UK Science and Innovation Network summary: Australia
Published 10 May 2024
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1. Science and Innovation Landscape
Australia is an important player on Science, Innovation and Technology, given its geopolitical significance; its depth of expertise and capacity; and the strength of the UK/Australia partnership. GO-Science ranks Australia 6th and 10th in the world on Engineering Biology and Artificial Intelligence respectively. Australia is the UK’s 5th largest research partner. It is also a major source of the critical minerals needed for technologies such as electric vehicles, with top 5 reserves of most metals on the UK criticality list.
2. UK partnership with Australia on ST&I
The UK’s bilateral relationship with Australia on science and technology (S&T) is long-standing and stable. The UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement came into effect in May 2023. It includes both Digital and Innovation chapters and establishes a Strategic Innovation Dialogue to share best practice, promote commercialisation and address potential risks to trade arising from emerging technology. This is supplemented by several policy specific agreements, alongside informal channels of engagement built on strong trust, alignment, and ease of communication. Our Science and Innovation Network (SIN) and Department for Business and Trade (DBT) teams work to make the most of these opportunities, including making strategic use of programme funds.
In recent years, SIN Australia has worked to:
- encourage high-level science co-operation between Australia and the UK,
- influence and inform the science and innovation policies of government, industry, and academia, including by sharing and promoting UK science and innovation excellence,
- achieve broader policy objectives and improve UK policy based on international experience and emerging opportunities with Australia,
- make best use of international technology co-operation and investment to grow the UK’s innovation potential and,
- support the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in development of science, innovation and technology-related trade and investment opportunities between Australia and the UK.
3. SIN contacts
David Lloyd-Davies
Head of Science and Technology
British High Commission Canberra
David.Lloyd-Davies@fcdo.gov.uk