Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Discovery Projects - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2009 (Cth)
I, JULIE BISHOP, Minister for Education, Science and Training, having satisfied myself of the matters set out in section 59 of the
Dated 15 October 2007
Minister for Education, Science and Training
The following acronyms are used in ARC Funding Rules.
AEST | Australian Eastern Standard Time |
AEDT | Australian Eastern Daylight Saving (Summer) Time |
AIF | Australia-Israel Fellowship |
AIMS | Australian Institute of Marine Science |
ANSTO | Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation |
APA | Australian Postgraduate Award |
APAI | Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) |
APD | Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship |
APDI | Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship (Industry) |
APF | Australian Professorial Fellowship |
ARC | Australian Research Council |
ARCIF | Australian Research Council International Fellowship |
ARF | Australian Research Fellowship |
AVCC | Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee |
CE | ARC |
CoE | ARC College of Experts |
CI | Chief Investigator |
CRC | Cooperative Research Centre |
CSIRO | Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation |
DP | ARC |
DSTO | Defence Science and Technology Organisation |
ECR | Early Career Researcher |
FF | ARC |
GA | Geoscience Australia |
GAMS | Grant Application Management System |
GST | Goods and Services Tax |
HECS | Higher Education Contribution Scheme |
ICI | Internationally Coordinated Initiative |
IRF | Indigenous Researcher Fellowship |
LASP | ARC |
LCI | LASP Chief Investigator |
LIEF | ARC |
LIF | ARC Linkage Industry Fellowship |
LP | ARC |
LX | ARC |
NCGP | National Competitive Grants Program |
NHMRC | National Health and Medical Research Council |
NP | Network Participant |
OI | Overseas Investigator |
PI | Partner Investigator |
QEII | Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship |
RN | ARC |
SPIRT | |
SRC | ARC |
SRI | ARC |
SRF | ARC Senior Research Fellowship |
UA | Universities Australia |
URL | Universal Resource Locator |
Closing time for submission of Proposals (subsection 10.4.5) – 5:00 pm (AEDT)
Closing time for Eligibility Rulings Requests (Section 10.1.1) – 5:00 pm (AEDT)
Closing time for letters requesting non-use of a potential assessor (subsection 11.2.3.3) – 5:00 pm (AEDT)
Dates for the award of a PhD (or having achieved equivalent status) to be eligible for
• Early Career Researcher (ECR) (subsection 8.2.1) - on or after
6 March 2003 .• Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship (APD) (subsection 8.5.4) - on or after
6 March 2005 .• Initial Australian Research Fellowship (ARF)/Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship (QEII) (subsection 8.5.5) - on or after
6 March 2000 .• Subsequent ARF/QEII candidates (subsection 8.5.5) – on or after
6 March 1995 .• Initial Australian Professorial Fellowship (APF) (subsection 8.5.6) - no restriction on date of award.
• Subsequent APF candidates (subsection 8.5.6) – no restriction on date of award.
The ARC deals with thousands of Proposals each year. Researchers should, therefore, direct requests for information to the Research Office within their organisation.
Where this is not possible, enquiries about the ARC DP scheme may be addressed as follows:
Postal | Courier | ||||||||||||||||||||
Australian Research Council GPO Box 2702 ACT 2601 | Australian Research Council 1st Floor, 8 Brindabella Circuit ACT 2609 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Email: [email protected] Phone: 02 6287 6600 Fax: 02 6287 6638 Web: of Funding Rules
2.1.1 The Funding Rules shall take effect upon registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
4.1.1 This document sets out the funding rules for DP, a scheme funded under the Australian Research Council’s National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP), which comply with the requirements of the ARC Act. 4.1.2 All parties involved in Proposals should read and understand the Funding Rules and the ARC’s standard Funding Agreement (which is available at the ARC’s Web Site) before submitting a Proposal to the ARC. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their Proposals are complete and accurate. 4.1.3 These Funding Rules are current as at October 2007 and have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the ARC Act in force then. These Funding Rules are subject to change at any time, for reasons including any subsequent amendment to, replacement of or supplementation of the ARC Act. 4.1.4 Funding under DP is provided to Administering Organisations, not to researchers. That is, the ARC will accept a Proposal only from an Eligible Organisation and not from any individual researcher or researchers. 4.1.5 However, if, in the opinion of the ARC, any researcher nominated in a Proposal as a CI, PI or ARC Fellow has caused or has significantly contributed to the failure of an organisation to meet its obligations under any current or previous funding agreement with the ARC, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend for approval any or all Proposals involving that researcher. 4.2.1 The ARC is an Australian Government statutory authority established under the ARC Act. The primary functions of the ARC, as specified by the ARC Act, are to make recommendations regarding the funding of research programs, to administer funding to support research programs, and to provide policy advice related to research. 4.2.2 The ARC has established a range of competitive funding schemes for the support of research and research training under the framework of the NCGP. A list of current NCGP funding schemes is available on the ARC’s Web Site. 4.2.3 By the operation of a range of funding schemes under the NCGP, the ARC aims to:
4.2.4 Descriptions of these National Research Priorities and their associated Priority Goals can be found in Appendix 1, and on the ARC’s Web Site. 4.3.1 DP, which recognises the importance of fundamental research to the national innovation system, supports research undertaken by individual researchers or research teams. 4.3.2 The objectives of DP are to:
4.3.3 DP provides opportunities for a continuum of activities in order to meet the varied needs of researchers in different disciplines and at different stages of their careers. 4.4.1.1 The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) web site, provides a series of publications which outline principles of ethical conduct in research. All Proposals and ARC-funded research projects must, unless otherwise approved by the ARC, conform to the principles outlined in the following and their successor documents:
4.4.2.1 The ARC will not provide financial assistance to meet the costs of a project to the extent that those costs have been, or are likely to be, met from other Commonwealth funding schemes. The ARC reserves the right to:
4.4.3.1 All parties involved in or associated with Proposals and ARC-funded research projects are required to disclose to the ARC, and the other parties involved in the Proposal/project (including Collaboration and Partner Organisations), any conflict of interest which has the potential to influence, or appear to influence, the research and activities, publications and media reports, or requests for funding related to the Proposal/project. Such conflicts must be disclosed to the ARC at the time of the submission of a Proposal, and in reporting on ARC-funded research projects, and notified to the other parties as soon as practicable after the conflict of interest is identified.
