The Group of Eight

Congratulations to all recipients for this round of the National Health and Medical Research Council - NHMRC flagship Investigator Grants scheme, with funding announced for 234 grants to the value of $429.9 million.

And a special shout-out to The Group of Eight researchers, who continue to lead the national effort in health and medical research innovation through the breadth and depth of its research excellence and through collaborations across the sector.

Go8 members take out the top six positions nationally by both grants won and funding. 183 of the successful researchers (78% of the total) are at Go8 universities with $327 million in funding.

Investigator Grants support Australia's best health and medical researchers to deliver new knowledge and innovations that will improve lives, enhance healthcare and contribute to a stronger, more resilient economy and increased national wellbeing for all Australians.

Adelaide University The Australian National University The University of Melbourne Monash University UNSW The University of Queensland University of Sydney The University of Western Australia

“Right now, there is a clear need for Australia to have a specialised AI cybersecurity workforce, and we are leaning into that challenge,” Professor Sharon Pickering, Vice-Chancellor of The Group of Eight research powerhouse member Monash University, said in a Financial Review story about Monash and cybersecurity firm CyberCX teaming up to co-design a new specialised Bachelor of CyberAI degree, which links AI and cybersecurity.

Maani Truu writes that the three-year program, designed to tackle a shortage of cybersecurity experts that has left Australian organisations vulnerable as state-backed hackers and criminal gangs harness artificial intelligence to accelerate their attacks, will launch on July 29 with the first cohort of students expected to start the first semester 2027.

“We know that sovereign capability around AI and sovereign capability around AI cybersecurity is critical. We need to keep up,” Professor Pickering said.

Read more: https://www.afr.com/policy/health-and-education/we-need-to-keep-up-uni-to-offer-degree-in-ai-cybersecurity-20260728-p60j64

‘We need to keep up’: Uni to offer degree in AI cybersecurity Cybersecurity firm CyberCX and Monash University have teamed up to help address Australia’s shortage of experts able to take on hackers.

The Group of Eight universities educate 30,000 regional and remote students each year. That includes through medical rural clinical schools that bring world-class medical education to more than 550 locations outside of main population centres. Ensuring opportunity reaches every corner of Australia.

Adelaide University The Australian National University The University of Melbourne Monash University UNSW The University of Queensland University of Sydney The University of Western Australia

The Australian Research Council (ARC) National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) review is a significant contribution to the future of Australia's research system and reflects many of the priorities advanced by The Group of Eight throughout the consultation process.

Its recognition of the value of early-stage research, support for Indigenous research excellence, stronger investment in emerging researchers and a more coordinated national research system through coordination with the Ambitious Australia report are all important developments.

Importantly, the review reinforces the central role research plays in driving Australia's future productivity, economic prosperity and sovereign capability.

However, the review ultimately highlights an issue that remains unresolved: Australia's research ambitions continue to outpace the level of investment available to support them. While the review proposes important reforms to the structure and operation of the National Competitive Grants Program, it does not address the fundamental challenge facing the research system - the growing gap between the cost of conducting world-class research and the funding available to sustain it.

Read the full Media Release here: https://bit.ly/4pGwGiE

Adelaide University The Australian National University The University of Melbourne Monash University UNSW The University of Queensland University of Sydney The University of Western Australia

Great to be welcomed to the Embassy of Switzerland in Canberra / Consulate General in Sydney by Switzerland's Ambassador to Australia, H.E. Mr Nikolas Stürchler and Advisor for Science, Technology and Education, Mr Tristan Piguet.

Last year, Switzerland became an associated country to Horizon Europe and with Australia's own association to the world's largest research and innovation programme imminent, The Group of Eight CE Vicki Thomson and our Deputy CE Dr Matthew Brown discussed with Ambassador Stürchler Gonzenbach opportunities and next steps for deeper research collaboration, particularly through Horizon Europe.

The Go8 sees Switzerland as a trusted, likeminded and high-value partner for research and innovation, with a shared commitment to research excellence, innovation and international collaboration and hopes that our research collaboration opportunities will be turbo-charged by Australia's association to Horizon Europe.

It was a real pleasure to visit the Chinese Embassy in Australia and discuss our shared commitment to sustained, high-quality education and research collaboration between China and The Group of Eight, and the mutual benefits that it brings. Chinese students and scholars make a major contribution to Group of Eight universities, Australia’s research system and the broader bilateral relationship.

Go8 CE Vicki Thomson and our Director of Global Engagement, Dr Jane Liang, met with Mr LI Fanjie, Minister and Deputy Head of Mission and Professor LI Wei, Chinese Minister Counsellor (Education & Research). They also took the opportunity to express to Mr LI and Ms LI the Go8’s sincere appreciation for Ambassador Xiao's continued support for bilateral education and research engagement, ahead of his departure in July.

Great to welcome Romania's Ambassador to Australia, H.E. Mr Radu Gabriel Safta, to The Group of Eight HQ. Romania is a valued partner within Europe for the Go8, with growing opportunities for collaboration across research, innovation and higher education. Between 2021 and 2025, Australia and Romania produced over 3,000 co-publications – 78% of which were with Go8 universities. As Australia moves toward association to Horizon Europe, the world's largest research and innovation programme, and Romania seeks to strengthen international partnerships and research capacity, there will likely be many opportunities to deepen collaboration between our two countries.

Ambasada României în Australia / Embassy of Romania to Australia Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade European Union in Australia

“Australia is now one of the most expensive countries in the world for a student visa. That is a risk,” The Group of Eight CE Vicki Thomson said in a University World News story about recent student visa fee increases.

“The concern is that Australia is becoming more expensive at the same time as competition for international students is increasing,” she said, “That is particularly relevant in markets like South Asia, where students and families are often making significant financial sacrifices to access higher education.”

She warned that Australia could risk losing highly sought-after students.

“The students most likely to be affected are often the very students Australia says it wants to attract talented postgraduate and research students who have choices about where they study and where they build their careers.”

And she questioned whether current policy settings were sending mixed messages.

“On the one hand, Australia says it needs more skills, more talent and stronger links with the region. On the other hand, we are making it more expensive and more difficult for international students to come here.”

“Students today have plenty of options. They can choose between Australia, the UK, Canada, Europe and increasingly countries across Asia. Cost is not the only factor, but it is an important one.”

She also told Shadi Khan Saif that international education should be viewed as a strategic asset.

“It helps build our future workforce, supports research and innovation, and strengthens Australia’s relationships around the world,” she said.

https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20260716135705235

Tripling of visa charge could deter international students Australia’s decision to triple the cost of its international student visa fee to help limit migration has triggered concern across the higher educat...