Leaders of Australia's mathematical sciences community today welcomed the announcement of a major Collaboration and Structural Reform grant to the Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute (AMSI). AMSI Director, Professor Philip Broadbridge, said: "AMSI has established a unique collaborative venture. This grant will enable us to continue to grow and expand our programs that are critical to industry, innovation and product quality. "Maintaining capacity for innovation and research is dependent on building Australia's base in mathematics and statistics which has been declining for some time," Professor Broadbridge added. Dr Jim Lewis, Chair of the AMSI Board, said he was delighted with the news. "As a former senior executive in the resources industry, I am very conscious of the value of mathematics to the mining and manufacturing industry. Australian education, research and industry need AMSI and the superb expertise it brings together in its ventures. This support is most welcome acknowledgment of the important role mathematics plays in own right and as a foundation enabling discipline." Chairman of the National Strategic Review of Mathematical Sciences Research Working Party, Professor Hyam Rubinstein, also welcomed the news. "We found overwhelming support for AMSI during the Review and funding for it was one of our two priorities," said Professor Rubinstein. "With this announcement, and the increased funding for the teaching of mathematics and statistics in the May budget, universities should now be in the position to address a national need for more mathematics and statistics graduates." A further $1.2 million has been awarded to AMSI member, the University of Sydney, to enhance collaborative mathematics and statistics advanced course delivery across universities using Access Grid Rooms (AGR). The AGRs have been partly funded through the International Centre of Excellence for Education in Mathematics (ICE-EM), which is managed by AMSI and funded by DEST.