4.4.4.1 The standard Funding Agreement requires that any ARC contribution to research and other activities funded by the ARC be appropriately acknowledged. When, at any time during or after completion of a project, the researcher or any other party publishes or produces material such as books, articles, newsletters or other literary or artistic works which relate to the research project, the Administering Organisation must ensure (wherever possible) that the ARC’s contribution and support of the project is acknowledged in a prominent place and in an appropriate form. This acknowledgement should include the mention of the ARC as a funding body. Similar efforts should be made to acknowledge ARC support when participating in television and radio programs, when interviewed by the print media and when otherwise speaking publicly about the project. 4.4.4.2 Advice on acceptable forms of acknowledgement and use of the ARC logo is provided on the ARC’s Web Site. 4.4.5.1 The Australian Government makes a major investment in research to support its essential role in improving the wellbeing of our society. To maximise the benefits from research, findings need to be disseminated as broadly as possible to allow access by other researchers and the wider community. 4.4.5.2 The ARC acknowledges that researchers take into account a wide range of factors in deciding on the best outlets for publications arising from their research. Such considerations include the status and reputation of a journal or publisher, the peer review process of evaluating their research outputs, access by other stakeholders to their work, the likely impact of their work on users of research and the further dissemination and production of knowledge. Taking heed of these considerations, the ARC wants to ensure the widest possible dissemination of the research supported under its funding, in the most effective manner and at the earliest opportunity. 4.4.5.3 The ARC therefore encourages researchers to consider the benefits of depositing their data and any publications arising from a research project in an appropriate subject and/or institutional repository. If a researcher is not intending to deposit the data from a project in a repository within six months of the completion of the research, he/she should include the reasons in the project’s Final Report. Any research outputs that have been or will be deposited in appropriate repositories should be identified in the Final Report. 5.1.1 A number of clarifications and revisions have been made in these Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2009 (the 2009 DP Funding Rules). Significant changes from the 2008 DP Funding Rules include:
5.1.2 The list of changes above is not comprehensive. Applicants and other parties involved in Proposals should read and understand the entire Funding Rules and standard Funding Agreement before a Proposal is submitted to the ARC. 6.1.1 All amounts referred to in these Funding Rules are to be read as exclusive of GST (if any), unless expressly stated otherwise. 6.1.2 The minimum level of funding which will be provided by the ARC for a project under this DP funding round is $20,000 per calendar year and the maximum is $500,000 per calendar year. If a DP Proposal requests less than $20,000 or more than $500,000 for any calendar year, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval. 6.1.3 If an ARC Fellowship is requested, the Proposal should include a request for the Fellowship salary and on-costs in the budget. ARC Fellowships are funded at levels outlined in Appendix 3, Item 1. 6.1.4 The ARC reserves the right to recommend the levels of funding for a project at levels which may differ from those requested in the Proposal. 6.2.1 Financial assistance may be payable under these Funding Rules for DP projects in respect of the financial year 2008-09 and any subsequent years to which the ARC Act applies. Funding for approved projects will commence with effect 1 January 2009, unless other arrangements are approved by the ARC. 6.2.2 Projects may be funded for 1 to 5 years, subject to sufficient funding being available for DP, the provisions of the ARC Act, and continued satisfactory progress of the project. 6.2.3 APDs may be awarded funding for 3 years or 4 years. ARFs, QEIIs, and APFs may be awarded funding for 5 years.
6.3.1 Subject to Sections 6.4 and 6.5, DP supports all types of research, including:
6.3.2 The following project costs may be supported under DP:
6.4.1 DP funds only costs which directly support a research project. The ARC may in its absolute discretion determine whether any proposed costs meet this requirement.
6.5.1 DP does not support:
6.6.1.3 For the purposes of the limits applying in these Funding Rules, a project for which funding was/is to be carried over, or deferred, into the next year is considered to be funded for the years notified in the letter of offer of funding provided by the ARC. For example, if a project was originally funded for four years and funding is subsequently carried over to a fifth year, the project will still be considered for these purposes as funded for the original four years. 6.6.2.1 Only one Proposal may be submitted to DP in respect of a particular project in the same funding round, regardless of any variation in the listed researchers and/or Administering Organisation. If the ARC considers that a project described in a Proposal is the same as or similar (in whole or in part) to a project described in another Proposal that is submitted in the same funding round, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend for approval any or all of those Proposals, or recommend that a reduced amount of funding be provided for that or any similar Proposal. The ARC reserves the right to determine whether Proposals are duplicates or sufficiently similar to warrant one or more Proposals’ being not recommended for approval.
