Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008
2Changes from last year
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2.1.1 A number of clarifications and revisions have been made in these Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008 (the 2008 Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development Funding Rules). Significant changes from the 2007 Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development Funding Rules include:
The Definitions Section contains a definition of Medical and Dental Research. This replaces the use of the term “clinical medical and dental research and training” used in previous funding rules. In addition, the ARC’s processes for dealing with, and issuing eligibility rulings relating to, Proposals involving medical research have been modified and now explicitly permit the ARC to consult with the NHMRC regarding the likelihood of proposed medical research being funded by the NHMRC (Section 6.3). Clarification has been provided that Applicants may obtain an Eligibility Ruling from the ARC prior to the submission of a Proposal only following the submission of an Eligibility Ruling Request submitted in accordance with the requirements of Section 7.1.
The Definitions Section contains a definition of Earnings. This term is used in relation to the eligibility of CIs.
Subsection 1.4.3 stipulates the right of the ARC to not recommend Proposals for approval if, in the opinion of the ARC, any party involved in or associated with the Proposal has failed to disclose a conflict of interest.
A new section has been added which deals with the dissemination of research outputs (subsection 1.4.5).
For the purposes of interpreting a number of sections of these Funding Rules, subsection 3.2.4 provides clarification regarding the term of a person’s fellowship (subsections 3.2.4 and 5.3.2.5).
f. The eligibility requirements for CIs have been modified. The employment-related eligibility criteria for a CI have been changed slightly, with the use of the term “Earnings” (being salary and/or consultancy/contract payments) replacing the term “salary” for the purposes of determining a person’s eligibility. Hence, provision has been made for consultancy and contract payments to be taken into account in addition to salary in determining eligibility. In addition, the relevant organisations taken into account in determining the eligibility of a researcher to be a CI have also been more clearly articulated and changed slightly. That is, a person is not eligible to be a CI if he/she derives more than 50 per cent of her/his Earnings from organisations outside the higher education sector that are funded predominantly from State/Territory or Commonwealth Government sources if the Government funding for her/his organisation, or her/his part of the organisation, is provided mainly for research activities (subsections 5.2.2 and 5.2.6.f). In addition, the educational qualification requirements now require a CI to have either completed, or be enrolled in, a Masters (by research) or PhD degree (subsection 5.2.5).
g. Clarification has been provided about the timing requirements for the eligibility of CIs and the ability for replacement CIs to be approved after a Proposal has been approved (Section 5.2).
h. Clarification has been provided about the type of Masters degree in which researchers may be enrolled in order to be eligible as CIs (subsection 5.2.5).
i. Clarification has been provided about the Eligibility Exemption process for obtaining eligibility exemptions for Fellowship candidates who do not meet the PhD qualification and/or timing requirements (subsections 5.3.1.3, 5.3.1.4 and Section 7.1). 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 7.1.
j. Changes have been made to the timing requirements for satisfying eligibility requirements for Fellowship candidates (Section 5.3).
k. Clarification has been provided that, unless otherwise specified in these Funding Rules, Proposals requesting an IRF must be made on the basis that the Fellow’s research will be carried out on a full-time basis only, but during the term of the IRF approval may be sought from the ARC for conversion of the Fellowship to part-time status for limited period(s) of time (subsection 5.3.1.7).
l. Clarification has been provided that, if a funding request for any proposed research project, salary or equipment has been, or is being submitted, under this or any other ARC scheme or to any other Commonwealth funding body, each Proposal must be cross-referenced and summary details of all other funding requests must be included in the Proposal and that, 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 Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development Proposal for approval (Sections 6.1 and 6.2).
m. The operation of the Eligibility Exemption Request and Eligibility Ruling Request processes have been clarified (Section 7.1).
n. Clarification has been provided about the agreements, signatures and certifications Administering Organisations must obtain and be able to provide to the ARC (Section 7.3).
o. Provision has been made for the ARC, in deciding whether or not to recommend a late Proposal for approval, to take into account whether the documents were despatched by the Administering Organisation sufficiently in advance of the closing time to enable the documents to have been delivered to the ARC by the closing time in the normal course of events (providing the Administering Organisation is able to provide such evidence to the satisfaction of the ARC) (subsection 7.4.5.3).
p. The selection criteria have been modified slightly, with provision now made to take into account whether the conceptual framework, design, methods and analyses are adequately developed and appropriate to the aims of the Proposal (subsection 8.1.1.b).
q. The provision for the ARC to not recommend Proposals if there has been incomplete, inaccurate or misleading material provided in relation to the reporting of progress of a funded project has been broadened to encompass situations where such deficiencies occur in the provision of advice to the ARC in relation to the project in general (i.e. not just in the reporting of progress) (subsections 11.5.3 and 8.2.2.2.h).
r. There is now a requirement for Administering Organisations who wish to provide written notification to the ARC naming any person or persons whom they do not wish to assess a Proposal to submit this request on the ARC’s “Request not to Assess” form (subsection 8.2.3.3).
s. In order to more fully explain the situation, provision is explicitly made for the Minister to vary a funding approval if the desirable period of funding for the project is not consistent with the period in the funding approval as previously approved or as otherwise varied (subsection 10.1.5.3).
2.1.2 The list of changes above is not comprehensive. Applicants and other parties involved in Proposals should read and understand the entire Funding Rules and draft Funding Agreement before a Proposal is submitted to the ARC.
Section 2 - Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Discovery Indigenous Researchers Development - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008 - Changes from last year | Zoe