strategic and applied research. The most significant of these has been the change from the earlier research driven, disciplinary approach, to a new research paradigm, involving a client driven, output orientated, systems approach, requiring multidisciplinary research teams and opportunities for collaboration.

The elements involved in this change constituted the broad theme that ran through the program. This was, that agricultural research is like any business. The first step is to explore the potential of the market, then develop a plan in collaboration with the stakeholders. This sets out the key priorities and strategies required to achieve the desired outputs. Finally, when the objectives of the research have been achieved, there is a need to transfer the technology and have it adopted and to have a positive outcome for the end-users.

The principles and practices embodied in these areas of research management were discussed in the more formal presentations and were further illustrated in case studies of actual programs and projects undertaken to develop new technology and its delivery to stakeholders. In addition, these concepts were also explored in the many discussion and class exercise sessions in relation to opportunities and problems in their adoption in the participants own research environment. The agricultural CRC's provided excellent examples of all aspects of good research management. The course also included excursions to the Bread Research Institute, the Royal Botanic Gardens and to farms on the outskirts of Sydney engaged in peri-urban agriculture.

Resource Personnel came principally from the University of New England but also included specialists from other universities and high-level executive managers from national and international agricultural organisations.

Master Class certificates were presented to participants by the Hon John Kerin AM at the formal class dinner on 12 September, 2002.

To see some pictures taken during the Master Class please follow the links in the program page.

The coordinators for the Master Class, Professor Bruce Holloway and Professor Ian Metcalfe would like to thank all individuals and organisations that made this second class such a success.

*A third Master Class in Research Management in Agriculture is planned for late 2003 or early 2004.