Past Event – ARTIC Strategic Workshop

In July 2025, leaders from across Australia’s ARC Centres of Excellence came together in Melbourne for the first dedicated workshop to shape the Australian Research Translation and Innovation Consortium (ARTIC).

Held at the Ritz-Carlton, the session brought together Centre Directors and representatives working in research translation, partnerships, and industry engagement. The aim was simple but ambitious: to explore whether there was value in building something collective—and if so, what it should look like.

The day was structured around a mix of short provocations, open discussion, and hands-on workshops. We began by setting the scene—why ARTIC, why now—and sharing the early thinking and milestones that had led to this point. A keynote on the “gap and opportunity” for ARTIC helped frame the broader challenge: while Centres of Excellence are producing world-class research, there remains an opportunity to better connect that capability to industry, government, and translation pathways at a national level.

From there, the conversation became collaborative.

Through Workshop 1, participants explored ARTIC’s potential vision and value proposition—what it could offer not just to Centres, but to partners across industry, government, and investment communities. The discussion highlighted a shared desire for stronger connections, clearer pathways for engagement, and a more unified voice when it comes to research translation and policy.

In the afternoon, the focus shifted to practicalities. Workshop 2 centred on defining Year 1 priorities and early success measures. This included early thinking around:

• building a shared capability map across Centres
• creating opportunities for cross-sector collaboration
• supporting researchers with the skills and pathways to engage beyond academia
• and identifying where a collective national voice could be most effective

The final sessions of the day moved into governance, funding considerations, and next steps, including the formation of a steering group and an initial action register to carry the work forward.

What stood out most wasn’t just the ideas themselves, but the level of alignment in the room. While Centres operate across different disciplines and contexts, many of the challenges—and opportunities—are shared.

This workshop marked an important starting point. Not a finished model, but a clear signal that there is both appetite and value in working more collaboratively across Centres to strengthen research translation, partnerships, and impact in Australia.