New Zealand¡¯s universities have vowed to work hand in glove with the country¡¯s other taxpayer-funded research institutions, amid moves to inject more coherence into what is seen as a fragmented and duplicative science system.

The eight universities have signed a formal ¡°¡± with three new ¡°public research organisations¡± (PROs) formed from mergers of six of the seven crown research institutes (CRIs).

The 11 institutions have also flagged an ¡°ambitious joint work programme¡± to ¡°increase the impact of publicly funded science¡± by sharing information, infrastructure and expertise and forging ¡°better connections¡± with government advisers and ministries.

The agreement, which its authors have promised will not ¡°gather dust¡±, capitalises on ¡°scale-up¡± opportunities stemming from reforms recommended by a review panel called the Science Systems Advisory Group.

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The panel¡¯s first report, handed to the government last August and published in January, called for the CRIs to be rationalised and for universities and science to be brought together in a single ministry ¨C a request granted in a ministerial reshuffle days before the report¡¯s release.

The minister in charge of the combined portfolio, Shane Reti, said he was ¡°very encouraged¡± at the ¡°greater level of cooperation¡± between universities and the new PROs. ¡°This agreement follows the first meeting of vice-chancellors and chairs of our publicly-funded research institutes in more than a decade,¡± he said. ¡°We need to ensure we are all working together collectively.¡±

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Critics say the sector has failed to work together, with universities, CRIs and other public agencies duplicating each other¡¯s work. A commonly cited example is meteorology, with both the state-owned MetService and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research ¨C now part of a PRO called Earth Sciences New Zealand ¨C providing weather forecasts.

New Zealand is too small to support competing organisations providing similar public services, critics argue.

Universities insist that they have a ¡°long history of partnership¡± with public research institutions, citing joint efforts in areas from cyclone recovery, wildfire management and flood mapping to forensic science, genomics and food production.

¡°However, in many cases this been the result of individual relationships and specific projects,¡± conceded Universities New Zealand chair Grant Edwards. ¡°The science system changes provide an opportunity for us to scale up research.¡±

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Science New Zealand, the representative body for the PROs, said the new agreement would drive ¡°greater system connectivity¡± and better value for money. ¡°With the current reform of the science sector under way, we have got together to take a good look at processes across our institutions as a whole,¡± said its chair, Sir Ashley Bloomfield.

The three PROs were established in July with a fourth one expected, along with legislation to officially convert the CRIs.

Final recommendations from the Science Systems Advisory Group are expected in its second report, due to be released soon along with a final report from the parallel Universities Advisory Group. Reti is scheduled to address a ÌÇÐÄVlog ?in Christchurch on 2 September.

john.ross@timeshighereducation.com