The Business Council of Australia has released a research report titled: New Concepts in Innovation: The key to Growing Australia.

The report calls for a broader concept of innovation, extending beyond just R&D-based activities, to be embraced and integrated into education and training systems so that capabilities for innovation success can be better developed within the workforce.

Education and training systems need to be focused on not only the development of strong technical and applied capabilities but also employability skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, ongoing learning, creativity, cultural understanding, entrepreneurship and leadership.

The Business Council of Australia (BCA) is an association of Chief Executives of 100 of Australia’s leading corporations.

BCA Member companies employ nearly one million Australians, generate $340 billion in the economy and produce 30 per cent of Australia’s exports.

The report states:

The BCA has a deep interest in policies that promote sustained growth and prosperity in the global economy through strengthening Australia’s economic competitiveness. The Education, Skills & Innovation (ESI) Task Force is one of five BCA policy Task Forces. The objective of this Task Force is to research and advocate policies that develop Australia’s education, skills and training capacity, and in turn increase the productive potential of the economy and the living standards of all Australians.

The Task Force places a significant priority on the role of innovation. An important focus of its work in this area is to identify and examine the sources and potential of business innovation and its role in economic growth.

I commend this report to members.

• Download New Concepts in Innovation: The key to Growing Australia here.

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