Academy of Social Sciences in Australia
The Policy and Advocacy Committee's Policy Roundtables initiative was established with to providing an arena in which social scientists can inform policy makers and advisors of the relevance of the latest research by scholars, with the feedback obtained serving to increase the policy relevance of future research. The Academy's Policy Roundtables bring together Fellows of the Academy and other social scientists with senior public officials from both Federal and State Government Departments for a half day or a day to exchange views and experiences on a particular issue on which the social sciences can offer expertise.
While the format of the roundtable is flexible, to allow for the needs of particular participants and themes, in general the roundtables incorporate three or four topics, each introduced briefly by one policy maker and one scholar. These opening remarks are then followed by general discussion. The format allows the majority of available time to be devoted to discussion, with the aim of promoting a genuine dialogue.
In addition to being a unique interface for research and policy dialogue, the roundtables are designed to establish the networks required to elaborate the ideas discussed. The Policy and Advocacy Committee aims to expand the Policy Roundtable Series, and by this means, continue to create networks across academia and government. These will be a valuable resource for both communities and will raise the profile of the Academy as a source of pertinent and timely research knowledge for public policy makers.
Forthcoming
Measuring Hardship
In partnership with the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia will in July 2011 convene a policy roundtable which, by building on existing studies, will aim to better understand what additional information, research and analysis is needed to inform initiatives that will most effectively the experience of long term hardship in Australia.
April 2011
Sustainable population policy
In April 2011 the Academy of the Social Sciences partnered with the Institute of Public Administration Australia to convene a policy roundtable which considered the challenges for developing and implementing sustainable population policies for Australia.
February 2011
Skills Australia Scenario Development Forum
In February 2011 Skills Australian, with the support of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, convened around fifty experts across six expert working groups to develop economic, social and political scenarios for Australia to 2025.
August 2010
International Student Futures
In partnership with the Australian Human Rights Commission and Universities Australia, The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia convened a policy roundtable on the issue of policy futures to improve the educational, but also employment and social experience of international students in Australia.
Learn more 
Download the proceedings Read the Occassional Paper
March 2010
Racism and the student experience (Policy workshop)
In partnership with the Australian Human Rights Commission and Universities Australia, The Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia convened a policy research workshop on the issue of racism and the tertiary student experience in Australia.
March 2010
Addressing Indigenous disadvantage
This Roundtable, held on 26 March, was convened by the Academy of the Social Sciences, the Institute of Public Administration Australia and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government.
August 2009
Regulation, environment protection and NRM
On Tuesday 4th August 2009 an Academy of the Social Sciences policy roundtable titled "Bringing the 'R' word back in: Regulation, Environment Protection and NRM" was convened in Canberra.
Learn more Download the proceedings Read the Occassional Paper
July 2009
Implications of the GFC
On Friday 10th July 2009, the Institute of Public Administration Australia, in partnership with ASSA and ANZSOG, convened a policy roundtable titled "Long Term Implications for Government of the Global Financial Crisis".
March 2009
Health governance
Convened in partnership with the Institute of Public Administration Australia, this event, titled Health Governance: Designing the structure for Australia's national health system, sought to discuss the issues related to the design and implementation of a national system for the delviery of healthcare.
Learn more Download the proceedings Read the Occassional Paper
September 2008
Skills needs
Convened in partnership with Skills Australia, this roundtable assembled social scientists and board members of Skills Australia with a view to conveying the nature and significance of related social science research for determining policies on skills formation for Australia.
Learn more Download the proceedings Read the Occassional Paper
August 2008
University policy futures
Convened in the wake of the 2008 Bradley Review of Higher Education, this policy roundtable aimed to inform a policy position with respect to the education sector and universities for the Academy of the Social Sciences.
March 2008
Government and the Public Service
Convened in partnership with the Institute of Public Administration Australia, this roundtable on the issue of Public Service Responsiveness and Independence sought to explore the policy issues which emerge from the working relationship between the executive and the bureaucracy at the Commonwealth and State levels ...
Learn more Download the proceedings Read the Occassional Paper
November 2007
Ubrban water
Convened with the support of the National Water Commission, this policy roundtable sought to capitalise on the broad ranging discussion of ideas at preceding day's ASSA Annual Symposium, with a view to assisting the policy researchers and practitioners present at the roundtable to contribute substantially to the formulation...
March 2007
Federalism
This roundtable provided for discussions between politicians, policy makers, academics, media representatives and business and community representatives on the underlying forces and political attitudes that are driving centralisation, and what is sustaining current federal arrangements. Proceedings focused on the issues per...
November 2006
Community
The Roundtable was designed to explore aspects of community in contemporary Australian society, with a specific focus on identification of more vulnerable communities, assessment of the needs of these communities and the role of government in engaging with communities to address these needs.
August 2006
Wellbeing
The roundtable will be dedicated to exploring the opportunities and challenges in extending our understanding of wellbeing in policy and program contexts. Lenore Manderson who edited the book Rethinking Wellbeing (API Network 2005) has invited some of her co-authors, Academy Fellows and social scientists from a range of dis...
May 2006
Work and family
The roundtable was designed to examine, in an informed and open way, the challenges and supports offered to working parents and how they can best be supported through both family policy and workplace policy.
Last modified: 25 June 2011.