Fed: Problems ahead due to underinvestment in maths: report

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-2006
Fed: Problems ahead due to underinvestment in maths: report

CANBERRA, Dec 14 AAP - Australia's ability to win contracts for drug research trials,
logistics and other high-tech causes is at risk due to a looming shortage of mathematicians,
a new report has warned.

An Australian Academy of Science review released today says underinvestment in maths
and statistics is jeopardising the competitiveness of Australian industry and could see
Australia become a low-end provider.

University of Melbourne professor Hyam Rubinstein, who chaired the review, said industry
submissions to the inquiry revealed Australia was in danger of losing its competitive
advantage in fields like data analysis, forecasting, finance and banking systems, IT and
national security.

Professor Rubinstein said Australia's reputation as a leader in maths and statistics
had drawn international experts here.

"But this reputation ... is only being upheld by a handful of mathematical scientists
who are now near retirement," he said in a statement.

"When they are gone, our world-class reputation will likely crumble.

"In universities, there are almost no permanent academic staff aged under 30 and few
under 40 to continue the level or breadth of research required."

Mathematics and statistics departments at Australian universities had lost a third
of permanent staff since 1995 and were now producing less than half the OECD average of
graduates, he said.

Young researchers were discouraged from staying in teaching and research positions
because of a lack of resources and because of better opportunities overseas.

"The Commonwealth course contribution to universities is close to $5,000 per student
for mathematics and statistics while for most other sciences and engineering it's $12,300
per student," Prof Rubinstein said.

"This is killing our departments - we can't run our programs on the available funding
and Australia will be the loser.

"The real key to rebuilding our mathematical skills capability is providing permanent
university teaching and research positions, so we have basic research to solve problems
and teachers to teach three-year maths courses to skill primary and secondary school teachers."

AAP dcr/sb/jt/de

KEYWORD: MATHS

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.