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It is widely recognised that Australia punches above its weight when it comes to global research impact. The country ranks highly in terms of both productivity and performance despite low business investment by OECD standards.

With policy settings failing to incentivise private investment, about one-third of the nation¡¯s total R&D spend is accounted for by the university sector. The problem is that that money is mainly generated through international student revenue, which is a risky source to rely on, particularly in an era of geopolitical uncertainty.

But like the Little Engine That Could, the sector is powering forward at a time when we are collectively feeling the weight of those tensions, as well as global challenges around ageing populations and the impacts of digital transformation and climate change ¨C not to mention local questioning of the relevance of fundamental research focused purely on advancing human knowledge.

As past CEO of the Australian Research Council and past chair of the Irish Research Council respectively, we worry a lot about these things.

Moreover, as the founding co-vice-chancellors of the new Adelaide University, we see a way for our merged research engine to move at pace ¨C and be considerably sleeker and more integrated than anything the country has seen before, shaping what¡¯s next for a better Australia and a better world. And let¡¯s not forget the second, and possibly most important, cylinder that will propel a prosperous, high-productivity society ¨C offering all Australians the opportunity to become the best they can be through a great, lifelong journey of educational attainment.

By combining our legacy institutions¡¯ significant experience, specialist infrastructure and resources?¨C?we are talking around A$500 million (?241 million) in external research revenue per annum?¨C?we want to become Australia¡¯s most connected university across sectors and geographies, creating a much-needed R&D ecosystem that supports the full value chain ¨C from research discovery to translation.

We are only weeks away from setting this out in detail. The launch of Adelaide University¡¯s first research strategy will herald the definitive emergence of a differentiated member of Australia¡¯s research-intensive Group of Eight, moving away from the formulaic ways of the past to embrace the larger roles that both goal-oriented basic and applied research can play in generating societal impact and economic gains across the public and private sectors.

United through five signature research themes co-designed with 150 industry and government partners, Adelaide University will drive for-purpose research at scale, with a community of more than 7,000 collaborators. Those themes ¨C defence and national security; creative and cultural; food, agriculture and wine; personal and societal health; and sustainable green transition ¨C will focus our efforts on building viaducts from discovery science all the way across the sometimes challenging terrain to end users and real-world impact.

Momentum has already begun. Our researchers are collaborating on a significant scale, and in the latest round of Australia¡¯s Economic Accelerator Grant Scheme, which connects universities with industry to drive economic development, the combined performance of our legacy institutions ranks number three in the country. But this goes beyond size: it demonstrates the diversity of our research portfolio and ability to turn concepts into commercial outcomes. Forgive us, but toot-toot! ??

Further down the line, we will share in A$500 million of funding to alongside industry, research organisations, university partners and government. We will also operate the sovereign-building Australian Defence Technologies Institute; partner with Nasa on the Artemis III Mission that will put the first woman on the moon; and develop our national tech capabilities through the Responsible AI Research Centre. What a ride it will be! ?

Our reimagined research engine will be fit for the 21st?century. And while we expect others to start chuffing along behind us, on the rails we are laying, imitation need not undermine a healthy?¨C and nation-critical ¨C research system.

is vice-chancellor of the University of Adelaide and is vice-chancellor of the University of South Australia. Together they are the founding co-vice-chancellors of the new Adelaide University.