Australian astronomy is going global

Australian astronomers have released their decadal plan for astronomy for the years 2016 to 2025 (Australian Academy of Science 2015). It is an ambitious plan that takes into account their limitations, advantages of location, expertise and world standing in the international world of astrophysics. They have called it, appropriately, Australia in the Era of Global Astronomy. The global approach is a reflection of the Australian governments push to open up Australia to the world (Office of the Chief Scientist 2014). In fact, over the past few years, policy makers both in government, industry and the universities have begun to realize that to survive in the highly competitive digital age of the 21st century Australia has to embrace globalization because markets, skills, knowledge and scientific research are increasingly moving on a global scale