New Zealand / New Ideas
An introduction to the
New Zealand Research, Science and Technology system
Introduction
New Zealand has a proud track record in research and prides itself on its culture of innovation. Major developments such as splitting the atom, developing new breeds of sheep, inventing earthquake shock absorbers, and designing and building world-beating motorboats and motorcycles were achieved by New Zealanders. Today, New Zealand scientists are forging ahead in areas as diverse as communications software, biofuels, animal genetics and the human brain.
New Zealand boasts a flexible, sophisticated and responsive science system filled with smart scientists who have a strong multi-disciplinary approach and a pragmatic, hard-working attitude.
This brochure profiles New Zealand’s RS&T strengths, the key players, how international collaborations are being strengthened and where you can go to get more information.
New Zealand’s RS&T Strengths
New Zealand has world-class scientific capability in a wide range of areas, including biotechnology, geology, oceanography, meteorology, biology and clinical medicine. There are also many success stories in software, telecommunications, agricultural machinery and horticultural research and development, while commercialisation of developments in biotechnology, high temperature enzymes, ceramics and nanotechnology has begun.
Our leading scientists have also formed seven Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs).
Biotechnology
During the past two decades, New Zealand has built up significant strengths in many aspects of biotechnology on the back of more than 150 years of excellence in agriculture. New Zealand also has world-leading research groups in areas of biomedicine. As New Zealand increases its links to the global biotechnology marketplace, exciting new companies are forming out of our universities and Crown Research Institutes (CRIs).
Health and Medicine
New Zealand’s health research expertise extends from basic biomedical research to clinical and population health disciplines. New Zealand is leading research in areas of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, bone disease, asthma, cancer, neurosciences and public health research.
Food and Beverage
Great-tasting food and wine have long been produced in New Zealand. As global consumers have come to demand their food be more convenient and health-giving, New Zealand researchers have responded with a whole range of new products. Our dairy science and horticultural sectors are world-leading producers of innovative food ingredients for the global market.
Engineering
New Zealand has superior capability in high temperature superconductor ceramics, computer-integrated manufacturing, flexible automation, wireless technologies, earthquake engineering and food product design.
Environmental Science
New Zealand has the world’s fourth-largest exclusive economic zone and is a base for research extending from the South Pacific islands to Antarctica. New Zealand scientists have pioneered techniques to identify changes in sources of greenhouse gases, and our researchers play a leading role in global understanding of ozone depletion and variability in ultra-violet radiation. They have also developed world-leading understanding of invasive species and how to manage them.
Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
New Zealand has developed world-leading digital media companies, specialising in entertainment and education applications. Convergence between ICT and the primary sector may also lead to new digital industries.
Key Government Objectives for RS&T
The Government is New Zealand’s largest investor in research and innovation, as it understands RS&T is critical to ensuring New Zealand’s continued prosperity. The Government works to ensure RS&T continues to support innovation as a key driver in caring for the environment, fuelling economic growth, enhancing New Zealanders’ health and improving the way we live and work.
In the financial year from 1 July 2006, the Government invested about $1.02 billion in the wider science and innovation sector. Most of this money is allocated by the main RS&T funding agencies described over the page. The funds administered by these organisations are structured to:
- support basic and strategic research
- support researcher-led innovation in new areas or applications
- increase the rate of commercialisation and the ability of firms to commercialise
- support promising researchers, and environmental, social and health research.
Global Connections
The Government appreciates the value of sharing knowledge across national borders and is therefore actively promoting collaboration for sustainable economic, social and environmental development.
New Zealand researchers are well connected with international research efforts and are increasingly strengthening their ties with researchers overseas.
The Ministry of Research, Science & Technology (MoRST) has developed a strategy for developing priority relationships with particular nations and actively supports collaborative links with these countries by way of bilateral science arrangements, other Government initiatives, and funding mechanisms such as the International Science and Technology Linkages Fund and the International Investment Opportunities Fund.
MoRST has two Science and Technology Counsellors in Washington and Brussels to deepen RS&T relationships with the USA and the European Union. Their role is to identify and facilitate partnering opportunities between New Zealand researchers and institutions, and counterparts in the USA and EU. There are also three New Zealand-based Science and Technology coordinators who develop New Zealand’s scientific relationships with Germany, China and Japan.
New Zealand is also an active participant in a number of OECD science committees and APEC’s RS&T forums.
For more information about how to collaborate with New Zealand researchers, email international@morst.govt.nz
New Zealand Successes
World-leading Bioengineering Research
The University of Auckland’s Bioengineering Institute is building simulated human organs to enable researchers to gauge the effectiveness of new drugs and possible side-effects. The simulated organs are constructed based on vast amounts of data gained from experiments at the gene, protein, cell, tissue and organ level as well as from whole body systems physiology.
The work is part of the international Physiome Project whose goals are to use computational modelling to analyse the whole body and provide a system for hypothesis testing. The first organ to be mapped by the Auckland research team was the heart, and work is now well advanced on mapping the lungs, the musculo-skeletal system and a number of other human physiological systems.
