Grant Award View - GA137184

DFAT's Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology Branch is seeking to establish a Quad Tech Network (QTN), to support and complement the development of Australia's first Cyber and Critical Technology International Engagement Strategy (CCTIES). The public-facing CCTIES is schedule dot be released in late 2020 and will expand on and supersede the objectives of the 2017 International Cyber Engagement Strategy (ICES) to include both cyber and critical technology issues.

As part of this process, the QTN will support research and promote engagement with academic and think tank partners on cyber and critical technology issues that reflect Australia's interests as a liberal democracy committed to the international rules-based order.

The QTN is intended to produce policy-relevant research and recommendations relevant to Australia's national interests across the breadth of cyber affairs and critical technology issues; deepen and strengthen public understanding of these issues; and promote informed public dialogue. The project will also provide the opportunity for Cyber Affairs and Critical Technology Branch to leverage the expertise of the QTN project partners through the facilitation of private video teleconference calls. The QTN  will include academic or think-tank instiututions from countries involved in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad): Australia, India, Japan and the United States.

The QTN will be managed by the Australian National University on behalf of DFAT. ANU will act as the primary point of contact for the QTN, manage and oversee the design, development and implementation of the project, and manage the sub-contracting of the other project partners (ANU's National Security College; the Observer Research Foundation; Centre for a New America Security; and the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies). ANU will also facilitate 12 video teleconference calls between DFAT and the project partners; manage the publication of four research papers between 10 and 15,000 words each; and arrange an online launch event for the QTN, in conjunction with DFAT.

ANU will work with DFAT on the branding of the project, including communication and media throughout the project. This includes, but is not limited to, the announcement of the launch of the project, media around the publication of the research papers, and the online launch event.