ARC Linkage Projects awarded to BEL researchers

Two projects involving University of Queensland Faculty of Business, Economics and Law researchers have received Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project funding.

Profile photo of UQ Business School's Professor Janet McColl-Kennedy
UQ Business School's Professor Janet McColl-Kennedy

UQ Business School's Professor Janet McColl-Kennedy will lead a three-year project exploring a ‘digital-human’ approach to transforming primary healthcare service delivery.

The cross-disciplinary research team – which includes Business School researcher Dr Christoph Breidbach – will work with industry partners on an Australian-first, evidence-based digital resource kit and a roadmap for change for primary care clinics. 

Professor McColl-Kennedy said the project could have a significant and lasting impact on primary healthcare service delivery, not only in Australia but also in other OECD countries.

“Primary care clinics, also known as general practice (GP) clinics, are the ‘front door’ of healthcare. Around 7000 community-based clinics see 87 per cent of the population annually,” Professor McColl-Kennedy said.

“However, new technology, consumer demands and the COVID-19 pandemic have created considerable turbulence for primary healthcare service delivery.

“Without urgent reforms, patient management and outcomes will be impacted and this essential entry point to the healthcare system will be compromised.

“Our dual digital-human approach would allow clinics to reduce time spent on manual tasks that technology can perform more effectively, freeing up ‘human’ resources to improve patient experiences, employee wellbeing and, ultimately, clinic performance.”

The research team will consist of two practising GPs, industry peak bodies and academic experts in primary health care, public health, business, service research, marketing, information technology, computer science, economics and change management.

profile photo of UQ Law School researcher Professor Craig Forrest
UQ Law School's Professor Craig Forrest

UQ Law School researcher Professor Craig Forrest will also be a collaborator on a Flinders University-led ARC Linkage Project focused on the underwater cultural heritage of the Maritime Silk Route. 

The researchers will work with industry partners such as the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries – Republic of Indonesia and the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts.

BEL Faculty Associate Dean (Research) Professor Martie-Louise Verreynne congratulated Professor McColl-Kennedy, Dr Breidbach and Professor Forrest on their grant success.

“I’m delighted to see our researchers collaborate with their fellow academic experts and industry partners on innovative solutions to the challenges facing Australia,” Professor Verreynne said.

“Impressively, Professor McColl-Kennedy’s grant was one of only three Linkage grants awarded across Australia in the commerce, management, tourism and services discipline, and the only grant awarded in the marketing field.”

The ARC Linkage Project scheme promotes partnerships between researchers and industry, business and community organisations to drive national innovation and deliver solutions that benefit the nation. 

ARC Linkage Project grant details

Project title: Transforming Primary Healthcare Service Delivery: A Digital-Human Approach

This project will address the urgent need for a transformational shift in thinking and actions in primary healthcare service delivery. Primary care clinics, the front door of Australia's healthcare, are under considerable strain. By using a four-phase mixed methodology design across four Australian states, this project expects to generate a national evidence-based framework that takes a dual approach combining the use of digital technology with humanness. Expected outcomes include the development of an Australian-first evidence-based digital resource kit, including two new tools, and a new co-designed roadmap to better facilitate this important change journey to enhance patient experience, employee wellbeing and clinic performance.

Recipients – project led by The University of Queensland:

  • profile photo of Business School researcher Dr Christoph Breidbach
    Business School researcher Dr Christoph Breidbach
    Lead Chief Investigator Professor Janet McColl-Kennedy (UQ Business School)
  • Emeritus Professor Mieke van Driel (UQ Medical School and Kalwun Health Service)
  • Associate Professor Lisa Hall (UQ School of Public Health)
  • Professor Damian Hine (Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, UQ Global Change Institute)
  • Dr Mohamed Zaki (Cambridge Service Alliance, University of Cambridge)
  • Dr Christoph Breidbach (UQ Business School)
  • Ms Tracey Johnson (CEO, Inala Primary Care)
  • Adjunct Professor Paresh Dawda (Director, Prestantia Health)

Industry partners:

  • Inala Primary Care Ltd
  • Prestantia Health Pty Ltd
  • Australian Association of Practice Management Ltd
  • Australian Primary Health Care Nurses Association Ltd

Project title: Reuniting cargoes: Underwater Cultural Heritage of the Maritime Silk Route

Beginning in the mid-1400s, the Maritime Silk Route witnessed the largest known expansion of global trade. But the legacy of artefacts retrieved from this time has not been appropriately understood because the objects were mostly salvaged and distributed without recording the archaeological details of their find-spots. This multilateral consortium aims to discover the cultural value of the largest Southeast Asian ceramic collections in Indonesia and Australia with archaeological science. By employing and enhancing international conventions, the project will generate new knowledge about this decisive era in world history and build capacity to preserve the underwater cultural heritage of our region for future generations.

Recipients – project led by Flinders University:

  • Dr Martin Polkinghorne 
  • Associate Professor Wendy Van Duivenvoorde
  • Dr Natali Pearson
  • Professor Craig Forrest (UQ Law School)
  • Dr Widya Nayati
  • Dr Noel Tan
  • Professor Rachel Popelka-Filcoff
  • Dr Pakpadee Yukongdi
  • Ms Yuni Sato
  • Dr Tom Chandler
  • Associate Professor Mark Staniforth

Industry partners:

  • Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Republic of Indonesia – Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan
  • Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts
  • Gajah Mada University Indonesia
  • The Nara National Research Institute for Cultural Properties
  • Mr Michael Lewis Abbott

Contact: BEL Communications team communications@bel.uq.edu.au

Last updated:
14 April 2022