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Adoption
Industry
People

Australian Rural Leadership Program FRDC scholarships - 2023-2027

Project number: 2022-192
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $294,100.00
Principal Investigator: Philippa Woodhill
Organisation: Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF)
Project start/end date: 18 May 2023 - 14 Nov 2028
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The issues facing the fishing industry are unique and complex. In order to meet these challenges, good leaders are needed in all areas of influence. It is vital that these leaders use their leadership and build consensus to bring about change. The ARLF develops leaders who can act individually and collectively, in ethical ways for a stronger rural and regional Australia. The investment to develop leaders at all levels of industry and across al sectors, and improve communication between them is critical for a successful and productive industry into the future. Developing individual leadership capacity, in turn will lead to communities and the broader industry being able to meet future challenges and opportunities.

Core capabilities required and developed within the ARLP include: governance, influence, critical thinking, leading through complexity and ethical considerations. These are capabilities that underpin industry leadership and it is through these core capabilities that the industry will be able to respond to current and future needs. Relationships, and the ability of participants to relate to one another and build other relationships, underpin all learning developments.

As an ARLP sponsor, FRDC will be promoted across multiple platforms at multiple stages of the programs. Including:
- during recruitment to seek suitable candidates
- official announcement of the cohort
- in the duration of the program via social media and written reports
- on the arlf website
- on media and collateral at graduation ceremony and comms coverage

Objectives

1. Facilitate socially responsible leadership
2. Facilitate experiences to understand and undertake critical appraisal
3. Undertake experiences to build self understanding relative to others
4. Undertake experiences that build an understanding and application of ethical considerations within leadership contexts
5. Undertake experiences to facilitate an understanding of the importance of context to leadership thinking and decision making
6. Undertake experiences to build personal ability to be effective and constructive within leadership situations
7. Facilitate experiences that provide examples and processes of leadership for change
8. Provide examples that stimulate greater understanding and practice associated with leadership influence

Capability and Capacity: Navigating leadership pathways in fishing and aquaculture

Project number: 2023-132
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $87,000.00
Principal Investigator: Nicole McDonald
Organisation: CQUniversity (CQU) Rockhampton
Project start/end date: 29 May 2024 - 31 Jul 2025
Contact:
FRDC

Need

In a 2019 review of FRDC’s investment in people development, it was noted that significant variability exists across the industry in terms of leadership capability and capacity with most of FRDC investment focused on mid to higher levels of leadership (Lovett). While this past review is comprehensive, it is now 5 years old and pre-dates the ‘black swan’ event of COVID-19 that saw widespread disruptions to the economy, supply chains, and workforce, and has had consequences for leadership capacity and capability needs.

This project will review the current leadership development ecosystem, mapping relevant leadership programs, and identify potential opportunities for a diverse range of industry participants who will benefit from developing leadership capability and skills. Furthermore, acknowledging that leadership capability is not necessarily tied to formal positions of leadership, this project aims to identify different entry points for individual leadership development to ensure accessibility of opportunities. Any potential gaps in accessibility and potential new pathways will be identified. It is imperative that a lack of knowledge of learning and training opportunities to develop non-technical skills or low confidence levels to engage due to unclear entry pathways is not a barrier to any willing participant seeking to enhance their strengths and pursue an interest in making greater contributions that align with industry leadership capacity needs.

Our project combines a review of modern leadership definitions, theories, frameworks and practices, and through stakeholder engagement seeks to identify how these meet the context specific leadership challenges for the wild catch and aquaculture industries. Qualitative and quantitative research will be used to map and evaluate the current leadership development ecosystem for the wild catch and aquaculture sectors, identifying current pathways, recruitment processes, target outcomes, and the value and variety of alumni. Gaps in leadership capacity and capability will be identified and areas for potential changes investigated. Recommendations for improving return on investment in the existing leadership ecosystem will be made, including continuing development or improved integration of post program leaders into the industry. The current project has been designed to provide the breadth and depth of information that leads to practical implications for further industry engagement in leadership capacity and capability development.