7.1.1 A Proposal may be submitted only by an Eligible Organisation. Appendix 2 specifies Eligible Organisations for DP. 7.1.2 ARC Fellowships offered under DP may be undertaken at Eligible Organisations specified in Appendix 2, Item 1. In addition to these organisations, Proposals containing requests for salary and on-costs for APDs and QEIIs only may be submitted by other organisations if, in the opinion of the ARC, the organisation provides an appropriate research training environment (see Appendix 2, Item 2). Examples of such organisations include, but are not limited to, Commonwealth-funded research organisations or State/Territory-funded research organisations such as:
7.1.3 The organisations specified in Appendix 2, Item 2, may apply for APD or QEII salary and on-costs only. No funding will be provided for other research costs.
7.2.1 While other organisations may be associated with Proposals, the terms Collaborating Organisation and Partner Organisation are not applicable under DP. 8.1.1 Roles that may be undertaken by researchers under DP are:
8.1.3 A Proposal must nominate at least one CI, APD, ARF/QEII or APF candidate.
8.1.6 A researcher nominated as a CI, PI or ARC Fellow must take significant intellectual responsibility for the proposed project, any strategic decisions called for in its pursuit and the communication of results. The researcher must have the capacity to make a serious commitment to the project and cannot assume the role of a supplier of resources for work that will largely be placed in the hands of others. The ARC reserves the right to determine whether a person has the requisite capacity to perform the role. 8.1.7 At the time of the submission of a Proposal all obligations regarding previously funded projects involving the nominated CIs and ARC Fellows on the Proposal must have been fulfilled to the satisfaction of the ARC. Such obligations include the provision of satisfactory progress and final reports.
8.2.1.1 Early Career Researcher (ECR) means a researcher who has a PhD awarded on or after 6 March 2003. If a researcher does not satisfy this criterion but considers herself/himself to have equivalent research degree or experience of similar duration and wishes to be nominated as having ECR status, a case must be presented within the Proposal (see the “DP Instructions to Applicants for funding commencing in 2009”). Circumstances which the ARC may take into account in determining whether to approve ECR status for a person who does not meet the qualification or timing requirements could, among other things, include career interruptions due to non-research employment, misadventure or carer responsibilities. The ARC reserves the right to determine the ECR status of researchers based on the case presented within the Proposal. 8.2.1.2 The ARC identifies a target level of funding within DP for projects on which all listed researchers have ECR status (ECR-Only Proposals). 8.2.1.3 If a Proposal nominates a CI, PI or ARC Fellow who is determined by the ARC not to have ECR status, the Proposal is not an ECR-Only Proposal. 8.3.1 To be eligible to be a CI, a person must meet the criteria stipulated in Section 8.3 and subsections 8.1.6 and 8.1.7. 8.3.2 A researcher nominated on a Proposal as a CI must meet at least one of the following criteria at 1 January 2009, and for the full term of her/his participation in the project
8.3.3 He/she must reside predominantly in Australia for the full term of her/his participation in the project. If the person does not have permanent resident status he/she must obtain temporary or permanent resident status from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship before he/she may commence on the project. 8.3.4 Notwithstanding a researcher’s eligibility under the criteria above or below in this Section, a researcher undertaking undergraduate or postgraduate studies is not eligible to be a CI, unless the researcher’s undergraduate or postgraduate studies lie outside the scope and area of the research proposed in the Proposal.
8.4.1 To be eligible to be nominated as a PI on a Proposal, a researcher must:
8.4.2 If a Proposal has been approved for funding and any or all PIs are at any time during the project no longer able to work as proposed on the project, the project may be continued under replacement PIs provided that: a. approval is obtained from the Minister or the ARC for the change in PI; and b. the replacement PI(s): i. meet the eligibility criteria specified in subsection 8.4.1b and 8.4.1.c at the time of her/his nomination and for the full term of her/his participation in the project; and
8.5.1.1 There are a number of different types of Fellowship available. Fellowship candidates must meet the criteria for CIs in subsections 8.1.6, 8.1.7 and 8.3.3, plus the eligibility criteria for the Fellowship type being sought as detailed below. 8.5.1.2 Fellowship candidates must:
8.5.1.4 The ARC may, in its absolute discretion, determine the validity and date of effect for the attainment of PhD-equivalent status for researchers for the purpose of determining the eligibility of Fellowship candidates and whether to relax the timing requirements. 8.5.1.5 Unless otherwise specified in these Funding Rules, Proposals requesting a Fellowship must be made on the basis that the Fellow’s research will be carried out on a full-time basis only. Nevertheless, if a Fellowship Proposal is successful the Fellow may, during the term of the Fellowship, request approval from the ARC for conversion of the Fellowship to part-time status for a limited period or periods of time. The ARC may, in its absolute discretion, approve the conversion of the Fellowship to part-time status for one or more periods of time.
