The Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC) was established in 2013, funded as an Australian Research Council Special Research Initiative, with the vision to improve learning outcomes at pre-school, primary, secondary and tertiary levels through scientifically-validated learning tools and strategies.
Administered by the University of Queensland, the SLRC brings together neuroscientists, psychologists and education researchers from across the country, collaborating on programs to better understand learning, using a range of innovative experimental techniques and programs. The SLRC truly has national reach with more than 100 members spread across nine Australian research organisations. The SLRC is partnered by three state education departments, four international universities, the Benelovent Society and Questacon in Canberra.
As a result of its unique and high-quality research, the SLRC has been attracting significant international attention with a number of educational research leaders from across the globe having visited Australia to see and hear first-hand about the work being undertaken. An indication of the SLRC’s increasing international influence, is demonstrated by the award of a UNESCO/International Brain Research Organization fellowship to SLRC Chief Investigator Professor Ross Cunnington, through which Ross will work in Switzerland to translate neuroscience research for policymakers and governments.
The SLRC is deeply engaged with the Australian education sector, including teachers and principals as well as policy-makers via deep relationships with state education departments. These connections aim to ensure the best avenues are developed to deliver the SLRC research findings to the classroom to enable on-the-ground benefit from the research.
SLRC is made up of:
- 25 Chief Investigators, who are leading researchers in neuroscience, cognitive psychology and education.
- More than 30 research students – the first generation of multi-disciplinary Science of Learning researchers.
- Through over 25 post-doctoral researchers, the SLRC is developing early career researchers
- Research collaborators include eight Australian universities and the Australian Council for Education Research.
- Current partner organisations include education departments in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia, four international universities, the Benelovent Society and Questacon.
- Project partners include schools and Indigenous representative groups and communities around Australia. New collaborations are forming with additional international universities, such as Hong Kong University, and with Australian companies including technology company Euclideon and Indigenous training organisation enVizion Group.