Decadal Plan for Social Science Research Infrastructure 2024-33
The Decadal Plan for Social Science Research Infrastructure 2024-33 is a forward-looking blueprint for transforming Australia’s social science research infrastructure over the coming decade, so it can effectively support researchers working at the forefront of their fields and equip the social sciences to address Australia’s most pressing and evolving societal challenges.
The Academy extends a warm invitation to all members of the social science research community, data and analytics organisations, universities, government departments and agencies, community organisations and socially-oriented businesses to engage with this Decadal Plan, to embrace and champion its goals and to collaborate in shaping a more dynamic, responsive and globally competitive Australian social science research sector.
Vision
A central element of this Decadal Plan is the vision of establishing a coordinated Australian Research Infrastructure Ecosystem for the Social Sciences (ARIESS). The ARIESS would crystallise the sector’s aspirations for a well connected network of capabilities, where available assets and services are highly visible, affordable, accessible and governed through standardised, transparent protocols and processes. Importantly, the ARIESS would comprise systems and governance mechanisms that allow for the safe and ethical use of human and culturally sensitive data in social science research, and which effectively support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples self-determination around the use of Indigenous Data.
Goals
A coordinated Australian Research Infrastructure Ecosystem for the Social Sciences (ARIESS)
connecting existing and emerging capabilities to create a cohesive and functional infrastructure ecosystem, which caters to the rich tapestry of disciplines, methodologies and communities within the social sciences, and supports the goals and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Social science data and analytics are easily found and reused by researchers nationwide
in ways that maximise the value of existing assets and infrastructures and allow urgent research questions and societal challenges to be addressed by researchers.
Robust investment in research capabilities and infrastructure delivers a globally competitive sector
comprising world-class assets, instruments and a workforce with the skills and supports necessary to harness current and emerging technologies.
Five principles to select and build fit-for-purpose social science research infrastructure
01
Design for diversity
Engage researchers from a diverse range of social science disciplines, sectors and technical skill levels in the design, implementation and review of initiatives shaping the ARIESS. Social science disciplinary and professional associations, major social research centres, universities and disciplinary peak bodies, including the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, play pivotal roles as advocates and conduits to ensure comprehensive representation from across all corners of the sector.
02
First Nations-led
Prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ self-determination in social science research infrastructure planning, by engaging Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDS), Indigenous Data Governance (IDG) and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) experts at the earliest stages and highest levels of decision-making for research infrastructure design, investments and policy.
03
Streamline ethical and responsible research
Invest in robust systems for secure and ethical sharing of human and culturally sensitive data, which cut through complex regulatory frameworks, align with evolving social licence expectations and Indigenous Data Sovereignty (IDG) mandates and reduce time and cost burdens on researchers.
04
Open to partners and community
Ensure that the benefits from research infrastructure extend to research partners and the broader community, in line with the FAIR Principles for scientific data management and stewardship (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and Australia’s data-related commitments under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
05
Enable equitable access
Publicly funded infrastructure operates on business and delivery models that offer affordable access options to researchers at all levels and to projects of all sizes, including for exploratory research and training purposes. Additional capacity for training, in particular, is essential for enhancing digital literacy and infrastructure usage. Costs and resources are allocated based on principles of transparency, equity, innovation and impact.
Consultation
The Academy invited input from across the sector, through a Discussion Paper and four-week open consultation period (24 July to 18 August 2023).
The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia and project partners are grateful to the teams and organisations that made submissions to the Decadal Plan for Social Sciences Research Infrastructure 2024-33.