8.5.3.1 Funding for Fellows who will be undertaking research which forms a part of a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre’s research activities will be limited to the provision of support for salary plus on-costs as specified in Appendix 3. Proposals requesting such Fellowships must contain a letter from the Centre Director confirming that the Fellow, if successful, will have her/his research costs funded by the Centre for research on the proposed project. This confirmation may be contained in the same letter as that requested in subsection 9.3.1.2. If the Proposal does not contain this confirmation, then the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval. 8.5.3.2 Other Proposals involving existing and proposed Fellowships at a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre should have regard to Section 9.3.
8.5.4.1 APDs provide opportunities for researchers at the postdoctoral level to undertake research of national and international significance, and to broaden their research experience. 8.5.4.2 A Proposal may seek funding for an APD only if:
8.5.4.3 A researcher who has held an IRF (or ARC Research Cadetship-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander award) may be nominated for an APD only during or after the final year of her/his IRF/Research Cadetship. 8.5.4.4 The notional ARC salary support for APDs is set out in Appendix 3. The following salary support options are available for an APD:
8.5.5.1 ARFs and QEIIs provide opportunities for established researchers to undertake research of national and international significance and encourage research in Australia by postdoctoral graduates of exceptional promise and proven capacity for original work. 8.5.5.2 While researchers may be proposed for the general ARF/QEII category, the level of appointment which may be recommended is at the ARC’s discretion (see Appendix 3 for ARF/QEII salary support). 8.5.5.3 At the closing time for the submission of Proposals an ARF/QEII candidate must:
8.5.5.4 An ARF/QEII may be requested for an existing APD or APDI Fellow only in or after the final year of her/his Fellowship. 8.5.5.5 ARFs and QEIIs are awarded on a full-time basis only. ARF and QEII Fellows are expected to work full-time on the proposed research and research-related activities. Research-related activities may include supervision of postgraduate students. 8.5.5.6 Funding may be provided for ARFs/QEIIs for 5 years. The notional ARC salary support for ARFs/QEIIs is set out in Appendix 3. 8.5.5.7 Salary support for ARFs/QEIIs may be requested, and funded, only as follows:
8.5.5.8 Preference may be given for the award of ARFs to Australian citizens and permanent residents. Non-resident or non-Australian citizen researchers will need to demonstrate a higher level of performance than other ARF candidates or be able to offer special expertise, extensive skills or exceptionally high performance levels not available locally and of benefit to Australian research.
8.5.6.1 APFs provide opportunities for outstanding researchers with proven international reputations to undertake research that is both of major importance in its field and of significant benefit to Australia.
8.5.6.5 The continuation after 31 December 2008 of any unused funding associated with a previous ARC Fellowship will be the subject of negotiation with the ARC. Funding associated with a previous ARC Fellowship may be permitted to continue only if a case has been made, to the satisfaction of the ARC, for the continuation of funding of any research costs for pre-existing projects on which the Fellow is involved.
8.5.6.9 Preference may be given for the award of APFs to Australian citizens and permanent residents. Non-resident or non-Australian citizen researchers will need to demonstrate a higher level of performance than other APF candidates or be able to offer special expertise, extensive skills or exceptionally high performance levels not available locally and of benefit to Australian research. 8.5.6.10 Preference may be given to APF candidates who have not previously been awarded an APF.
9.1.1 The ARC will not duplicate financial assistance for research already funded by the Commonwealth or which is likely to be funded from other Commonwealth funding sources (including under other ARC funding schemes). The ARC reserves the right to determine if a Proposal duplicates or is likely to duplicate research being funded by another Commonwealth source. In such circumstances the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval. However, if the ARC considers that parts of the proposed project remain worthy of support, the ARC may assess the Proposal in the usual way and the ARC may instead recommend that a reduced amount of funding be approved for the Proposal. 9.2.1 If the Administering Organisation or a researcher nominated as a CI, PI or ARC Fellow on a Proposal is involved in a funding request for any proposed research project (including fellowship), salary or equipment that has been submitted under this or any other ARC scheme or to any other Commonwealth funding body, the Proposal must contain details of the request and summary details of all other funding must be included in the Proposal. Proposalsmust indicate the level of funding obtained for approved projects (including fellowships), or being sought for future projects (including fellowships), from all Commonwealth funding sources and must list all existing research funding from all Commonwealth sources. If these processes are not observed, or the ARC determines that incomplete, misleading or inaccurate details were included in the Proposal, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the DP Proposal for approval. 9.2.2 If a nominated researcher has been awarded, or is currently requesting, an ARC Fellowship under another ARC funding scheme, the Proposal must contain details of the project/Proposal. If more than one of these Fellowship requests is approved for funding, only one Fellowship can be accepted.
9.3.1.1 Funding will not be provided for research already funded by a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre or which could reasonably be expected to be supported by the Centre given its research program and its level of funding. The proposed research must not duplicate work that, in the opinion of the ARC, is, will be or could reasonably be expected to be, undertaken by a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre.
9.3.1.3 This letter should be no longer than one page. If such a letter is not provided in the Proposal, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval.
9.4.1 Pursuant to Section 6.5 and 9.4, the ARC does not fund Medical and Dental Research under DP. The ARC reserves the right to determine conclusively whether the proposed research involves Medical and Dental Research.
