The Government has announced an initiative to develop a set of National Science Challenges for New Zealand. The challenges are supported by new Budget investment of $60 million over the next four years.
National Science Challenges will comprise around 10 issues that are crucial for New Zealand’s future and that can be solved or addressed by science. It's expected that each challenge will build on, and leverage existing research activity. Over time significant parts of the Government’s contracted public science investments will be directed to focus on achieving the challenges.
The process to identify potential challenges will start in November with broad public engagement as well as in-depth technical engagement with the science and research user communities. Cabinet will select the National Science Challenges in April 2013, following advice from an expert panel chaired by the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Professor Sir Peter Gluckman.
The details of the challenges will be developed after that. It will require mapping existing research programmes to each challenge and identifying important gaps where new investments or activities could contribute to the achievement of the challenges.
During November, an internet-based questionnaire will be used to capture ideas on possible challenges. Members of the science and research user communities are invited to take part in this process. The deadline for submissions is 10 December 2012.
For more information, visit the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment website.