Part Part A
General rules for schemes under the Discovery Program
Part A General rules for schemes under the Discovery Program
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Commonwealth legislation
This Act has been repealed and is no longer in force. It is retained for historical reference.
These Funding Rules set the eligibility, application, assessment, funding and reporting mechanics for five Discovery Program schemes (Australian Laureate, Future, DECRA, Discovery Indigenous and Discovery Projects). They specify what costs the ARC will fund and the administrative steps applicants must follow (A1, A7, A8).
The ARC assesses proposals, the CEO recommends and the Minister approves funding offers; Administering Organisations receive and manage payments and must meet eligibility, reporting and compliance obligations, while the ARC retains discretion to vary, pause or stop proposals (A9.1–A9.3, A7.1, A11).
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Direct links to the current provisions in Australian Research Council Funding Rules for schemes under the Discovery Program (2017 edition).
Part A General rules for schemes under the Discovery Program
A1. Name of Funding Rules
These Funding Rules are the Australian Research Council Funding Rules for schemes under the Discovery Program (2017 edition)
A2. Commencement
These Funding Rules shall take effect upon registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
A3. Definitions
In these Funding Rules, unless the contrary intention appears:
Active Project means a Project that is receiving funding according to the terms of the original Funding Agreement, or has any carryover funds approved by the ARC, or an approved variation to the Project’s end date.
Active Project Assessment Date means the date on which Active Project eligibility will be considered.
Administering Organisation means an Eligible Organisation which submits a Proposal for funding and which will be responsible for the administration of the funding if the Proposal is approved for funding.
Applicant means the Administering Organisation.
ARC means the Australian Research Council, as established under the ARC Act.
ARC Act means the Australian Research Council Act 2001.
ARC Award means a named Award position within any ARC scheme where the salary is funded wholly or partly by the ARC.
ARC College of Experts means a body of experts of international standing appointed to assist the ARC to identify research excellence, moderate external assessments and recommend fundable Proposals.
ARC Fellowship means a named Fellowship position within any ARC scheme where the salary is funded wholly or partly by the ARC.
ARC website is www.arc.gov.au.
Award of PhD Date means the date of conferral of a PhD, not the date of submission of the thesis, nor the date the thesis was accepted by the examination board.
Bench Fees means the fees that an organisation charges for an individual to use infrastructure which would normally be provided by the organisation for their employees. This infrastructure may vary and could include, for example, an office or a laboratory space with appropriate equipment, or access to non-specialised equipment owned by the organisation.
Candidate means a person nominated in a Proposal for an ARC Award or ARC Fellowship.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) means the person holding the position of ARC Chief Executive Officer in accordance with the ARC Act or any person acting in that position.
Chief Investigator (CI) means a participant who satisfies the eligibility criteria for a CI under these Funding Rules.
Commonwealth means the Commonwealth of Australia.
Commonwealth Fellowship means a position held by a participant where the salary is funded wholly or partly by the Commonwealth.
Conflict of Interest means any conflict of interest, any risk of a conflict of interest and any apparent conflict of interest arising through a party engaging in any activity, participating in any association, holding any membership or obtaining any interest that is likely to conflict with or restrict that party participating in the Project. The ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy is available on the ARC website.
Consultancy means the provision of specialist advice, analysis, assistance, services or products to another organisation(s), generally where the consultancy services are for the sole or preferred use of that other organisation(s).
Discovery Program refers to, for the purposes of eligibility, the schemes funded under the Discovery Program of the NCGP which consist of: Australian Laureate Fellowships, Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, Discovery Indigenous, Discovery Projects, and Future Fellowships and other schemes as updated from time to time.
Eligible Organisation means an organisation listed in A13.
Emeritus Appointment means any honorary position that gives full academic status, as certified by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) (or equivalent) in the Proposal. For ARC purposes this relationship must include access to research support comparable to employees. The person would not be considered to hold an Emeritus Appointment for the purposes of these Funding Rules if they hold a substantive, paid position elsewhere.
