Eidos Institute

Eidos "is an independent research institute and think tank. Its objective is to generate new ideas and dialogue on good education, labour market and social public policy. We believe that engaged research collaboration and policy innovation contributes to a good society. Eidos is Greek for ideas. Our aim is to inspire, facilitate and support our members and partners to be more collaborative, effective and legitimate.

"Eidos members include universities and policy leaders. We draw the intellectual strength of our research community into an active dialogue with policy makers and practitioners. Within the Eidos membership there are more than 50 leading research and policy institutes and centres, and over 300 active senior and early career researchers."

For three years prior to formal establishment in 2006 as a join venture company limited by guarantee, key Australian academics and policy makers were challenged with the task of creating a research institute to inspire, facilitate and support its members and partners to be more collaborative, effective and legitimate. There was keen interest in developing practical, applied, policy relevant research opportunities increasing impact on policy and practice through supporting coordinated bodies of work, rather than a scatter of atomised, free-standing projects.

Eidos founding members included universities University of Sunshine Coast, University of Southern Queensland, Griffith University, Queensland University of Technology, James Cook University, Central Queensland University, Australian Catholic University and policy leaders Department of Education, Training and the Arts, Department of Premier and Cabinet. The model of operation draws on the intellectual strength of the member research community into an active dialogue with policy makers and practitioners.

The organisation is currently headed by Bruce Muirhead, a former University of Queensland Research Centre Director and policy leader in Australia.

Eidos has undertaken a number of large-scale practical, applied, policy relevant research projects. The community of researchers, policy-makers and thinkers consider research is likely to have a greater impact on policy and practice through supporting coordinated bodies of work, rather than a scatter of atomised, free-standing projects. Eidos's five key areas of research and thinking work focus on:

• Community learning, labour and community;
• Green sustainable education systems and education for sustainability;
• Life lifecourse learning and work transitions;
• Safe strengthening the nation’s social and economic fabric; and,
• Wired new communications, technologies and education and social policy.

Directors

Accessed September 2007:

• Chair - Mark Nolan - Company Director and Barrister, Hawker Britton Pty Ltd
• Emeritus Professor Colin Power - Colin Power Consultancy
• Jan Massey - Managing Director, Jan Massey Consultants
• Kerrin Anderson - Partner, Francis Abourizk Lightowlers
• Tom Bentley - Executive Director, Policy and Cabinet

Foundation Interim Board Members

Accessed September 2007:

• Annette Patterson - Head, School of Education (James Cook University)
• Bruce Knight - Associate Dean Research, Faculty of Education (Central Queensland University)
• Neil Anderson - Acting Head of School Townsville & Cairns, School of Education (James Cook University)
• Shirley O’Neill - Director, Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of Education (University of Southern Queensland)
• Graham Maxwell - Deputy Director, Research & Policy (Queensland Studies Authority)
• Janelle Young - Senior Lecturer, School of Education (Australian Catholic University)
• Pradeep Philip - Executive Director, Implementation Unit; Policy Division (Department of the Premier and Cabinet)
• Joe McLean - Innovation and Commercialisation Manager (The University of Queensland)
• Carol Markie-Dadds - Acting Assistant Director, Strategic Policy and Education Futures Branch (Department of Education and the Arts)
• Sue Fergusson - Project Manager, Policy Development (Department of Employment & Training)
• Zea Johnston - Assistant Director-General; Office of Strategic Policy and Education Futures (Department of Education and the Arts)
• Bruce Muirhead - Executive Director, Eidos
• Colin Power - Chair, Eidos Board
• Erica McWilliam - Assistant Dean, Research, Faculty of Education (Queensland University of Technology)
• Neil Dempster - Dean, Faculty of Education (Griffith University)
• Paul Thomas - Vice Chancellor (University of the Sunshine Coast)

Executive Advisory Council

Accessed September 2007:

• Peter Wilson, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & International) Australian Catholic University
• Jennelle Kyd, Pro Vice-chancellor (Research & Innovation) Central Queensland University
• Janet Greeley, Pro Vice-chancellor (Arts, Education And Social Sciences), James Cook University
• Griffith University Representative (to be confirmed)
• Vi Mclean, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (International and Development), Queensland University of Technology (1 November)
• Graham Baker, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Scholarship), University of Southern Queensland
• Greg Hill, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, University of the Sunshine Coast

Research Congress

Accessed September 2007:

• Elizabeth Warren, (Research, Research Training, and Partnerships), Australian Catholic University
• Richard Smith, Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Education, Central Queensland University
• Nola Alloway, Faculty Arts, Education and Social Sciences, James Cook University
• Erica McWilliam, Faculty of Education, Queensland University of Technology
• Claire Wyatt-Smith, Faculty of Arts, Education and Law, Griffith University.
• Nita Temmerman, Faculty of Education University of Southern Queensland
• Tania Aspland, Faculty of Science, Health and Education, University of the Sunshine Coast

Publications

The institute publishes the Engaged Perspectives and an Annual Report. Its scholars, policy leaders and thinkers also publish their extensive research in books, reprints, journal articles, and OpEds.

Policy influence

Of the limited research institutes and think tanks in Australia, Eidos Institute is considered an emerging and influential institution. Individually, the Institute's independent Board has led the development and implementation of significant public-private partnership development; a globally recognised policy and practice think tank; an international non-government educational organisation; innovative national cooperative research models; high impact and research quality management systems. In total the Board has led and managed more than 2 billion dollars of research, policy and practice initiatives and partnerships.

Eidos has a particular focus and interest in research, policy and ideas in the tropics.

Contact

• Web: http://www.eidos.org.au