Visit the University of Auckland’s Bioengineering Institute website
Major Pharmaceutical Developments
New Zealand companies have had a string of successes in developing new pharmaceutical products. In 2005, BCX 4208, a drug for the treatment of auto immune disease co-developed by New Zealand CRI Industrial Research Ltd, was the subject of a $US500m licensing deal with Roche. Another drug from Industrial Research, Fodosine, used for the treatment of leukaemia, has also been licensed to Swiss-based MundiPharma in a multi-million dollar deal.
More information on the IRL website
The Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre (ACSRC) at The University of Auckland has also been very successful. Research at the ACSRC, in collaboration with Stanford University, led to the formation of Proacta Inc, which is developing a new generation of cancer drugs with a unique mechanism for targeting solid tumours. The ACSRC’s anti-cancer drug, Amsacrine, has been commercialised by Pfizer, while another ACSRC drug has recently completed Phase 2 clinical trials.
More information on the ACSRC website
Top-flight Animal Genetics Research
New Zealand is a world leader when it comes to science involving animal genetics. For example, research consortium Ovita boasts ‘the world’s largest database of sheep pedigree and genetic history’ and ‘the largest ovine DNA library’. Catapult, a company that was spun-off from Ovita in July 2006, focuses on developing and commercialising livestock genetic diagnostics, and has launched five products that allow sheep breeders and farmers to more efficiently select for naturally occurring genetic traits that improve muscling and fertility. Catapult has tested over 200,000 sheep since 2003. Catapult and Genetic Solutions of Australia, a global leader in developing cattle DNA technologies, have recently merged to form Catapult Genetics. Visit the Ovita website and the Catapult website
Breakthrough Biosecurity Research
Biosecurity is crucial to New Zealand because our unique island ecology and dependence on primary industries means foreign species have the potential to cause major damage. The biosecurity challenge is intensifying with growing trade, cheap travel, changing trade patterns and climate change. The 600,000 shipping containers arriving each year present a particularly daunting biosecurity problem.
CRI AgResearch has developed technology called Sniffertech™ to augment visual searches. One application for Sniffertech™ is for a sampling ‘cassette’ to be put into a container at the time of loading. When the container doors are shut, the cassette samples and concentrates the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) present in the trapped air pocket. Distinctive VOCs are emitted by many materials, including those of biological origin.
On arrival, the device is removed from the container and the trapped VOCs compared electronically to a database of VOCs known to be associated with biosecurity threats. If there is any indication of unwanted material present, this can then be reported immediately. Visit the AgResearch website
New Zealand Crown Research Institutes (CRIs)
Formed by the Government in 1992, CRIs are the largest providers of science research in New Zealand. CRIs undertake basic and applied science, and technology research and development, in many instances from the idea through to the commercial outcome. Their clients and funders include both central and local government, and private sector markets in New Zealand and abroad.
There are nine CRIs, as follows:
AgResearch
AgResearch’s mission is to create sustainable wealth in the pastoral and biotechnology sectors with science and technology. This mission will be achieved by its 2020 Science Strategy, in which AgResearch is working closely with its industry partners to double the value produced by the dairy, meat and textile industries while halving their costs and impacts on the environment.
Crop and Food Research
Provides scientific research to support the sustainable production of crops, food and new biomaterials. Its areas of expertise include: sustainable land and water use, high performance plants, personalised foods, high value marine products, and biomolecules and biomaterials.
Institute of Environmental Science & Research Ltd
ESR’s work underpins the health and justice systems in New Zealand. It provides a range of scientific services to government organisations and commercial companies in New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region, focusing on the areas of forensics, communicable diseases, food safety, pharmaceuticals, population and environmental health, toxicology, systems thinking and social science, and water management.
GNS Science
An earth systems science enterprise whose focus includes geological hazards and tectonics, environment and land use, earth and ocean resources for economic growth, and protection of the society and economy from risk.
HortResearch
A world leader in integrated fruit research using unique resources in fruit, plants and sustainable production systems to provide novel technologies, and innovative fruit and food products with high consumer appeal.
Industrial Research
Undertakes world-class science, development and technology commercialisation in areas of communication, information and electronic technologies; advanced materials and performance; intelligent devices and systems; pharmaceutical discovery and development; biochemical technologies; energy technologies; complex measurement and analysis.
Landcare Research – Manaaki Whenua
Research focuses on conserving and restoring New Zealand’s biodiversity, reducing pest and disease impacts on ecosystems, mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change, sustaining the long-term health and viability of our rural and urban environments, businesses adopting environmentally sustainable and competitive practices, and people and communities caring for our land.
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research
Provides a scientific basis for the sustainable management and development of New Zealand’s atmospheric, marine and freshwater systems and associated resources.