Field Research means the collection of information integral to the Project outside a laboratory, library or workplace setting and often in a location external to the participant’s normal place of employment.
Funding Agreement means the agreement entered into by the ARC and an Administering Organisation when a Proposal from that organisation is approved for funding.
Funding Commencement Date means the date on which funding may commence as defined for each scheme in Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
Funding Offer means the Project Details listed in RMS under Funding Offers.
GrantConnect means the central information system for all Commonwealth grants publicised and awarded and is found at www.grants.gov.au.
GST has the meaning as given in section 195-1 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999.
Instructions to Applicants means a set of instructions prepared by the ARC to assist Applicants in completing the Proposal form.
Medical Research means medical research as defined in the ARC Medical Research Policy available on the ARC website.
Minister means the Minister responsible for the administration of the ARC Act.
NCGP means the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program.
NHMRC means the National Health and Medical Research Council.
ORCID Identifier means a persistent digital identifier for an individual participant, available on the ORCID website, www.orcid.org.
Other Eligible Organisation means an Eligible Organisation which is listed on a Proposal as a contributor to the Project but is not the Administering Organisation.
Other Organisation means an organisation which is listed on a Proposal and is not an Eligible Organisation, Host Organisation or a Partner Organisation.
Partner Investigator (PI) means a participant who satisfies the eligibility criteria for a PI under these Funding Rules.
PhD is a qualification that meets the level 10 criteria of the Australian Qualifications Framework Second Edition January 2013.
Project means a Proposal approved by the Minister to receive funding from the ARC.
Project Activity Period means the period during which a Project is receiving funding according to the original Funding Offer, or has any carryover funds approved by the ARC, or an approved variation to the Project’s end date. During this period, the Project is known as an Active Project.
Project Leader means the participant from the Administering Organisation who is the first-named CI on a Proposal.
Proposal means a request to the ARC for the provision of funding which is submitted in accordance with these Funding Rules.
Recipient means an individual who has received funding for an ARC Award, ARC Fellowship or Project under the Discovery or Linkage Programs.
Research is defined, for the purposes of these Funding Rules, as the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies, inventions and understandings. This could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it is new and creative.[1]
Research Impact is the demonstrable contribution that research makes to the economy, society, culture, national security, public policy or services, health, the environment, or quality of life, beyond contributions to academia.
Research Infrastructure means assets, facilities, services, and coordinated access to major national and/or international research facilities or consortia which directly support research in higher education organisations and more broadly and which maintain the capacity of researchers to undertake excellent research and deliver innovative outcomes.
Research Office means a business unit within an Administering Organisation that is responsible for contact with the ARC about Proposals and Projects.
Research Output means all products of a research Project.
RMS means the ARC’s online Research Management System.
Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) means a group of experts from industry and/or academia appointed to assist the ARC to evaluate Proposals and to provide a recommendation for funding to the CEO. The SAC may be drawn from the ARC College of Experts.
Special Condition means a special condition specified in a Funding Offer which governs the use of the funding provided by the ARC.
Science and Research Priorities means priority research areas identified by the Australian Government, and available on the ARC website.
Technical Workshop Services means specialised construction and maintenance activities carried out by a technician, often within a dedicated facility for working with materials such as wood, glass, metal, plastics or electronics.
Travel Costs means domestic and international economy travel costs associated with the Project, including to foster and strengthen collaborations between researchers in Australia and overseas.
Additional scheme-specific definitions are detailed in Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A4. Introduction
A4.1 Objectives
A4.1.1 The Discovery Program aims to deliver outcomes of benefit to Australia and build Australia’s research capacity through support for:
a. excellent, internationally competitive research by individuals and teams;
b. research training and career opportunities for the best Australian and international researchers;
c. international collaboration; and
d. research in priority areas.
A4.2 Overview
A4.2.1 These Funding Rules are a legislative instrument current as at the date of signing by the Minister and have been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the ARC Act in force then.
A4.2.2 These Funding Rules relate to schemes funded under the Discovery Program of the NCGP. The Discovery Program supports the growth of Australia’s research and innovation capacity, which generates new knowledge resulting in the development of new technologies, products and ideas, the creation of jobs, economic growth and an enhanced quality of life in Australia.