10.1.1 These Funding Rules describe a number of situations where it is possible to submit an Eligibility Exemption Request or an Eligibility Ruling Request for the purposes of obtaining an exemption or ruling from the ARC regarding the eligibility of a proposed Proposal. All such Requests must be submitted on the ARC Eligibility Exemption/Ruling Request Form via the Research Office of the intended Administering Organisation, and, subject to subsection 10.1.2, be received by the ARC by 5:00 pm (AEDT) Friday 18 January 2008. 10.1.2 Subject to this subsection, Eligibility Exemption Requests and Eligibility Ruling Requests received after 5:00 pm (AEDT) Friday 18 January 2008 will not be considered. The ARC may, in its absolute discretion, and only in exceptional circumstances, accept late Eligibility Exemption/Ruling Requests. 10.1.3 The ARC may grant an exemption from the eligibility requirements only if an Eligibility Exemption Request has been submitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 10.1. Similarly, an Eligibility Ruling may be provided by the ARC only upon receipt of an Eligibility Ruling Request which has been submitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 10.1. An Eligibility Ruling, however, does not constitute an exemption from the eligibility requirements - rather it provides an indication to potential Applicants about the likelihood of a Proposal’s satisfying certain eligibility requirements if the Proposal is submitted in accordance with the circumstances outlined in the Eligibility Ruling Request. 10.1.4 Eligibility Exemption and Eligibility Ruling Requests must include the supporting information required in each of the situations where exemptions/rulings are being sought, as described elsewhere in this document. The Research Office will be advised of the outcome of any such request as soon as possible to allow time for a detailed Proposal to be completed if appropriate. If an Eligibility Exemption or Eligibility Ruling is given, the ARC will provide an identifying number for the exemption/ruling which is to be quoted on any associated Proposal which is submitted to the ARC.
10.2.1 A Proposal should be submitted as a mature research plan ready for implementation. The Proposal must contain all the information necessary for its assessment without the need for further written or oral explanation, or reference to additional documentation, unless requested by the ARC or its College of Experts. 10.2.2 All details in the Proposal must be current at the time of submission.
10.3.1 The Administering Organisation must obtain the agreement of all parties necessary to allow the proposed project to proceed. These agreements must be attested to by hand-written signatures and certifications from all relevant persons and organisations involved in the Proposal. These agreements, certifications and signatures are to be retained by the Administering Organisation which must provide them if requested by the ARC. A form is available for this purpose on the ARC’s Web Site. If the Administering Organisation fails to provide this material upon request, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval.
10.4.1 Proposals under DP consist of two parts:
10.4.2.1 All documents must be written in English and must comply strictly with the format, content and submission requirements as specified in these Funding Rules and the “DP Instructions to Applicants for funding commencing in 2009” document issued by the ARC. If a Proposal fails to meet any format, content or submission requirements, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to not recommend the Proposal for approval. 10.4.2.2 All pages of additional text must be in black type, use a single column and 12-point font size on white A4 paper, be printed on one side only and unbound, with all margins being at least 2cm. As Proposals are scanned electronically, a highly legible font type must be used, such as Arial, Courier, Palatino, Times New Roman and Helvetica. Variants such as mathematical typesetting languages may also be used. References may be reproduced in 10-point font size. Colour graphs or colour photographs may be included but they will be reproduced in black and white and the reproduction quality may not be optimal. Finely detailed graphics and grey scale may also not be precisely reproduced.
10.4.3.1 Administering Organisations must use the form within the ARC’s on-line grants application management system accessible via the ARC’s Web Site. 10.4.3.2 A “DP Instructions to Applicants for funding commencing in 2009" document will be available from the ARC’s Web Site. This document specifies a range of requirements for Proposals and also assists parties in preparing Proposals. 10.4.3.3 Administering Organisations may have internal closing dates for Proposal preparation which precede ARC closing times. 10.4.3.4 Research Offices have access to the ARC on-line grants application management system and will allocate User IDs and passwords to enable researchers at their organisations to access the system and prepare Proposals. If a researcher has previously been allocated access, her/his User ID and password should still be current. If researchers do not have a Research Office or equivalent unit, they should email [email protected] at the ARC for assistance.
10.4.4.1 In addition to the on-line form, the paper part of a Proposal must be submitted along with an identical paper copy. The paper parts must be clipped, not stapled. The paper parts of a Proposal must be submitted with the additional text, including supporting documentation, interleaved appropriately (see the “DP Instructions to Applicants for funding commencing in 2009”).
