Reflections on the Review

The numerous presentations during the just completed Performance Review of the Bushfire CRC by the Innovation Department highlighted a few things for me in relation to how our research utilisation is tracking.

Overall, our key research utilisation activities are going strong.

Collaboration – our Lead End Users are active, and there is high involvement in the Research Advisory Forum and through AFAC Groups.

Awareness - the website, publications such as Fire Notes, conference posters and presentations are well received and are being accessed.

Engagement - professional development events such as conferences, forums, workshops, and seminars are well attended.

Capability – new knowledge is being embedded into industry training and other education areas.

But we are left with the question - our research inputs are great and our research and utilisation outputs are great, but what’s the outcome?  In the Review, we struggled to demonstrate clear outcomes. 

Perhaps we need another research project to figure out how to do that. In the meantime we should take comfort in knowing that we are doing the right things that lead to the right outcomes.