Collaboration strategies to realise potential of a major research centre

Nous was engaged by Latrobe University and the Victorian Department of Primary Industries – joint venture partners in the construction of the new $280m AgriBio research centre – to help create a strategic alliance that would position AgriBio as Australia's international leader in agriculture biosciences R&D.

Through a series of facilitated workshops and supporting analysis, Nous helped the senior leaders of LTU and DPI to clarify the value each partner brought to the alliance, to develop a shared long-term vision for realising the enormous potential of AgriBio, and to identify specific ways in which the two organisations could work together to achieve this vision (including the establishment of appropriate governance and management arrangements). To establish lasting success, an important part of this project was to focus early effort on dissolving significant barriers to effective collaboration.

Nous worked with the partners to develop a work program targeting these barriers that has helped to strengthen links and generate the momentum required for ongoing success.