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Book draws on UNE expertise in research management

December 02, 2005

HollowayMetcal.thumb.jpgA book published by The University of New England’s Asia Centre is testimony to the University’s role as an international leader in agricultural research.

The book, "Research Management in Agriculture", grew out of a series of training programs for research managers from developing countries undertaken jointly by the UNE Asia Centre and the ATSE Crawford Fund.

Subtitled “A Manual for the Twenty First Century”, the book is the first to provide a comprehensive introduction to all facets of research management in agriculture for research directors, managers, scientists and students.

In launching the book at the UNE Asia Centre, the Vice-Chancellor of UNE, Professor Ingrid Moses, pointed out that it addresses problems of research management in agriculture in a way that is applicable to other fields of research.

Professor Bruce Holloway, who instigated the Crawford Fund’s training program (or “Master Classes”) that laid the groundwork for the book, travelled from Melbourne for the launch. Professor Holloway, in outlining the history of UNE’s involvement in the Master Classes held in Sydney (and subsequent training courses in the developing countries themselves), explained that “UNE has had an enormous role, internationally, in agricultural research and training”.

The UNE Asia Centre has conducted three Master Classes in the series, and has followed these up by sending two UNE agricultural scientists – Associate Professors Geoff Hinch and Brian Sindel – to run “in-country” training courses in Indonesia, Vietnam, The Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Fiji. The Asia Centre has also organised a training course at the University’s Armidale campus for a group of African research managers (and followed this up with "in-country" training).

Dr Ian Metcalfe, Adjunct Professor in the UNE Asia Centre, is the coordinator of UNE’s involvement in the training program and senior editor of the new book (with Bruce Holloway, Jim McWilliam and Neil Inall). “This volume is one of very few in the field and represents an attempt to provide a practical set of principles and guidelines to assist managers of agricultural research to adapt to the changes in the way research is being organised, conducted and financed,” Professor Metcalfe said. “It is also responding to the increasing demand from organisations that support this research for greater accountability in terms of the adoption and the impact of research outputs.” (Professor Metcalfe is pictured here, at the right of the photograph, with Professor Bruce Holloway and the new book.)

UNE researchers who have contributed to the book are Professor Amarjit Kaur (whose chapter is titled “The significance of environmental and socio-economic issues in research management planning”), Professor Bernie Bindon (“Research collaboration”), Professor Ian Metcalfe and Brendan Doyle (whose joint contribution is “Electronic knowledge resources”), Associate Professor Robin Jessop (co-author of “Managing the system of agricultural research”), and Professor James Rowe (co-author of “Research priorities and planning”).

Research Management in Agriculture is available from the Asia Centre, The University of New England, NSW 2351, and costs $30 (including GST). For an order form and flyer, go to: www.une.edu.au/asiacenter/.


Media contact: Professor Ian Metcalfe (UNE Asia Centre) on (02) 6773 3499 or 0409 726 297, or Jim Scanlan (UNE Public Relations) on (02) 6773 3049.

Posted by Jim Scanlan at December 2, 2005 12:23 PM