VC's view The next generation of research Anybody who obtained a degree 20 or more years ago would have learned that there were two methodologies for scientific research: theory and experiment. It may no longer be the case. Computer simulation has now joined them. Its uses range from climate prediction to simulated crash testing of new models of cars long before a prototype is built. The tools of the new practitioners are HPCC - High Performance Computing and Communications. Their needs have given rise to a new discipline known as computational science and engineering (CSE), which focuses on the application of computers to solving complex physical, chemical and biological problems. CSE courses are currently offered at the Australian National University and the University of New South Wales. Other Australian universities are beginning to offer courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. HPCC and training in computational science are not esoteric academic pursuits. They are vital to national competitiveness. The United States government has recognised this importance through a number of large federal programs. For example, it has recently announced that it will pump a massive $US100 million a year into the Next Generation Internet (NGI) Program. The NGI Program aims to link research institutions across the US into a network with up to 1,000 times the end-to-end performance of the existing Internet. Connectivity at NGI levels will mean that it need not matter to a researcher whether a supercom­puter is on-site or hundreds of kilometres away. It will give new strength to arguments in favour of major facilities serving distributed users. The NGI also has the potential to markedly enhance the quality of distance education. It will enable real-time teleteaching to become commonplace. It will allow linking of a wide range of educational materials from diverse locations - and provide meaningful access to digital libraries. As such, it should greatly open up opportunities for partnerships between universities and rationalisation of courses without compromising educational quality. The importance of HPCC is recognised by other countries of the Asia Pacific region. Japan and Singapore have committed to high performance connections to the US to participate in NGI technology. But what of Australia? An expert report to the Prime Minister's Science and Engineering Council in December 1994 recommended a national HPCC action plan, supported by government funding, to create a national infrastructure. Little progress has been made in the intervening period. This country is now balanced precariously. We may choose to distribute the relatively small level of available funds in a competitive and uncoordinated fashion. In an area where even the US - with its enormous resources - recognises the need for high levels of government funding, to be distributed within a nationally coordinated framework, it would be folly for Australia to do otherwise. Deane Terrell