Cooperative Research Centre for Advanced Composite Structures

History

The CRC came about from several internal discussions in Government and particularly from a Round Table that took place at the start of 1991 that included the Hon Bob Hawke, Hon Paul Keating. Since the commencement of the CRC Program in 1991, there have been a number of selection rounds. Selection rounds were conducted in March 1991, December 1991, December 1992, December 1994, and then at regular two-year intervals: 1996 through 2006.

The very first selected CRC division was the CRC for “Waste Management and Pollution Control”, based on campus of University of New South Wales (UNSW).

The very first appointment under the CRC was by Assoc. Prof. Raymond J Frost (previously Director for BHP Civil Engineering and Technology).

Following the review of the Programme in 2008, the 11th and 12th selection rounds were both held in 2009.

Reviews of the CRC program are regularly undertaken. In 2012, an independent impact study found that from 1991 to 2017 CRCs generated a net economic benefit of $7.5 billion. This equates to an annual contribution of $278 million, or around 0.03 percentage points to GDP.

CRCA/Cooperative Research Australia

The Cooperative Research Centre Association (CRCA) was established on 1 December 1994 to promote the CRC program while also acting as a conduit for information sharing and learning between CRCs. It was renamed Cooperative Research Australia in 2021 and is active in representing CRCs, post-CRC entities, universities and research organisations as well as businesses involved in R&D.

CRC Spatial information

The CRC for Spatial Information (CRCSI) was a research organisation funded by Australia's Cooperative Research Centre Programme (CRC) and by participant contributions. The CRCSI was founded in 2003 with the successful re-bid announced in August 2009. The programme ended in June 2018. The CRCSI conducted research and development projects that involved collaboration between government, corporate, and academic resources. The CRCSI ensured Australia and New Zealand remained relevant in a spatially-connected world. The CRCSI was responsible for innovative research; the application and commercialisation of spatial information technologies by building collaborative partnerships. A study commissioned by the CRCSI and ANZLIC in 2008 found that the spatial information industry contributed between $6.4 and $12.6 billion to Australia's GDP in 2006–2007 alone. CRCSI has offices in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Wellington in New Zealand. The CRCSI research delved into key industry sectors, including: agriculture, natural resources and climate change; defence; built environment; and health through the delivery of spatial information across positioning, rapid spatial analytics and spatial infrastructures.