Fostering Rural Innovation and Adoption
Innovation is the creation and application of new ideas into products and services that benefit an industry, organisation, nation or society as a whole. The importance of innovation is well recognised by rural people, particularly in the areas of agriculture, education and healthcare. The Australian Government recognised its importance with its Review of the National Innovation System (2008).
Dr Philip Thomas from the School of Business, Economics and Public Policy, in collaboration with other UNE staff and Industry and Investment NSW, is driving UNE’s research on innovation and adoption. The focus of the research team is on creating a bank of innovation research expertise and capacity to be achieved through establishing strategic collaborations and the brokering of appropriate skills and methods.
The intention is to:
- create strong connections with the private sector and public and higher education institutions;
- centralise a capacity to service the need for achieving innovation; and
- reduce the fragmentation that inhibits rural innovation-to-adoption research and practice.
This will be achieved by a focus on:
- The identification and application of appropriate research tools to assist in achieving innovation within established research
- Identification and application of research based translation strategies
- Organisational processes.
Dr Thomas recently co-presented a paper with Dr David Evans (Atlatl Management P/L) at the Australasia-Pacific Extension Network 5th International Conference entitled ‘Intentional Innovation Communities; Fast-Tracking Radical Improvement of Australia’s Innovation Performance’. This paper explained the concept of an Intentional Innovation Community (IIC) and outlined a proposal for a demonstration project in a rural / regional setting in Australia.
Planning for these pilot IIC’s is now proceeding with Industry &Investment NSW, an agricultural production interest group in Tamworth, the Primary Industries Innovation Centre and the NSW Farmers Association. Discussions are also underway for the involvement of other interested parties including Nuffield Scholars. It is expected they will commence in early-mid2010.
In July 2010, Dr Thomas will be chairing a meeting for CEO’s of Cooperative Research Centres on Innovation and Adoption at the Australian Society of Animal Production Biennial Conference, to be held at UNE. So far 5 CRC CEO’s have indicated their intention to participate in what will prove to be a lively and engaging session.
For more information contact the researcher, Dr Philip Thomas: pthoma22@une.edu.au