The Council for Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences (CHASS) is undertaking a study into commercial activity in the humanities, arts and social sciences.

The study will gather evidence through focus groups to be held across Australia.

It will contribute to a broad aim of CHASS: to make the case for the humanities, arts and social sciences. One part of this case is by demonstrating the utility (or commercial activity) of people in the sector.

Staff are invited to register their interest at the web site: www.chass.org.au .

CHASS President Malcolm Gillies said: "We want a snapshot picture of what people are doing, who their commercial partners are, and how they got to find each other.".

What's commercial?.

For the purpose of the study, "commercial" is work which can be characterised by one or more of the following: has a market value - someone is willing to pay for it and/or the intellectual property it represents; is useful - it has a potential or realised application; may involve a partner from "industry" (any group which might apply the results of the work, such as a government department, non-profit organisation, corporation or other commercial partner); is sold, performed or exhibited.

Examples:.

Commissioned research with an industry partner (eg a government department wanting population dynamics to plan school construction programs).

Consultancies or other paid input into corporate or government decision-making.

Performances on stage.

Products developed from HASS research that are or can be sold or patented/commercialised (e.g. books, computer software, language teaching/testing materials, psychological or GIS applications, craft objects, recorded music compositions, film, TV).

Advice informing an industrial process eg design in manufacturing.

Education services provided at a price (such as language teaching to the community, or educational components of AusAID projects).

The study is being funded by DEST, and will feed in to DEST's policy-making process. It will be completed by the end of the year.

For further information:.

Toss Gascoigne.

Executive Director, CHASS.

director@chass.org.au .

Phone (02) 6249 1995.