Objectives

1. Provide a detailed understanding of the leadership capacity and capability competencies, and development opportunities within fishing and aquaculture
2. Develop a fisheries and aquaculture leadership ecosystem map, including entry points to a variety of programs for individuals to chart leadership development pathways
3. Identify gaps in leadership capacity and capability development activities and potential programs/resources to address these
4. Explore and identify across fisheries and aquaculture how leadership capability relates to roles, organisations and sectors

Human Dimensions Research Coordination Program 2021-24

Project number: 2020-122
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $440,705.00
Principal Investigator: Emily Ogier
Organisation: University of Tasmania
Project start/end date: 30 Sep 2021 - 29 Jan 2026
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The operating environment within which Australian fisheries and aquaculture are positioned is complex, comprising economic, social and political institutions and organisations that are continuously being re-shaped by multiple external and internal drivers.

Addressing these specific drivers requires understanding of the human dimensions of fisheries and aquaculture, along with the biophysical. Human dimensions refers to the social, economic and cultural factors that affect outcomes for both the seafood community and in terms of public good. This includes the attitudes, processes and behaviours of individual people, companies, management agencies, communities, organisations, consumers, and markets. Human dimensions research has been successfully applied to understand how to enable better outcomes for Australia's fisheries and aquaculture (e.g. improved social acceptability, resilience through shocks, inclusive growth, economic productivity), and what are the effective strategies to achieve this (e.g. market based mechanisms, behavioural approaches). It brings together research capability from a broad range of disciplines.

Historically, achieving the level of coordinated investment required to effectively deliver against this need has been hampered by a range of factors, which have included:
• effective integration of human dimensions RD&E with biophysical sciences; and
• research capability and expertise capable of undertaking such research to ensure end user needs are met.

The FRDC has invested substantively in human dimensions R&D capability in recognition of this need. Ongoing coordination and strategic development of human dimensions R&D activities will support the FRDC to deliver its Fish Forever 2030 vision: Collaborative, vibrant fishing and aquaculture, creating diverse benefits from aquatic resources, and celebrated by the community.

The FRDC considers Coordination Programs as critical to delivering relevant outcomes of the R&D Plan. With respect to Human Dimensions, it is evident that a planned R&D outcome can be achieved more successfully if expertise and related activities are developed and managed in a coordinated manner.

Objectives

1. Identify and coordinate the development of human dimensions R&D priorities through review and consultation with key stakeholders, and assist to develop scopes to address those priorities
2. Ensure quality and relevance of human dimensions R&D through technical and extension advice and support for FRDC management and project teams
3. Support management of external partnerships delivering human dimensions R&D across FRDC
4. Support development of FRDC human dimensions data and analytics
5. Inform FRDC and stakeholders of state of knowledge and capability, and emerging needs, in key human dimensions R&D areas relevant to the FRDC's R&D Plan outcome and enabling strategy areas
6. Support extension and adoption of R&D in key human dimensions R&D areas relevant to the FRDC R&D Plan outcome and enabling strategy areas
7. Develop and foster R&D collaboration on international initiatives in human dimensions research of relevance to Australian fisheries and aquaculture
Environment

FRDC Fish Tank: building the research communities capability and capacity (Seafood Directions 2024/2026)

Project number: 2023-170
Project Status:
Current
Budget expenditure: $65,000.00
Principal Investigator: Sue Rana
Organisation: Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)
Project start/end date: 23 Apr 2024 - 7 Feb 2027
Contact:
FRDC

Need

The FRDC Communications team has identified a need to engage with our research partners in more frequent and positive ways. Through discussions between FRDC's research and investment team and FRDC's stakeholder engagement team, it was decided that Seafood Directions 2024 and 2026 provided an excellent opportunity as an event platform to engage with our research partners to build capability and capacity.

