An evolving plan

SideLines. October 2005

Higher education, academic research, and applied agricultural research have all been important for society and the economy in New Zealand. While there has been much debate about how universities and other research institutions should be managed, there has been fairly consistent support - across political parties and social groups - for maintaining strong education and research systems in New Zealand.

As a result, there are probably a relatively large number of people in many different professions who have sufficient experience to be either research writers, or to offer language services of one sort or another.

It is a founding premise of this research cooperative that many people's talents - internationally - are underused and under-recognised, to the detriment of good communication. This may be especially true in New Zealand, where the number of obvious job opportunities does not match the large number of graduates emerging from universities.

There is no particular reason why there should be any close match - a very predictable world would also be a world with few opportunities and little interest.... but it does mean that a special effort to promote the Research Cooperative in New Zealand may be useful.

In the near future this website, at .co.nz, will be re-orientated with a focus on New Zealand (while remaining internationally accessible). At the same time, an international website, at .org, will be developed, using a different computer operating system. Users will be invited to use either or both websites.

The main difference between the two websites will be in how they are promoted in order to attract new members and the ettenti0on of research writers. More later, as news comes to hand on this evolving plan...

Contact The Research Cooperative (NZ): info (at) researchco-op (dot) co.nz ).