Public Sector Financing of Research 2007-08

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This annual survey estimates the current level of government financed R&D, as well as collecting detailed government-wide information on the types of research activities financed. (2008)

**Excerpt: Please download the above file for the full report**

Executive summary

This report presents statistics about planned government funding of research activity for 2007/081 .  In this report, research activity includes “research and development (R&D)”, “policy-related studies” and “other research-related activity”.  These terms have specific meanings and are defined in Annex 1.

The data was collected by a survey of public sector agencies and analysis of selected budget votes following the internationally accepted methodology.2

Intended funding of research activity by local and central government agencies for 2007/08 was $1,211 million.

Intended investment in R&D was $946 million.  The majority of this ($601 million) was from Vote Research, Science and Technology (RS&T); a substantial portion ($291 million) was from general university funding through Vote Education.3  The contribution from other central government agencies was $48 million, and local government was $6 million.

Intended funding of policy-related studies was $107 million.  The majority would be spent by public service departments ($77 million).  Other government agencies intended spending $11 million and local government, $19 million. 

Intended funding of other research-related activities was $158 million. 

Fifty-eight percent ($548 million) of the R&D investment for 2007/08 was not allocated to a research provider.  Where allocations had been made, $7 million was allocated to in-house research units, $76 million to government-owned research facilities, $267 million to universities and polytechnics, $14 million elsewhere in New Zealand, and $1 million internationally.

The socio-economic purpose of most intended R&D had not been determined.  Where a socio-economic purpose had been determined, the major targets were health, information technology, social, and environment.

Planned research activity that was not funded from Vote RS&T or general university funds from Vote Education was $321 million.  This was an increase of $9 million from 2006/074 .  Planned R&D decreased by $8 million to $54 million.  Policy-related research increased by $21 million to $108 million.  Other research-related activity decreased by $4 million to $158 million.  These changes largely reflect improved definition use. 

Agencies planning to fund R&D grew by one to a total of 40.  

Introduction

This study is the second in an annual series5 that aims to quantify planned investment in research activity by the New Zealand public sector for the forthcoming financial year.  In this series, research activity includes “research and development (R&D)”, “policy-related studies” and “other research-related activity”.  These terms have specific meanings and are defined in Annex 1

This study complements, and is available earlier than, the biennial retrospective survey of the business, government and higher education R&D.6  

In this study, the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST) has purposefully taken a wide approach to capturing research activity funded by the public sector, and has included all research activity funded by local authorities.  Public sector agencies carry out research activities that are both precursors to and applications of the more narrowly defined R&D. 

The resulting statistics form essential background tools for government advisers who develop science, environmental, general economic and social policy.  The statistics also inform the public and their representatives about the purpose of government-funded R&D. 

By identifying central and local government investment in research activity, this study helps demonstrate that research is relevant to local communities, and that Government has an important role in developing New Zealand science and technology capability. 

The term R&D as used in this study has an internationally defined meaning and is sometimes also known as Frascati R&D.  This definition is the one used for collecting national statistics, such as those presented in OECD tables. 

This study also collected data on policy-related studies and other research related activities.  These are excluded from the definition of Frascati R&D, but provide a broader picture of research activity carried out by central and local government. 

The OECD methodology for collecting information on public financing of research and experimental development (R&D), as defined in the Frascati manual,7 was followed. 

Footnotes

1 Research terms are defined in Annex 1; public sector agencies are defined in Annex 2.

2 For international methodology, see Annex 3; for survey questions, see Annex 6.

3 For Vote RS&T breakdown, see Annex 4; for Vote Education (GUF), see Annex 5.

4 Report of 2006/07 on this website

5 Statistics reports on this website

6 Research and Development survey on this website

7 OECD (2002) Frascati Manual – Proposed standard practice for surveys on research and experimental development.  OECD.  Paris:  France ISBN 92-64-19903-9

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Page updated 19 Jun 2008