Research alliance established for global good

CSIRO and eight other leading international science and technology institutions have formed an organisation committed to applying their combined knowledge to solving some of the world's most pressing problems.

Upon signing the 'Global Research Alliance' (GRA) agreement in New Delhi on January 21, the meeting's host and Director-General of CSIR India, Dr R.A. Mashelkar, said the new body had considerable capacity to focus its diverse range of skills and expertise on major problems facing both the developed and developing worlds.

CSIRO Chief Executive, Dr Geoff Garrett, said the Alliance would facilitate cooperation on international R&D projects particularly in the areas of water, health, energy, transportation and the 'digital divide'.

CSIRO will be hosting a meeting of GRA experts in April this year to develop a business approach to resolving problems associated with world water supplies.

"We will be specifying R&D and corresponding implementation needs in support of the Alliance's contribution to one of the Millennium Goals (ratified at the August 2002 Earth Summit in Johannesburg) of halving, by 2015, the numbers of the people in our world without access to clean, safe drinking water and basic sanitation," Dr Garrett said.

The Alliance's overarching aims are to:

• undertake large-impact projects for the benefit of society
• create synergy by pooling the energies, skills and facilities of participants
• promote projects with high-innovation content, and
• develop global knowledge networks for industry and industrial sectors to enhance their competitiveness.

Established for an initial period of 12 months, the Alliance's vision, direction and activities will be reviewed in January 2004.

Item provided courtesy of CSIRO