11.1.1 All DP Proposals which meet the eligibility criteria will be assessed and merit ranked using the following selection criteria:
This will help to revitalise our regional communities and generate substantial export earnings for the nation over the coming decades. The Government is committed to meeting the greenhouse gas emissions target set for Australia at Kyoto. Australia is well placed to take an international lead in developing new and improved energy technologies and in capturing and ‘sequestering’ carbon dioxide. Other opportunities lie in managing and using our unique, rich land- and marine-based biodiversity, and in developing our deep earth resources. Australia has a strong record of achievement in research in fields in the natural sciences, such as agriculture, natural resource management, climate change, horticulture, forestry, mining, energy, and marine sciences, as well as in the social sciences and humanities. We must build on these strengths to improve our competitive advantages while enhancing our understanding of natural systems and the interplay of human activities. In particular, there needs to be an increased understanding of the contributions of human behaviour to environmental and climate change, and on appropriate adaptive responses and strategies. To understand and manage these complex interactions better will require significant collaboration within the research community and with other stakeholders. Priority goals for research fall in the seven areas of water utilisation, transforming resource-based industries, overcoming land degradation, developing cleaner, more efficient fuels and energy sources, managing biodiversity, deep earth resources and responding to climate change and variability. Australia is one of the driest continents and is dependent upon access to freshwater supplies for economic and social development. It has a complex geological structure, a highly variable climate, unique ecosystems, flora and fauna and a distinctive indigenous and settler history. Enhancing our understanding of the links between these factors and water availability will result in a better understanding of sustainable water management practices. Resource-based industries underpin much of Australia’s prosperity and have the potential to do so in the future. For example, Australia remains highly prospective for minerals discoveries and highly attractive for the development of new era foods from agricultural and marine sources. Our competitive advantage and national well being will depend on research and on the development and adoption of new technologies. The Australian landscape is fragile: soil salinity, acidity, and nutrient levels pose significant, long term challenges for agriculture and the environment. Research is helping to find solutions to these problems. For example, the National Land and Water Resources Audit shows the extent of salinity, soil erosion and soil acidification in the Australian environment and illustrates Australia’s leading edge in national mapping of critical resource data. Further multidisciplinary effort is required to develop sustainable land management practices that are appropriate for Australian conditions and mitigate major land degradation processes and increase biodiversity.
Australia is well positioned to produce world class solutions to reduce and capture greenhouse gas emissions and the Government is committed to meeting the emissions target set for Australia at Kyoto. We are also well placed to develop alternative energy technologies and ecologically sustainable transport and power generation systems. Australia has a unique and rich flora and fauna. Many of our complex ecosystems – on which our agricultural, fisheries and tourism industries depend - have adapted to events such as drought and fire, and have been shaped by indigenous and settler management practices. There is a need for a more comprehensive understanding of these natural systems and the interplay with human activities, and the effects of management and protection measures. Many of Australia’s known mineral assets may be nearly exhausted within the next decade. New land-based deposits are believed to be buried deeper in the crust and the deep marine areas surrounding Australia are also largely unexplored. New technologies, such as remote sensing, indicate scientists are on the brink of being able to ‘see’ inside the earth and identify deeply buried deposits. Australia already has a highly variable climate, and climate change can be expected to have further significant impacts. It is important to enhance our understanding of the consequences of climate change and variability at the regional level across Australia, and the implications for the environment and for communities. It is also important to explore beneficial adaptation strategies to climate change and variability to ensure ongoing social, economic and environmental well being. Average life expectancies have increased markedly in recent decades. Australians also expect to lead longer and healthier lives in the future, and to remain productive and independent over an extended period. Enabling individuals and families to make choices that lead to healthy, productive and fulfilling lives will yield economic and social benefits and add materially to national well being. Australians expect that their children and grandchildren should have a healthy start to life. Developing strategies to promote the healthy development of young Australians, and addressing the causes and reducing the impact of the genetic, social and environmental factors which diminish their life potential will be critical. A revolution is also underway at the other end of the life cycle. Australia, like many other developed nations, is undergoing a major demographic shift involving significant growth in the aged population. To meet this challenge, it will be important to promote healthy ageing by developing better social and medical strategies to ensure that older Australians enjoy healthy and productive lives. Informed insights into the causes of disease and of mental and physical degeneration will contribute to the achievement of this goal. All Australians stand to benefit from preventive healthcare through the adoption of healthier attitudes, habits and lifestyles. Evidence-based preventive interventions may help reduce the incidence and severity of many diseases, including major health problems such as cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, mental ill-health, obesity, diabetes, asthma and chronic inflammatory conditions. These could include interventions that reduce exposure to contamination of the physical environment (eg air pollution). Improvements in the health and well being of the young, of older Australians and in preventive healthcare will be underpinned by research. However, while Australia has an enviable record in health and medical research, the research effort is spread across the many universities, hospitals and health and medical research institutes, resulting in critical mass only in limited areas of research. There is also a need to draw on multidisciplinary approaches that include research contributions from the social sciences and humanities. This priority is designed to promote health and prevent disease through a more focused and collaborative effort. Priority goals for research fall in the four areas of a healthy start to life, ageing well, ageing productively, preventive healthcare and strengthening Australia’s social and economic fabric. Human health in the developing foetus and in early childhood is critical to the future well being of the adult. Research shows that health and well being in early childhood is predictive of later positive outcomes, and that health in middle and late childhood is also crucial. This goal supports the Government’s National Agenda for Early Childhood initiative. Australia’s population is ageing, with a significant projected increase in the number of people aged over 65 and over 85. While Australia is relatively well placed compared with many OECD nations, major shifts in cultural expectations and attitudes about ageing are necessary to respond constructively, at both an individual and population level. A healthy aged population will contribute actively to the life of the nation through participation in the labour market or through voluntary work. This goal supports the Government’s National Strategy for an Ageing Australia. Preventive healthcare research will improve the prediction and prevention of disease and injury for all Australians through the adoption of healthier behaviours, lifestyles and environments. Research will generate an improvement in the design, delivery and uptake of programmes such as exercise-based rehabilitation. There are several major disease targets amenable to immediate study, such as cardiovascular health, neurodegenerative diseases, mental ill-health, obesity, diabetes, asthma and chronic inflammatory conditions. Research on prevention will emphasise interdisciplinary approaches, including research on ethics, drawing on contributions from the social sciences and humanities, as well as from the health and medical sciences. It will also focus on developing new health promoting foods and nutraceuticals. This goal supports the Government’s Focus on Prevention initiative.
