EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Grant Guidelines made under section 59 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001
Grant Guidelines for schemes under the Linkage Program:
Industry Fellowships Program (IFP) Grant Guidelines (2024 edition)
Issued by the authority of the Minister for Education
Subject: Australian Research Council Act 2001—Linkage Program:
Industry Fellowships Program (IFP) Grant Guidelines (2024 edition)
Authority
Section 59 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001 (the Act) provides that the Minister must approve Australian Research Council (ARC) Grant Guidelines.
Purpose and effect
These Grant Guidelines relate to the Industry Fellowships Program (IFP) Grant Guidelines (2024 edition) funded under the Linkage Program of the ARC National Competitive Grants Program.
The Linkage Program promotes national and international partnerships between researchers and business, industry, community organisations, government and other publicly funded research agencies. In particular, these Grant Guidelines relate to the Early Career Industry Fellowships scheme, Mid-Career Industry Fellowships scheme and Industry Laureate Fellowships scheme.
In accordance with section 58 of the Act the ARC Board must prepare Grant Guidelines for the Industry Fellowships Program (IFP) (2024 edition) to be provided to the Minister under section 59. Grant Guidelines must contain:
(a) the eligibility criteria to be met in order for the Board or the Minister to approve the making of grants of financial assistance to organisations under this Division;
(b) the making of applications by organisations for such an approval;
(c) the assessment process for deciding which applications will receive such an approval;
(d) any other matters that the Board considers appropriate.
Documents incorporated by reference
The following documents are incorporated by reference:
- ARC Medical Research Policy available on the ARC website (as at December 2020)
- ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy available on the ARC website (as at June 2024)
- ARC Open Access Policy available on the ARC website (as at September 2021)
- Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research available on the NHMRC website (as at 2018)
- ARC Research Integrity Policy available on the ARC website (as at September 2023)
- Australian Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles available on the Maiam Nayri Wingara website (as at 2018)
- AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research available on the AITSIS website (as at 2020)
- NHMRC’s guidelines on Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities available on the NHMRC website (as at 2018).
Commencement
The Linkage Program: Industry Fellowships Program (IFP) Grant Guidelines (2024 edition) shall take effect on the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislation.
The provisions
These Guidelines contain information relating to the Linkage Program: Industry Fellowships Program (IFP) Grant Guidelines (2024 edition) including: grant amount, eligibility, assessment criteria, application process and delivery or grant activities.
Consultation
The ARC consulted with the Department of Finance and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and they have determined the Grant Guidelines as medium risk.
Regulatory Impact Statement
These Grant Guidelines include a number of measures that reduce regulatory burden on the higher education sector. This includes coordination with the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to produce a timeline that minimises the burden on the sector in relation to preparation and submission of proposals.
Statement of compatibility with human rights
Section 9(1) of the Human Rights (Parliamentary Scrutiny) Act 2011 requires the rule maker in relation to a legislative instrument to which section 42 (disallowance) of the LA applies to cause a statement of compatibility to be prepared in respect of that legislative instrument.
The legislative instrument does not engage any of the applicable rights or freedoms. It is compatible with human rights, as it does not raise any human rights issues.