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ABOUT RIRDC

Who We Are and What We Do	What we do
Corporate Plan 2003-08	Board Directors
Goals and Strategic directions	Vision and Mission
Our Research Programs	Advisory Committees
Online Action Plan	Board Charter

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO
The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) is a statutory Corporation formed in July 1990 under the Primary Industries and Energy Research and Development (PIERD) Act 1989.

It was set up by the Commonwealth Government to work closely with Australian rural industries on the organisation and funding of their R&D needs.

The Corporation has a Board of nine directors and employs 23 Canberra-based staff and five part-time program managers.

WHAT WE DO
The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation manages and funds priority research and translates the results into practical outcomes for industry development. The focus of this business is on new and emerging industries as a means of diversification of rural enterprises in Australia. This role is enhanced by responsibility for research and development for a range of established rural industries and for key generic issues confronting the rural sector.

To achieve this we are:

fostering the development of new industries - both prospective and emerging;

managing research and development investments for established industries; and

developing a research program to address important strategic, cross-sectoral issues facing the rural sector.

In 2006-07, we are funding around 380 projects in 22 diverse areas, totalling around $23.7m. Funds come from Commonwealth appropriations, voluntary industry contributions, industry levies and Commonwealth dollar for dollar matching funds.

We invite project applications for research support through advertisements in major newspapers in August each year, and also advertise a small number of post-graduate scholarships around September.

GOALS AND STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
RIRDC's goals and their supporting strategic directions in the Corporate Plan 2003-2008 are based on four main drivers:

1. the objectives of our enabling legislation, the PIERD Act;
2. the federal government’s four national research priorities and seven rural research priorities;
3. the key strategic goals and directions of our stakeholder industries; and
4. trends identified in the changing national and international research and business environment.

The goals and strategies contained in this Plan are combined with the operational principles to deliver RIRDC's research outcomes in the present and future research environment.

The key directional changes envisaged to deliver the Plan are:

1. adoption of a more active and practical commercialisation culture;
2. leveraging of industry funds together with public funds on a supply chain basis;
3. increased emphasis in industry driven research and partnerships rather than a supply push approach to project selection and evaluation;
4. greater attention to improved measurement of research adoption including triple bottom line measurements to assist future decision making and resource allocations;
5. renewed approach to achieving a balanced portfolio of basic, strategic and applied research projects;
6. increased intersectoral and international collaboration; and
7. further consideration of critical mass in research management decisions including enhancement of joint ventures where this will be advantageous to stakeholders.

STATEMENT OF EXPECTATIONS & STATEMENT OF INTENT

As a result of the Review of the Corporate Governance of Statutory Authorities and Office Holders (widely known as the Uhrig Review), Ministers are required to outline their expectations of agencies in a public ‘Statement of Expectations’ (PDF). Each agency must then respond with a ‘Statement of Intent’(PDF) which details how they will fulfil the Ministers expectations.

VISION AND MISSION
Our vision:
A more profitable, dynamic and sustainable rural sector.

Our mission:
To maximise the knowledge outcomes from our R&D investments for Australian industries and government in:

new rural industries
established rural industries
national rural issues.Our Vision


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