The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Programme was established by the Federal Government in the early 1990s to bring together researchers and research users. The aim was to strengthen collaborative linkages between Australian industry and the Australian research community.

CRCs undertake research driven by the needs of industry and then transfer the resulting knowledge and technology to industry. The CRC concept is unique to Australia and has proved extremely successful: Australia is cumulatively nearly A$2.7 billion better off as a result of the money invested by the Federal Government in the CRC Programme¹.

CRCs are joint ventures between universities, other research organisations, government agencies and industry. The particular research areas pursued by each of the current 56 CRCs are wide ranging and the industries they serve are varied. The Parker Centre is one of a number of CRCs working to address the science and technology needs of the mining and energy industry sector.

The CRCs also have a significant role in postgraduate research training and education for industry personnel. They produce graduates in tune with industry needs, and those graduates who move into industry careers are an effective means of transferring the science and technology of their CRC.

¹Economic Impact Study of the CRC Programme (Insight Economics 2006) - 666 KB PDF
This study, commissioned by the Australian Government Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST), considered, and where possible quantified, the wide range of economic, environmental and social impacts from the CRC Programme. It measured the net economic benefits for the economy for the period 1991 to 2010. The study found that the work of CRCs boosts the Australian economy by an estimated A$2.7 billion and that the return to Australian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for each dollar invested in the CRC Programme is A$2.16, a return of more than 2:1.

The 2006 study built on the work undertaken in the 2005 CRC Impact Assessment Study commissioned by the CRC Association (CRCA). The report from the CRCA's study, the Economic Impact of CRCs in Australia report, released in December 2005, found that scientific research in CRCs is delivering a substantial payoff to the Australian economy. Australia is $1.1 billion better off thanks to research by CRCs, according to the economic impact study by the Allen Consulting Group. The study found that for every $1 invested by the Federal Government in CRC research, $1.60 has been added to gross domestic product.

This study looked only at research where the benefits had been delivered, were clearly attributable to CRC research, were validated by industry or other users and would not otherwise have occurred. It is the first investigation ever to quantify the net benefits of a major national R&D program.

Four case studies from the Parker Centre were included in the study’s list of the 25 key identified sources of delivered and verified benefits that were used to quantify the economic impact of the CRC Programme to 2005.

CRC Association media release on the Economic Impact of CRCs in Australia report (December 2005)
Download the Economic Impact of CRCs in Australia report (1.1 MB PDF)

For more information about CRCs and the CRC Programme, visit



CRC Programme

CRC Association