| Submission | Team |
|---|---|
| 1 | CSIRO Social Science and User Experience Working Group, CSIRO’s Data61 | Aaron Quigley | Deputy Director & Science Director, CSIRO's Data61 Ashlin Lee | Lead, CSIRO Social Science and User Experience Working Group Dr Aamir Tooba; Dr David Douglas; Dr Andreas Duesner; Dr Simon Fielke; Dr Laura Kostanski; Dr Ashlin Lee; Dr Jane Li; Mr Martijin Mooji; Dr Cara Stitzlein; Mrs Lara Tzafaris; Dr Marlien Varnfield | CSIRO SS/UX Working Group |
| 2 | Research Data Culture Conversation (RDCC) | Monash University, The University of Melbourne, The University of Sydney, The University of New South Wales and The University of Queensland | Ai-Lin Soo | Coordinator RDCC Luc Betbeder-Matibet | Chair RDCC Rhys Francis | Facilitator RDCC |
| 3 | The University of Western Australia | Professor Amanda Davies | Head, School of Social Sciences |
| 4 | ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S) | Julian Thomas | RMIT Jean Burgess | QUT Dan Angus | QUT Nic Carah | UQ Amanda Lawrence | RMIT |
| 5 | Victoria University | Professor Andy Hill | Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Impact |
| 6 | RMIT University | Calum Drummond | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Innovation and Vice-President Anita Arndt | Senior Manager, Research Ethics, Integrity and Governance |
| 7 | University of Southern Queensland | Anne Ritchie | Acting Senior Executive Officer, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation, Office of Research, Research and Innovation |
| 8 | Australian Business Deans Council | Caroline Falshaw | Executive Officer |
| 9 | The Council of Australian University Museums and Collections (CAUMAC) | CAUMAC's current committee and ordinary members: Jason Benjamin; Caine Chennatt; Gina Hammond; Jacqueline Healy; Jane King; Claire Sheridan; Andrew Simpson; Jane Thorgersen; Ethel Villafranca |
| 10 | Lowitja Institute | Claire Prideaux | Senior Policy Officer |
| 11 | Open Access Australasia | Adjunct Prof Virginia Barbour | Director Kim Tairi; Dimity Flanagan; David Groenewegen; Michelle Blake; Fiona Bradley; Clare Thorpe; Ginny Barbour; Janet Catterall; Sandra Fry | Open Access Australasia Executive Committee |
| 12 | ARCHER, An Historical Register of the Australian People from Earliest Records to the Present Day | Janet McCalman; Vladimir Canudos-Romo; Len Smith; Nick Car |
| 13 | Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise, Australian Catholic University | A submission on behalf of ACU’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research and Enterprise |
| 14 | Monash University | Professor Katie Stevenson | Dean, Faculty of Arts |
| 15 | University of Tasmania | Professor Anthony Koutoulis | Acting Vice-Chancellor |
| 16 | The University of Queensland | Professor Mark Blows, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) and Vice-President (Research and Innovation) Professor Paul Bonnington | Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research Infrastructure) |
| 17 | Curtin University | Associate Professor Pieter Eichhorn Ph.D. | Dean of Research Infrastructure Professor Tama Leaver Professor Katie Ellis |
| 18 | Flinders University | Professor Adela J McMurray and Colleagues from the College of Business Government and Law |
| 19 | Fisheries RDC | Matt Barwick | GM Strategy & Innovation Dr Emily Ogier | Human Dimensions Research Coordinating Program |
| 20 | Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning - The University of Melbourne | Janine Campbell Michele Acuto Angela Brown Jason Thompson Branislava Godic |
| 21 | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) | Rob Heferen | Chief Executive Officer |
| 22 | Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) Australian Society of Archivists Council of Australasian Archives and Records Authorities (CAARA) | Trish Hepworth | Acting CEO & Director of Policy and Education Barbara Lemon | Executive Director, National & State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) Katya Henry | Director, Strategy & Analytics, Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) Phoebe Weston-Evans | Research and Program Coordinator at ALIA |
| 23 | School of Social Sciences, The University of Adelaide | Collective response of colleagues from the School of Social Sciences at the University of Adelaide |
Expert Working Group
| Expert Working Group Member | Team / Organisation |
|---|---|
| Professor A. ABIGAIL PAYNE FASSA, Ph.D., J.D. Ronald Henderson Professor & Melbourne Institute Director | Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research, University of Melbourne |
| Mr ADAM ZAMMIT Director of Operations | Australian Consortium for Social and Political Research Incorporated (ACSPRI) |
| Ms AI-LIN SOO Operations Manager, AiLECS Lab and Research Data Culture Conversation Coordinator | Monash University, The University of New South Wales |
| Dr AIDEN PRICE PhD Research Associate | Queensland University of Technology |
| Ms ALISON DELLIT Acting Director General | National Library of Australia |
