Premier

New Think Tank To Focus On Our Networked Society

14 May 2015

The Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Adem Somyurek, today launched a new think tank which will focus on the scale and speed of connectivity in Victoria.

The Melbourne Networked Society Institute (MNSI) is the latest addition to the Victoria’s booming Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.

The MNSI was established through an ICT platform within the University of Melbourne’s Institute for a Broadband Enabled Society (IBES), which was the result of $5 million in grants from the previous Brumby Labor Government in 2009.

IBES crafted a collaborative working relationship between the University, the Labor Government and a range of key industry stakeholders to provide the Victorian community with successful ICT solutions.

Building on that legacy, the MNSI will move research away from a narrow focus on universal broadband access, instead addressing the complexities of connectivity, such as scale and speed, that drive a networked society.

MNSI’s interdisciplinary academic community is made up of more than 100 researchers from the University of Melbourne and external partners from other universities, industry, government, charity and community sectors.

The ICT sector provides significant economic growth and jobs to Victoria, with revenues of $34 billion and exports of $2.5 billion annually.

The Andrews Labor Government is working to boost the sector and support ICT based innovation.

The Labor Government last month announced it will develop a new ICT Industry strategy to address widening demand for ICT products and services, access to ICT skills and high speed broadband.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Adem Somyurek

“Victoria’s ICT sector has a strong future and this new think-tank will drive new ideas and innovation, which means more opportunities and more jobs.”

“Our ICT strategy will recognise the industry’s significance in supporting the Victorian economy and changing the way we do business.”

“By having a strong strategy, we will drive growth and create more jobs now and into the future.”

Reviewed 19 August 2020

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