EVENT
The FRDC FishTank campaign has been created to help researchers undertaking FRDC projects communicate their research outputs in creative and engaging ways. The FishTank campaign will encourage our research partners to think more deeply about the way they communicate their research and provide training for them to develop engaging and creative research presentations that will be delivered at Seafood Directions 2024. The costs of the FishTank campaign will be covered by FRDC and include professional presentation training by Scientell to advance the finalists’ research communications skills in unique and innovative ways. The aim of this project is to help researchers develop innovative presentations that will boost audience engagement and help extend the research to other relevant audiences, after Seafood Directions. In discussion and agreement with the FRDC Research Portfolio Managers, FRDC FishTank finalists may be able to use their Seafood Directions FishTank presentation to replace a milestone report from their FRDC Project.

The FishTank campaign will help build communication capability and capacity to enable change in the way research is presented and perceived. Participants supported by a 2024 Seafood Directions bursary or similar (including NSILP, ARLP, or Nuffield) will not be eligible to receive travel assistance via this project. Recipients of a 2024 FishTank bursary will not be eligible for 2026 FishTank bursaries.

PROCESS
Prior to the FishTank campaign being announced, an EDM (see EDM and other communication outputs in attached Strategic Plan Seafood Directions 2024 FRDC FishTank), will be sent to all FRDC current Principal Investigators, inviting them to submit a pitch video to FRDC for a chance to be part of this project. The EDM will outline the pitch video requirements, i.e. Researchers to provide a 3 to 5-minute ‘mock-up’ presentation pitch, which showcases at least three different innovative and creative communication executions (e.g. pictures, video, animations, props).

The group of individuals who can assess all applications throughout the entire process includes:
- Crispian Ashby (GM Research and Investment)
- Chris Izzo (Senior Research Portfolio Manager)
- Deepika Satchithananthan (Research Portfolio Manager)
- Ben Jones (Research Portfolio Manager)
- Kylie Dunstan (GM Stakeholder Engagement)
- Sally Roberts (C&C Portfolio Manager)
- Sue Rana (Corporate Affairs Manager)

PI’s will have four weeks from the first EDM being sent out to submit their applications. The selection panel will have two weeks to assess all applications. All applicants will be notified if they were successful or not. FRDC’s Managing Director, Patrick Hone, may also record a video snippet, that could be attached and promoted to PIs through the EDM. This could be part of two follow-up EDM’s sent prior to the public FishTank campaign announcement.

PROCESS FOR FRDC FISHTANK FINALISTS
After assessing and determining the six successful pitches, applicants will be notified followed by a an EDM outlining:
- Allocated budget $4,000 pp (up to $2,000 AUD for travel/accommodation & $2,000 AUD for materials)
- Training information (who the provider is, the dates & the format [online or in-person] - PI’s will be given 4 weeks to do this training.
- The email will also provide instructions on how to finalise their successful bursary application in fishnet. Each researcher will enter into an individual bursary agreement, so that FRDC can pay their bursary.

The bursary agreement will also stipulate that successful researchers will engage with bursary finalists for 12 months after Seafood Directions to provide guidance on future similar initiatives.

TRAINING INFORMATION
Principal Investigators will be asked to work with Scientell to complete a science presentation training program. This offer can be extended to a member of the PI’s project team. However, if they extend this offer to a project team member only this person can present as a finalist at FRDC FishTank. A PI and a research team member cannot BOTH complete the training, it can only be undertaken by one person within a project team.

BUDGET SUMMARY
Accommodation and travel up to $2,000 x 6 = $12,000
Material Cost up to $2,000 x 6 = $12,000
Training budget = $6,000
Contingency (~8-10%) = $2,500
Budget = $32,500 per event (SD 2024 and SD 2026 - 2 total)

NOTE: see a more in-depth plan and link to all communication outputs in an attached document to this application, called Strategic Plan Seafood Directions 2024 FRDC FishTank

Objectives

1. Build presentation capability and creative outlets of and for the FRDC's research community
2. increase engagement with our research partners to help bring our investment portfolio to life
3. increase stakeholder awareness of FRDC’s research portfolio and outcomes through innovative and creative ways