Living in today's society involves a complex web of choices, yet many of the traditional support structures are weaker than they have been in the past. Enabling people to make choices that lead to positive pathways to self reliance and supportive family structures is more important than ever. The interactions between the social safety net, social and economic participation, financial incentives and community and private sources of support are critical in helping people maximise their potential and achieve good, healthy, lifetime outcomes. In the decade ahead, it will be vital to understand and support the drivers for workforce participation and the broader social and economic trends influencing Australian families and communities. This goal supports the Government's welfare reform and participation agendas. Research in this area will emphasise interdisciplinary approaches, drawing on contributions from the economic, behavioural and social sciences. Progress and wealth often derive from the unforeseen application of new discoveries. Australia must be at the leading edge if it is to stay abreast of international developments and take advantage of opportunities. Our national capabilities in emerging sciences and their underpinning disciplines determine our capacity to develop and implement new technologies. Australia has a strong base of expertise, skills and technological capacities in the fundamental sciences and key technologies. Our strengths are in a wide range of areas such as biotechnology, material sciences, information and communications technology (ICT), photonics, nanotechnology and sensor technology. ICT is currently the critical enabling technology and is a major contributor to national productivity and growth. But breakthrough science underpins technological advancements in many areas and Australia needs to foster an environment that stimulates creativity and innovation. Applications for frontier technologies are potentially very large. Australia has the capacity to exploit niche markets for new products and services. Australia also has an enviable track record as an innovator and developer of advanced materials and must grasp the opportunity to stay ahead. Smart information use involving improved data management, intelligent transport systems and digital media to develop creative applications for digital technologies provides huge opportunities to improve the performance of key Australian industries. Australia needs to invest in this research area as it is fundamental to our future competitiveness and well being. This priority will help to strengthen the capacity of Australian researchers to participate in new areas of research, enhance Australia’s international scientific reputation, stimulate local expertise, and help create vibrant new industries. A better understanding of the conditions that are conducive to innovation will ensure that Australia’s investment in research will maximise the benefits for Australia. Enhanced research effort will also be achieved through initiatives that develop a critical mass of researchers in key areas. Priority goals for research fall in the five areas of breakthrough science, frontier technologies, advanced materials, smart information use, and promoting an innovation culture and economy. Breakthrough science underpins technological innovation across a range of industries critical to maintaining Australia’s position as a developed country. Some examples include bio-, cultural- and geo-informatics, nano-assembly and quantum computing. Technological advances are often unexpected and a strong foundation in mathematics and the fundamental sciences will provide an environment that fosters creativity and innovation. Early participation in leading edge areas of research will enable Australian researchers to benefit more fully from international developments. The potential applications of frontier technologies across a range of industries in Australia are vast. Australia has significant capacity to exploit niche markets for new products and services emerging from frontier technologies. Australia has world-class research expertise in many such areas. Some examples include nanotechnology, biotechnology, ICT, photonics, genomics and phenomics. Also important are advanced frameworks such as complex systems in which these technologies are applied. Future directions in this priority area need to target the cutting-edge science critical for each emerging technology. The development of advanced materials will underpin growth in many areas of industrial and economic activity in Australia. Australia has substantial infrastructure in this area and an enviable track record as an innovator and developer of advanced materials. The era of advanced materials is just beginning, in spite of the tremendous progress in recent years. Substantial scientific and technological challenges remain ahead, including the development of more sophisticated and specialised materials. Some examples include ceramics, organics, biomaterials, smart materials and fabrics, composites, polymers, and light metals. ICT applications are providing huge opportunities to deliver new systems, products, business solutions, and to make more efficient use of infrastructure. Examples include e-finance, multi-media, content generation and imaging. Improved data management is central to the future competitiveness of key industries such as agriculture, biotechnology, finance, banking, education, transport, government, and health and ‘info-tainment’. The ability of organisations to operate virtually and collaborate across huge distances in Australia and internationally hinges on our capabilities in this area. The media and creative industries are among the fastest growing sectors of the new economy. Research is needed to exploit the huge potential in the digital media industry. Understanding the factors that lead to highly creative and innovative ideas and concepts, and the conditions that lead to their introduction, transfer and uptake is critical for any nation that aspires to lead the world in breakthrough science, frontier technologies, and in other forms of innovation. Promoting an innovation culture and economy requires research with a focus on developing and fostering human talent, societal and cultural values favourable to creativity and innovation, and structures and processes for encouraging and managing innovation. The importance of security and safety to Australia has been underscored by recent events. Australia has to be capable of anticipating and tackling critical threats to society, strategic areas of the national economy and the environment. The threats can potentially come from within and outside Australia. The world is now characterised by the widespread and rapid movements of people, digitally coded data, goods and services, and exotic biological agents. Critical infrastructure in Australia is increasingly dependent on digital technology for its management and integration. Information protection and the integrity of security systems are now more important than ever before. It is