“Quicklook” Assessment of Greater Adelaide's Assets & Challenges ...

Introduction and Overview
Adelaide Knowledge Hub Project
In Part A we reported an analysis and findings developed from interviews held as part of
an Adelaide Knowledge-Hub Project. This Part B report details those interviews.
The project was to conduct an innovative “Quick-Look” study of Adelaide’s
assets, liabilities, challenges and opportunities for accelerated technology-based
growth. The assessment project was conducted during July 9-13, 2001 by graduates,
current students, and faculty of the Masters in Science and Technology
Commercialization (MS STC) Program at the IC 2 Institute, The University of Texas at
Austin in cooperation with fellow students from the twinned MSTC Program at Adelaide
University and participants from Adelaide’s business, government, and academic
sectors.
This project came about through Dr Graham Gurr, Director of the Adelaide University
MSTC Program, inviting Dr David Gibson, Research Director of IC 2 and Dr Barbara
Fossum, Director of the MS STC Program at IC 2 to lead a group study project in
Adelaide. Dr Gurr obtained $50,000 towards the project cost through proposals
submitted to SA Government, Adelaide City Council, and Land Management
Corporation. SA BusinessVision2010 provided valuable in-kind support with logistics.
Adelaide University hosted the 22 business and public sector professionals visiting from
Austin associated with the IC 2 MS STC program. IC 2 developed their MS STC degree
in 1995. That program has the objective of training people to create regional wealth
through technology-based business development. In 1999 Adelaide University
linked with IC2 to deliver essentially the same program (MSTC) and to provide
participants from both universities the experience of working together in global project
teams.
For one week the visitors from Austin met in teams with over 200 community leaders in
Greater Adelaide in 26 sessions covering public and private sectors. The intent was to
quickly canvass a broad range of opinions and to form vivid impressions of Adelaide’s
assets, liabilities, challenges and opportunities for accelerated technology-based growth.
Key objectives of this effort were to provide data, analyses and strategies to help
crystallize a REGIONAL VISION. Specific action initiatives will be targeted to more
effectively leverage regional public and private assets and to market and brand the
region as an emerging center for technology-based growth. Information and analyses
will inform regional business, academic and government sectors on near- and longerterm
initiatives to accelerate economic development leading to wealth and job creation
and an accessible and sustainable quality of life.
Interviewees were promised confidentiality, so this Part B report has been lodged with
the project sponsors (SA Government, Adelaide City Council, LMC/Mawson Lakes) and
the project facilitator (SABusinessVision2010) in confidence.
COMMERCIAL IN CONFIDENCE
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