Major funding boost strengthens Australia's national research infrastructure

The Australian Government has committed an additional $323.7 million through two National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS) funding rounds, targeting priority research infrastructure areas while also strengthening and securing existing capabilities.

• $274.1 million will be invested in 28 ‘Step Change’ projects targeting priority research infrastructure areas, supporting the development of new and emerging capabilities.
• A further $49.6 million will support 25 projects to secure and sustain existing research infrastructure, securing and enhancing access to critical national capabilities.

Celebrating its 20th year, NCRIS has grown into one of Australia’s most extensive and integrated research infrastructure programs, spanning an extraordinary breadth of disciplines and capabilities.

Over two decades, NCRIS-supported facilities have played a key role in addressing national priorities, spanning the full research spectrum - from biosecurity and agriculture to marine science, astronomy, data platforms, emerging technologies and advanced manufacturing.

This scale is matched by its collaborative design, bringing together universities, research institutions, industry partners and government agencies to share access to nationally significant infrastructure that no single organisation could deliver or maintain alone.

This national approach ensures cutting edge infrastructure is not siloed, but instead supports multidisciplinary sectors maximising the value of government investment and strengthening Australia’s overall research ecosystem.

While cutting-edge facilities, instruments and data platforms are essential, NCRIS recognises that research infrastructure is more than just the kit. It funds both the kit and the expertise behind it - highly trained technical specialists, data scientists, and facility managers who ensure researchers can fully leverage these capabilities.

NCRIS ensures Australia’s research assets are not only world-class, but also accessible, well-maintained and continuously improved. This combination has driven sustained impact over 20 years, positioning Australia to address current challenges and seize future opportunities.

One area seeing benefit is Australia’s National Climate Modelling capability through ACCESS-NRI. By investing $17 million in world-class modelling systems tailored to Australia’s unique environment, the Government is improving Australia’s ability to understand long-term weather and climate changes with greater accuracy and relevance than overseas models can provide.

Supporting this nationally significant capability through ACCESS-NRI strengthens Australia’s sovereign scientific infrastructure, ensuring our researchers and decision-makers have access to reliable, Australia-specific climate data and forecasting tools.

This capability will help Australian researchers, farmers, planners and policymakers respond to some of our biggest challenges. From supporting agriculture with better long-term rainfall predictions, to informing urban planning and environmental management, and improving preparedness for natural disasters - ACCESS-NRI is about giving Australians the insights they need to plan, reduce risk, and build resilience in a changing climate.

Quotes attributable to the Assistant Minister for International Education, Julian Hill:

“NCRIS gives incredible bang for buck, with every dollar invested multiplying its impact through shared national facilities, supporting thousands of researchers and hundreds of businesses to unlock major economic and societal benefits.

“Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, one of the really special things about NCRIS is that it funds both equipment and people. Put simply, scientists need cutting edge kit, but top global talent is the key to really unlocking the benefits of even the coolest new toys.

“Australia’s future will be shaped by how well we understand and respond to climate change. By strengthening national climate modelling, the Government is building capability to ensure researchers, industries and communities have the insights they need to plan for a changing environment.

“By making the modelling available to researchers nationally, the Government can ensure Australia’s best scientists can work together on long-term climate predictions - supporting farmers, informing policymakers and urban planners and helping communities better prepare for future challenges.

“Through NCRIS, the Government is not only supporting cutting-edge facilities, but also the expertise needed to translate data into real-world outcomes. This is about ensuring Australia remains globally competitive, while building a more productive, resilient and forward-looking economy now and for the next generation.”