Since 1991, the Commonwealth government has established well over 100 Cooperative Research Centres ranging from a wide variety of technical areas which include manufacturing, medical, information technology, environment, mining and agricultural technologies.

Cooperative Research Centres draw industry and small to medium businesses with researchers to develop solutions for business and industry needs. The Centres have a strong track record in producing innovative solutions and as such have received widespead support from all levels of the buisness and industry sectors.

While businesses and industry are the first to benefit from the Centres, the benefits go well beyond building a stronger economy, enhancing our health and safe gaurding the enironment for future generations.

While every Cooperative Research Centre is unique, all of them broadly serve the objectives of the federal Cooperative Research Centres program. These are to enhance the:

• Contribution of long-term scientific and technological research and innovation to Australia's sustainable economic and social development
  
  
• Transfer of research outputs into commercial or other outcomes of economic, environmental or social benefit to Australia
  
  
• Value of Australia of graduates researchers
  
  
• Collaboration among researchers and between researchers and industry or other users, and to improve the efficiency in the use of intellectual and other research resources
  

Most Cooperative Research Centres are also characterised by a strong drive from industry and high levels of participant contribution (in the form of in-kind support and cash) relative to the grant from the Commonwealth government.

The performance of a Cooperative Research Centre is closely managed by the Commonwealth government (currently the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) and by independent assessors.

If you need a business solution, a Cooperative Research Centre may be able to help. More than five hundred small to medium businesses are discovering the benefits today.

For more information on the Commonwealth government's Cooperative Research Centre program, please visit www.crca.asn.au or www.crc.gov.au

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