6/4/2021
Statement in response to the article in the Age on 3 April 2021 “Melbourne Uni cuts threaten to make us the ‘bogans of the Pacific’
The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) is deeply concerned about the proposed cuts to teaching positions and technical staff positions in Chemistry at the University of Melbourne. These follow fundingcrisis driven staff losses in Chemistry and other Sciences at the Australian National University and other institutions including Murdoch University.
Chemistry is a central STEM field and is vital both to the future of the University of Melbourne and to Australia as a nation.
The RACI urges the Federal government to redouble its support for STEM research and teaching in Australian Universities. Further, we strongly encourage the University of Melbourne to ensure key STEM fields such as Chemistry, which may be expensive to run in terms of space and technical support, are not unduly punished when the University is looking for short-term savings in these difficult times. Cutting resources for a core discipline such as Chemistry is counter-productive for a University that is striving to be world-class and for a country seeking greater sovereign technical and manufacturing capability in post-pandemic times.
For and on behalf of the RACI Board
Yours Sincerely
Prof. Steve Bottle
President
RACI