| Dr ALISON SPECHT PhD Ecosystem research analyst, co-lead PARSEC project (www.parsecproject.org) | Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network & Belmont Forum |
| Prof AMANDA DAVIES Head, School of Social Sciences | University of Western Australia |
| Dr AMANDA LAWRENCE Research Fellow | ADM+S, RMIT |
| Dr ANASTASIOS PAPAIOANNOU Data Science Manager | Intersect Australia |
| Prof ANIKA GAUJA Executive Director, Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences | Australian Research Council |
| Associate Professor ANN DADICH Associate Professor, Human Resources & Management | Western Sydney University |
| Ms ANNETTE MILLS Business Analyst Library Collections | State Library South Australia |
| Ms ANTHEA HANCOCKS B.Sc., M.A., MBA., FAICD CEO | Scanlon Foundation Research Institute |
| Dr BARBARA LEMON Executive Director | National and State Libraries Australasia |
| Dr BERYL MORRIS Director, TERN Australia | University of Queensland |
| Professor BILL RANDOLPH FASSA Professor, Faculty of the Built Environment | University of New South Wales |
| Prof BRENDAN HOKOWHITU FRSNZ Centre Director | University of Queensland |
| BRIGID VAN WANROOY Director | Analysis & Policy Observatory |
| BRINT GARDNER Machine Learning Tech Lead | CSIRO |
| Ms CAROLYN JEFFRESS Assistant Director, Indigenous Research Exchange | AIATSIS |
| Prof CHRIS PETTIT Prof Director, City Futures Research Centre | UNSW Sydney |
| Ms CLAIRE SHERIDAN Senior Collections Advisor | Australian National University |
| Prof DANIEL ANGUS FQA Director, Digital Media Research Centre | Queensland University of Technology |
| Professor DARREN HALPIN Associate Dean (Research) | Australian National University |
| Mr DENNIS TREWIN AO FASSA Former Australian Statistician, ABS | Retired |
| ELANOR HUNTINGTON Executive Director - Digital, National Facilities & Collections | CSIRO |
| Prof FRANK BONGIORNO AM FRHistS FASSA FAHA Professor of History & President, Australian Historical Association President | Australian National University, Australian Historical Association |
| GABRIELLE PHILLIPS Group Head | AIHW |
| Ms GEMMA VAN HALDEREN Group Manager/Chief Data Officer | Department of Social Services |
| Prof GINNY BARBOUR Director, Open Access Australasia | Open Access Australasia |
| Dr GNANA K BHARATHY Research Data Specialist (AI/ML and Architecture) | ARDC & UTS |
| Mr GREG D'ARCY Digital Research Product Manager | Australia's Academic and Research Network (AARNet) |
| Dr HARRY ROLF Centre Manager | The Australian National University, Tech Policy Design Centre |
| Professor JACQUI TRUE FASSA FAIIA Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for the Elimination of Violence against Women (CEVAW) | Monash University |
| Ms JACQUI UHLMANN Head of Collection | National Film and Sound Archive of Australia |
| Prof JAMES WARD Director UQ Poche Centre for Indigenous Health | University of QLD |
| Emeritus Prof JANET MCCALMAN AC, FAHA, FASSA ARCHER | Building Australia's Social Genome | University of Melbourne |
| Prof JEAN BURGESS FAHA FQA Associate Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society | Queensland University of Technology |
| Ms JENNIFER FEWSTER Director, HASS and Indigenous RDC | Australian Research Data Commons |
| Dr JESSICA GALLAGHER Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Engagement) | The University of Adelaide |
| Dr JON LANE Senior Policy Advisor | Australian Academy of the Humanities |
| Ms KATHRYN GLEDHILL-TUCKER Senior Policy Advisor | First Languages |
| Ms KATYA HENRY Director, Strategy & Analytics | Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) |
| Ms KOMATHY PADMANABHAN Director Research Data Strategy | Monash University |
| Dr LEONARD ROBERT SMITH PhD Visiting Fellow | ANU |
| Prof LISA KERVIN PhD, GAICD Professor, Education; Director, Early Start Research | University of Wollongong |
| Mr LUC BETBEDER BA MPH Director Research Technology | Unsw, Research Data Culture Conversation |
| Ms M. FRANCISCA BORQUEZ VIVANCO Research Officer | VOSON Lab, School of Sociology, Australian National University |
| Distinguished Professor Emerita MAGGIE WALTER PhD FASSA Emerita Professor | University of Tasmania |
| Mr MARCO FAHMI Data Policy Lead, Data Strategy | Customer and Digital Group, Queensland Government |
| Dr MARIA DEL MAR QUIROGA Senior Research Data Specialist | Melbourne Data Analytics Platform, The University of Melbourne |
| Dr MARISSA TAKAHASHI Manager, Digital Observatory | QUT Research Infrastructure |
| Mr MARK STICKELLS FAICD FAIM Executive Director | Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre |
| Mr MATTHEW JAMES Deputy Chief Executive Officer | Australian Institute of Health and Welfare |
| Professor MATTHEW R SANDERS AO, Ph.D Professor, Parenting Studies and Family Psychology | Parenting and Family Support Centre, School of Psychology, The University of QueenslandThe University of Queensland |
| Mr MATTHIAS LIFFERS Product Manager (PIDs) | Australian Research Data Commons |
