Director: Professor Peter Dixon
COPS/IMPACT is concerned with economic modelling. The principal research focus is the development of a general equilibrium forecasting model of the Australian economy, called the MONASH model, emphasising interactions between technical change, the economy and the environment. The model has a dynamic structure. It includes a regional dimension and includes a detailed representation of the demand for labour by occupation.
The research staff of the COPS/IMPACT group includes three professors, an associate professor, five senior research fellows, five research fellows and two computer specialists.
The centre is funded by Monash University, the Industry Commission, competitive research grants and contract research. The centre publishes research reports and discussion papers. For more information telephone 905 2398.
NHMRC National Centre on Health Program Evaluation (NCHPE)
Co-directors: Dr David Dunt (University of Melbourne), Professor Jeff Richardson (Monash) and Professor Chris Selby-Smith (Monash)
The mission of the centre is to develop its role as a centre of excellence in Australia and the South East Asian region in health program evaluation and health economics and contribute to an enlargement of the Australian capacity to undertake evaluative research and teaching. Its specific objectives are to: research and develop appropriate methodologies for health services evaluation and health economics; undertake postgraduate training in health services evaluation and health economics; undertake education programs for health practitioners and the community in aspects of health services evaluation; undertake evaluations of specific health services in Australia; and stimulate activity in health services evaluation by publishing research results, conducting seminars and other appropriate activities.
The centre has been developed as a cooperative venture between the University of Melbourne and Monash University, with one-third of the staff being employed through the Department of Public Health and Community Medicine at Melbourne and two-thirds being employed through Monash University.
The NCHPE commenced operation, following the awarding of an NHMRC program grant to the Melbourne-based Health Care Evaluation Group. The Victorian Government made a commitment to provide supplementary funding, provided through the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. Other funding is provided from the universities for infrastructure, from competitive research grants, and contract research.
The NCHPE is located at Fairfield Hospital and currently has twenty research and expert staff. It publishes a working paper series and research reports and organises public seminars, held monthly. For more information telephone 280 2363.
National Key Centre in Industrial Relations
Director: Professor Malcolm Rimmer
The key centre's mission is to promote teaching and research in industrial relations. The main objective in teaching is to develop postgraduate/post-experience courses which are suitable for the new enterprise focus in industrial relations. Research has been directed mainly towards issues in workplace industrial relations.
The key centre's objectives emphasise undertaking work that is relevant to industry, unions and government. It seeks to work closely with union and employer peak councils - the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the Confederation of Australian Industry and the Business Council of Australia. In addition, the key centre maintains close links with the Commonwealth Department of Industrial Relations.
Important key centre projects have been evaluation of agreements under the enterprise bargaining principle; New Links Project on work and the family; research upon benchmarking and best practice; a review of `best practice' companies; and an enterprise bargaining database (jointly with the ACTU).
A number of these projects were funded by government bodies and the private sector and led to public seminars and publications.
The key centre sees its contribution to teaching and training being in several areas: development of a range of postgraduate courses catering for the specific needs of industrial relations practitioners; presentation of public seminars; seminars at academic conferences; professional development; and establishment of links across the Monash campuses. For more information telephone 903 8700.
Public Sector Management Institute (PSMI)
Director: Professor Bill Russell
The Public Sector Management Institute was established in recognition of the size and importance of the public sector; its unique managerial requirements and policy-making processes; and the need for objective study of public sector management and policy.
The activities of the institute include research into public sector management, policy and policy making processes; involvement in teaching postgraduate courses within the faculty, short courses and executive training; visiting fellowships and other means of exchange involving interchange between the institute and public sector managers; dissemination and exchange of information through workshops and seminars, and a program of publishing; and commissioned research for clients.
The institute is an independent, non-profit organisation. The scope of the institute extends to all levels of government - central, state and local - and their interconnections and to the full range of public sector activities including those undertaken by statutory authorities and publicly-owned business enterprises. The institute also has research and teaching interests in relation to the management of the cooperatives and the voluntary sectors.
The institute is located in the Graduate School of Government. For more information telephone 905 2306.