Antarctic Science Collaboration Initiative

Overview

The Antarctic Science Collaboration Initiative (ASCI) will support the operation and activities of the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership - a new collaborative Antarctic research partnership that will bring together government and non-government entities to deliver and lead a significant part of the national Antarctic science program. The Australian Antarctic Program Partnership will be Australia's leading research partnership in Southern Ocean and Antarctic Science, focusing on the Australian Antarctic Territory, Southern Ocean and Australia's sub-Antarctic islands. It is expected that the partnership will include, but not be limited to, the Australian Antarctic Division, CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, Bureau of Meteorology and the University of Tasmania. ASCI will deliver against the Australian Government’s commitment to strategic, long-term investment in science and support our science and research priorities, particularly those relating to climate science. The objectives of the program are: to support research that aims to understand the role of the Antarctic region in the global climate system and the implications on marine ecosystems to enable the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership to undertake collaborative science, research and innovation activities under the Australian Antarctic Science Strategic Plan and Australian Antarctic Strategy and 20 Year Action Plan to secure Antarctic science jobs in Hobart. ASCI will provide $50 million over 10 years from 2019/20 until 30 June 2029.