ERA Challenges for Australian University ICT

The ERA 2010 rankings reflect badly on Australian university ICT performance, especially by comparison with some likely benchmark disciplines, for reasons not exclusively under the control of ICT researchers, groups or schools. As a result nevertheless, the future of Australian academic ICT is under threat of reduced government funding, from diminished international reputation and from university reaction. Changes to ERA for 2012 may ameliorate the position somewhat, but continued complementary and concerted action by individuals, institutions and professional organisations such as ACS, CORE and others remains imperative.