The Federal Department of Education’s $370 million Trailblazer Universities Program (TUP) funded between (2022–2023 to 2025–2026) established six Trailblazers to focus on national priorities such as defence, space, food and beverage, recycling and clean energy, and resources technology and critical minerals.
Under the Trailblazer program, 14 Australian universities and 228 industry partners have also co-invested a total of $1.02 billion to build new research capabilities and drive commercialisation outcomes at speed and scale, to accelerate Australia’s innovation agenda.
The Trailblazers have joined forces to call for continued policy and investment support to extend the successful momentum of the Trailblazer Universities Program, as outlined in a joint submission to the Strategic Examination of R&D.
‘The Trailblazers have only been running since 2023 and already having great success in industry-university engagement and translating research into commercialisation. With $549 million directly invested by industry, it is clear industry backs this collaborative approach to R&D and innovation. We are calling for government commitment to continue the success of the Trailblazer program,’ said Dr Sanjay Mazumdar, Executive Director of Defence Trailblazer.
‘Through the Trailblazer Program Deakin University has established a climate-ready, innovation-driven hub, fuelling collaboration between industry, our researchers and other universities,’ said REACH Executive Director Amy Hunter.
‘By working together, we are tackling some of Australia’s biggest sustainability challenges – developing new technologies with industry-led research that will build sovereign manufacturing capabilities here in Australia.’
Together, the Trailblazers have demonstrated the value of university-industry engagement in experimental development, or the translation of research into practical applications – an area where Australia has historically underperformed. Within 18 months of operation, all six Trailblazers have had significant achievements:
- unlocking more than $549 million co-investment from 228 industry partners
- establishing over 319 collaborative projects between industry and academia; and
- fostering early career industry pathways for students and academics through internships, industry sponsored PhDs and academic-industry secondments.
The joint submission to the Strategic Examination of R&D also highlighted several common themes:
Establish long-term and large-scale commitment to areas of strategic priority – a national vision to guide R&D investment.
- Support cultural reform by rewarding, recognising and incentivising university-industry R&D – encourage the commercialisation of research.
- Create greater societal understanding of the benefits of R&D and innovation – build a “social license” for basic research and encourage risk – taking in experimental development.
- Create stable funding programs that incentivise industry participation in R&D and innovation – address the funding gaps between prototype development and commercialisation.
- Create and promote measures that are aligned to the outcomes and impact of R&D investment – metrics to track the success of innovation-based products and services.
Share