Australian University research and national objectives

Abstract

The formulation of national objectives in terms specific enough to be of practical use is not an easy task, and indeed the very definition of what we mean by a national objective is far from clear. Certain legitimate objectives are national in character - the health, welfare and happiness of the nation's people, the preservation of the nation's resources alongside the development of its economy, friendly co-existence with the nation's neighbours, combined with an adequate defence force in case of difficulties - while other objectives relate to the nation's obligations to the community of nations, in terms of the environment, resources, energy, food and so on. We might even properly consider as worthy national objectives the contribution of knowledge, truth and beauty to the unfortunately small international stock of those commodities.