Universities are now the largest performers of public rural R&D in Australia. Total university expenditure on rural R&D for 2014–15 was estimated at $766 million, up from $469 million in 2006–07, in real terms. The increase in expenditure by universities was primarily driven by growth in funding contributions from universities. Figure Rural R&D expenditure, 2006–07 to 2014–15 Although total expenditure on rural R&D has increased over the 10 years, trends for individual research categories varied (Figure 14). For example, our results show public agricultural R&D expenditure fell until 2008–09 and production' R&D increased. These trends were ‘sustainable largely reversed after 2010–11—agricultural R&D grew at just under 5 per cent annually between 2010–11 and 2014–15. The decline in expenditure on agricultural R&D in the 2000s is consistent with Mullen’s (2011) findings for agriculture R&D. Figure Public R&D performed by research category, 2006–07 to 2014–15
Universities are now the largest performers of public rural R&D in Australia. Total university expenditure on rural R&D for 2014–15 was estimated at $766 million, up from $469 million in 2006–07, in real terms. The increase in expenditure by universities was primarily driven by growth in funding contributions from universities. Figure Rural R&D expenditure, 2006–07 to 2014–15 Although total expenditure on rural R&D has increased over the 10 years, trends for individual research categories varied (Figure 14). For example, our results show public agricultural R&D expenditure fell until 2008–09 and ‘sustainable production' R&D increased. These trends were largely reversed after 2010–11—agricultural R&D grew at just under 5 per cent annually between 2010–11 and 2014–15. The decline in expenditure on agricultural R&D in the 2000s is consistent with Mullen’s (2011) findings for agriculture R&D. Figure Public R&D performed by research category, 2006–07 to 2014–15