Scion Research
Scion is committed to creating the next generation of new bio-based products and sustainable manufacturing processes. With 60 years experience in plantation forestry, wood and fibre, Scion offers a wide range of biomaterials research and development services. Its forestry research capabilities are delivered through Ensis, a joint venture with CSIRO Forestry and Forest Products in Australia.
Organisations Involved in Research
University Research
New Zealand’s eight universities all offer science-related studies and most of them cover various aspects of technology. The universities are also responsible for undertaking about 30 per cent of New Zealand’s publicly funded R&D. The Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) allocates this funding on the basis of peer review and indicator (qualitative and quantitative) measures of past performance. More information on the PBRF is available on the Tertiary Education Commission website.
Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs)
The Government established the Centres of Research Excellence Fund to promote and undertake world-class research that contributes to New Zealand’s economic development and that incorporates knowledge transfer into training.
The Centres are all physically hosted within universities, but they have various partnership linkages with other institutions, particularly CRIs and other universities. Seven CoREs have been established. They are concerned with:
More information on the CoREs on the Tertiary Education Commission website
Research Associations are linked to and predominantly funded by industry. Some of them also receive government research funding. They include:
Research Consortia are public-private partnerships set up to bring researchers and end users closer together and promote collaboration between universities, CRIs and business. They include:
Other non-government bodies with a research emphasis include:
New Zealand’s RS&T Policy and Funding Agencies
Ministry of Research, Science & Technology (MoRST)
MoRST oversees the Government’s investment in RS&T and shapes the overall direction of the sector by developing science and technology policy. MoRST does not directly fund research and innovation projects, but influences investment through policy advice on the Government’s RS&T portfolio. It also works with other innovation/research-focused departments, Crown Research Institutes, universities and the private sector to ensure alignment across the system.
MoRST’s Statement of Intent and International Linkages Strategy
Foundation for Research, Science & Technology (FRST)
FRST is the Government’s principal purchaser of RS&T and manager of RS&T funds. It plays a key role in stimulating economic growth through the innovation system – directly, through its investments, and indirectly, by supporting the scientists and technologists and the organisations in which they work. The Foundation’s funds are managed through a number of investment programmes, including:
- the International Investment Opportunities Fund, which aims to increase New Zealand’s ability to build international research collaborations, develop international funding partnerships, and attract world-leading researchers
- Technology New Zealand – encourages private firms to undertake research and development
- the New Economy Research Fund – supports basic research in science and technology in new and emerging sectors
- the Research for Industry fund – focuses on research that will help sustain the value of current industries, add value through new or improved products, processes and services and, to a lesser extent, create new businesses
- a number of funds that support other areas of ‘public good’ research, such as environmental, Maori knowledge and development, and social research
- a range of scholarships and fellowships.
More information on the the FRST website
Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC)
The HRC is the Government agency responsible for managing investment in public good health research. The HRC’s mission is to improve human health by promoting and funding health research. It funds a broad spectrum of health research, including biomedical, clinical, public health, and Maori and Pacific health. The HRC also funds a range of health research career development awards.
More information on the HRC website
Royal Society of New Zealand (RSNZ)
The RSNZ is an independent national academy of sciences, a federation of some 60 scientific and technological societies, and individual members. It supports numerous scientific societies, promotes a critical awareness of science and technology in schools, industry and society and fosters international science links. On behalf of the Government, the RSNZ manages various research funds including the Marsden Fund, New Zealand’s premier source of basic research funding, and publishes seven scientific journals. The Society provides expert independent advice to government and enables the scientific community to have a voice in the national science debate.
More information on the RSNZ website
New Zealand Venture Investment Fund Ltd (NZVIF)
NZVIF is contracted by the New Zealand Government to administer two programmes:
Venture Capital Programme
This is a “Fund of Funds” equity investment programme that is investing NZ$160 million alongside private sector co-investors in a series of privately managed venture capital investment funds.
Seed Co-Investment Programme (SCIF)
SCIF provides $40 million of matched seed funding to support the further development of early-stage investment markets through a co-investment fund alongside selected Seed Co-Investment Partners.
More information on the NZVIF website
Science Working for New Zealand and the World
Cutting-edge science has long been at the heart of New Zealand’s success. From the revolutionary refrigerated ships that safely brought New Zealand meat halfway around the world to be sold in Great Britain in the late 19th Century, to the innovative shock-absorbing systems that now protect many important buildings around the world from earthquakes, science has been and continues to be an integral part of our national identity.
The relatively small size of the New Zealand economy has encouraged cooperative, cross-boundary research carried out by scientists who can do a broad range of research. This is reflected in the science system, where CRIs, universities and other research providers work closely with one another, the Government and businesses. The education and health systems are also closely intertwined with the science system.
This cooperative and flexible approach is reflected in New Zealand’s willingness to share knowledge and do business with international partners.
Such collaboration is increasingly important in a world becoming more closely interconnected by the day and where dealing with trans-national challenges such as climate change and managing scarce resources becomes ever more pressing.
New Zealand scientists, the Government and the nation as a whole welcome international interest in our science and look forward to working together for mutual and global benefit.
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