also necessary to protect the status of Australia as a nation free of many of the diseases affecting primary production around the world. Terrorism has emerged as a very real global threat and crime is taking a significant toll on Australian society and economy. Maintaining the operational advantage of Australia’s defence forces through superior capabilities is also fundamental to our national security. Enhancing our nation’s understanding of social, political and cultural issues will help Australia to engage with our neighbours and the wider global community and to respond to emerging issues. Leading edge research in Australia is already yielding high dividends and as a national research priority will improve the effectiveness of that contribution. Stronger research capabilities will ensure that solutions are tailored to Australia’s unique circumstances, reflecting its geographic features and small population. Greater collaboration within the research community and with other stakeholders will allow us to better understand and manage potential threats to Australia. Harnessing the knowledge and capabilities across Australia offers us the best chance of developing innovative and rapid solutions to serious threats. Australia’s international relations and its regional influence will be strengthened through new collaborative approaches and new science and technologies that enhance security and safety. The heightened interest in personal and electronic security across the world also provides opportunities for Australian solutions. Priority goals for research fall in the five areas of critical infrastructure, understanding our region and the world, protecting Australia from invasive diseases and pests, protecting Australia from terrorism and crime, and transformational defence technologies. Protecting our critical infrastructure is important to national security and to the social and economic well being of Australia. An important aspect of this priority goal is e-security which is an enabler of e-commerce. Maintaining a critical mass of research in e-security will be essential in providing Australia with the tools to protect our way of life. Social, cultural and religious issues are of growing significance due to the insecurities of globalisation and the increasing role of non-state players in the security environment. Australia’s capacity to interpret and engage with its regional and global environment will be substantially improved by enhancing its research base in apposite languages, societies and cultures. An approach that enhances Australia’s capacity to interpret itself to the rest of the world is also needed.
Australia is free of many of the pests and diseases affecting primary production around the world. This status needs to be protected as the introduction of exotic species has the potential to adversely affect our exports and the environment. Australia already has strong skills and expertise in this area of research and further work will offer immediate benefits to the community. A greater level of coordination of our research effort will mean that Australia can more effectively develop innovative and rapid solutions to serious threats. Protecting Australia from terrorism is now more important than ever before in light of recent events and our involvement in the ‘war on terror’. The new threat requires a more sophisticated response which should harness Australia’s research capabilities, and which will focus on all phases of counter-terrorism; prevention, preparedness, detection, response and recovery. Crime takes a significant toll on Australian society and economy. The June 2000 report from the Prime Minister’s Science, Engineering and Innovation Council estimated that crime costs Australia at least $18 billion per annum. Personal identification, information protection and the integrity of security systems are fundamental towards ensuring the national security of Australia. An effective solution will include building on Australia’s existing strengths in rapid detection using new analytical technologies and managing significant data collections. Australia has a small defence force to protect a large continent and a substantial maritime region of responsibility. Its operational advantage has been maintained through a superior capability which is dependent on leveraging innovative technologies. Although some benefits can be gained from overseas research, Australia has to conduct its own research to address uniquely Australian demands. A systems approach which harnesses the research capabilities of all stakeholders is essential to the successful development and introduction of innovative technologies.
Museums and herbaria which are Australian publicly funded organisations not directly funded to carry out research, but with research-related purposes and objectives. Proposals containing requests only for an APD or QEII may be submitted by organisations in addition to those in Item 1. above if, in the opinion of the ARC, the organisation provides an appropriate research training environment. Examples of such organisations include, but are not limited to, Commonwealth-funded research organisations or State/Territory-funded research organisations such as:
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Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship; Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship Industry; | 3 year, 100% option 4 year, 75/25% option | $61,399 $46,049 | $17,192 $12,894 | $78,591 $58,943 | |||||||||||||||||
Indigenous Researcher Fellowship | $61,399 | $17,192 | $78,591 | ||||||||||||||||||
Australian Research Fellowship | 100% option 50% option | $77,008 $38,504 | $21,562 $10,781 | $98,570 $49,285 | |||||||||||||||||
Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship | 100% option 50% option | $91,578 $45,789 | $25,642 $12,821 | $117,219 $58,609 | |||||||||||||||||
Australian Professorial Fellowship | Step 1 – 100% option 50% option | $106,146 $53,073 | $29,721 $14,860 | $135,867 $67,933 | |||||||||||||||||
Australian Professorial Fellowship | Step 2 – 100% option 50% option | $122,797 $61,398 | $34,383 $17,191 | $157,180 $78,590 | |||||||||||||||||
Federation Fellowship | $261,173 | $73,128 | $334,301 | ||||||||||||||||||
Postgraduate Stipend | $26,140 | - | $26,140 | ||||||||||||||||||
North America $17,000;
Europe/Asia (Northern Hemisphere)/Africa/South America $14,000;
Asia (Southern Hemisphere)/Oceania $11,000;
within Australia $8,000.
Unless otherwise specified in these Funding Rules, travel associated with relocations will be funded only up to a maximum of one return economy class airfare for each person approved for relocation.
If teaching relief is approved for a Proposal, the funding contribution for teaching relief is limited to a maximum rate of $32,972 (2008$) for up to 6 months in each consecutive year
(or pro rata for a lesser period) per CI, (regardless of the level of appointment of the CI).
The ARC may fund justified teaching relief for up to 6 months in each consecutive year.
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