New Zealand’s National Science Challenges initiative, launched on 8 October, aims to identify the country’s most pressing problems and find ways of tackling them.
It will focus on science investments in an attempt to get better value for money and increase impact.
The initiative also aims to boost science collaboration across government agencies. Priorities have not yet been set, but could involve health and environmental issues, agriculture and food.
The public will be asked to help identify focus areas in a bid to strengthen science literacy and get more people to choose a career in science, the government said.
An initial NZ$60 million has been earmarked for projects under the scheme.