| MELANIE BARLOW Product Manager, Research Data Australia | ARDC |
| Prof MELANIE NOLAN FASSA Director National Centre of Biography & General Editor Australian Dictionary of Biography/ Professor of History | Australian National University |
| Professor MELANIE RANDLE Professor of Marketing | University of Wollongong |
| Ms MELISSA SUARES M.SciMed(ClinEpi) M.HlthSci(ClinDataMan) B.HlthInfoMan(Hons) AFCHSM Lead, Data Management and Linkage | Australian Institute of Family Studies |
| Dr MERRAN SMITH Chief Executive | Population Health Research Network |
| Prof MICHAEL HAUGH FAHA Professor of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics | University of Queensland |
| Mr MICHAEL SMEDES Chief Data Officer | Australian Bureau of Statistics |
| A/Prof MICHELLE KENNEDY Executive Manager Research & Knowledge Translation | Lowitja Institute |
| Dr. MINGFANG WU Product Manager, Research Data Australia and Research Link Australia | ARDC |
| Prof MONIKA BEDNAREK Professor, Linguistics; Director, Sydney Corpus Lab | The University of Sydney |
| Dr NICHOLAS CAR Data Architect | KurrawongAI |
| A/Prof NICK THIEBERGER FAHA A/Prof in the School of Languages and Linguistics | University of Melbourne, PARADISEC |
| Dr OLGA BOICHAK PhD Lecturer in Digital Cultures | University of Sydney |
| Prof PASCAL PEREZ Director | AURIN |
| Dr PETER MALCOLM SEFTON Technical Lead, Language Data Commons of Australia | UQ |
| Professor PETER MOSTYN DAVIES Pro Vice Chancellor | Murdoch University |
| Prof PHILIPPA ELEANOR PATTISON AO FASSA FRSN Emeritus Professor | University of Sydney, University of Melbourne |
| Dr RAJEEV SAMARAGE Data Analytics Lead | Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne |
| Dr RHYS STEVEN FRANCIS Facilitator, Research Data Culture Conversation | eResearch Associates Pty Ltd |
| Prof ROBERT ACKLAND Professor, School of Sociology & VOSON Lab | Australian National University |
| Mr ROWAN BROWNLEE Product manager, Research Vocabularies Australia (RVA) | ARDC |
| Dr RYAN PERRY Data Archivist | Australian Data Archive, Australian National University |
| Mr RYAN WINN CEO | ACOLA |
| Adjunct Prof SACH JAYASINGHE FIML FQA FATEM GAICD CEO | Queensland Cyber Infrastructure Foundation (QCIF) |
| Dr SAM HAMES Postdoctoral Research Fellow (Computational Humanities) | UQ |
| Dr SAMANTHA ROSE BA BA(Hons) PhD Director, Office of Research | University of Southern Queensland |
| Distinguished Professor SEAN ULM MAIATSIS FSA MAACAI FAHA FQA Director, ARC Centre of Excellence for Indigenous and Environmental Histories and Futures | James Cook University |
| Dr SIMON MUSGRAVE Engagement and Outreach Lead, Language Data Commons of Australia | The University of Queensland, Monash University |
| Professor SUSAN DANBY FASSA Director ARC Centre of Excellence for the Digital Child | Queensland University of Technology |
| Prof THOMAS MEASHAM Research Director | Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies |
| Dr TOM HONEYMAN Solutions Architect (HASS and Indigenous Research Data Commons) | Australian Research Data Commons |
| TRISH HEPWORTH Acting CEO & Director of Policy and Education | Australian Library & Information Association (ALIA) |
| Dr XIANBI HUANG Senior Lecturer, Department of Social Inquiry | School of Humanities and Social Sciences, La Trobe University |
| Prof YOSHIHISA KASHIMA FASSA Professor | Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne |
Partners
- Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia
- ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods (CSRM) and Australian Data Archive (ADA)
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society (ADM+S)
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Children and Families over the Life Course (Life Course Centre)
- ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR)
- Institute for Social Science Research (ISSR), The University of Queensland.
Precedents
- Social Science Research Infrastructure (roundtable, April 2022), in which social science infrastructure leaders, from universities and research institutes, public research agencies and the community sector, across the country, agreed that the sector needs to pull forces together to achieve major breakthroughs in research capability
- Australia’s Data-Enabled Research Futures: The Social Sciences (report, June 2022), which identifies the development of a Decadal Plan as the first of seven priorities to situate Australian social science research strategically towards the future.
Timeframe
Detailed project planning is currently under development, with an indicative/interim completion date to September 2023. More details will be published here soon.
Get involved
- Stay in the loop by joining the Decadal Plan’s LinkedIn Group
- Or email the project lead, Dr Isabel Ceron, isabel.ceron@socialsciences.org.au to find out more.
Steering Group
- Prof Kaarin Anstey FASSA FAHMS
- Dr Chris Hatherly
- Dr Amanda Lawrence
- A/Prof Steven McEachern
- A/Prof Francis Mitrou
- Dr Jacob Prehn
- Prof Julian Thomas FAHA
- A/Prof Wojtek Tomaszewski
- Prof Mark Western FASSA