w 32 Horizons | CNRS Networks cnrsI InternatIonal magazIne Pacific Australia attracts students and researchers from all over the world— much like New Zealand, whose commitment to “Green Growth” is exemplary. Australia and New Zealand: Life-Size Laboratories ECanada and the US—enroll in 01andmentiontoIndia,re-DuparcqIChina,emalneIach year, some 200,000 studentsfromMalaysia—notéversby Australian and New Zealand universities. In the past few years, Australia has be- come the world’s third-largest host country for foreign students, after the US and the UK, outranking France, now in fourth place. What draws so many young scholars to these countries? Australia’s key to success is its re- markably dense education network, with some 40 universities across the country, 19 of which were ranked among the world’s best in 2012.1 These establish- ments, mostly public, are based on the British model and interconnected through well-organized scholastic networks, such as the Group of Eight, a coalition of universities that includes the University of Melbourne and the Australian National University in Canberra. kEy fIGURES There are, of course, close links bet- australIa newzealanD ween education and research, and Australia also champions the latter 22.5 4.4 MIllIoN INhAbItANtS space sciences. For example, Australiamedicine, ecology, mathematics, and through a forward-looking policy that 2.2% 1.3% of GDPAlloCAtED to R&DIN 2010 will host, together with South Africa, the has placed the country in the world’s top antennas and receptors of the Square 15 for R&D spending, number of re- 27,000 4800 ANNUAlPUblICAtIoNS Kilometer Array (SKA), which will be the searchers, scientific production, and 3% 0.5% of woRlDwIDE PUblICAtIoNS IN 2010 largest and most sensitive radio telescope patent filing. While the continent-nation of its kind ever built. is aware of its assets—80% endemic flora, 137,000 85,000 R&DPERSoNNElIN 2010 Great Barrier Reef, proximity to the A GREEN NEIGhboR South Pole—it also has its weaknesses— Two thousand kilometers to the south- vulnerability to natural disasters, environmental imbalances, supply of the future, and preventive east, New Zealand enjoys a scientific and geographic isolation—and hopes to benefit from innovative health. reputation founded on “Green Growth,” research to meet its many challenges. Its national research As a result, Australia and the 27 sustainable development, and biosafety, agency, the CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial members of the European Union are on stemming from a long tradition of envi- Research Organization), includes 12 research divisions and 5 par with regard to several disciplines, ronmental protection. The country’s re- innovation precincts. It has undertaken 11 Flagship programs such as the Earth sciences, plant and ani- search network comprises eight universi- which are priority thematic areas for the country, including mal sciences, and physics. The country is ties—five of which are included in the adaptation to climate change, energy transformation, the food at the forefront in fields like clinical 2012 Shanghai rankings—competing for
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