A4.2.3 The Discovery Program schemes provide funding to Administering Organisations to support research Projects.
A4.2.4 Discovery Program funding will be awarded on the basis of excellence through a competitive peer review process for each scheme.
A4.2.5 The ARC undertakes periodic evaluations of the performance and administration of the schemes under the NCGP.
A4.2.6 The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for the Discovery Program are specified each year in the ARC Portfolio Budget Statements and the ARC Corporate Plan. The KPIs focus on long-term outcomes as well as medium-term outcomes relating to building Australia’s research capacity, for example, research careers and training, contributions in areas of national need and research collaboration. These are addressed each year in the ARC’s annual report.
A5. Organisation General Eligibility Requirements
A5.1 General
A5.1.1 Organisations that may be named participating organisations under the Discovery Program are:
a. Administering Organisation;
b. Host Organisations;
c. Other Eligible Organisations; and
d. Other Organisations.
A5.1.2 For details of participating organisations specific to each scheme refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A5.2 Eligible Organisations
A5.2.1 A Proposal must only be submitted through the Research Office of an Eligible Organisation listed in A13.
A5.2.2 The Eligible Organisation that submits the Proposal will be the Administering Organisation and all other Eligible Organisations listed on the Proposal will be Other Eligible Organisations.
A5.3 Other Organisations
A5.3.1 Organisations that are not Eligible Organisations or Host Organisations that are named on a Proposal will be Other Organisations.
A6. Participant General Eligibility Requirements
A6.1 Eligibility Criteria
A6.1.1 Under the Discovery Program, named participants may include:
a. Chief Investigators (CIs);
b. Partner Investigators (PIs);
c. Australian Laureate Fellowship Candidates;
d. Future Fellowship Candidates;
e. Discovery Early Career Research Award (DECRA) Candidates; and
f. Discovery Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award (DAATSIA) Candidates.
A6.1.2 For details of eligible participants specific to each scheme, refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A6.1.3 To be eligible to apply, all CIs, PIs and Candidates named in a Proposal must:
a. satisfy the eligibility criteria for the role they are to perform as at the scheme-specific Funding Commencement Date and for the Project Activity Period;
b. take responsibility for the authorship and intellectual content of the Proposal, appropriately citing sources and acknowledging significant contributions where relevant;
c. make a serious commitment to carrying out the Project and cannot assume the role of a supplier of resources for work that will largely be undertaken by others; and
d. have met all obligations, including submitting satisfactory Progress and Final Reports, for previously funded Projects.
A6.1.4 Except as otherwise provided in subsection A6.2.5(i), a Proposal may only be submitted for funding under a scheme that the participant(s) would be eligible to hold under these rules as at the scheme-specific Active Project Assessment Date.
A6.1.5 A Project cannot commence until all CIs, PIs, Awardees and Fellows meet the eligibility criteria in these Funding Rules.
A6.1.6 Australian Laureate Fellows, Future Fellows and DECRAs who are not Australian citizens must obtain a legal right to work and reside in Australia for the Project Activity Period.
A6.1.7 For additional scheme-specific eligibility requirements refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A6.2 Limits on Projects and Proposals
A6.2.1 These limits do not apply to Partner Investigators or to unnamed participants on Projects such as Higher Degree by Research students and research assistants.
A6.2.2 Except as provided in subsection A6.2.3, within the Discovery Program (as defined in A3) a participant can be funded for a maximum of:
a. two Projects as a CI; or
b. one ARC Award or ARC Fellowship, and one Project as a CI.
A6.2.3 A CI or Director named on a Centre of Excellence or a Special Research Initiative can be funded for one Project under the Discovery Program.
A6.2.4 The ARC must approve Project or role relinquishments before the closing time of submission of Proposals. Any relinquishment made or approved after the Proposal submission date will not be taken into account for the purposes of calculating the limits in this subsection A6.2.
A6.2.5 The ARC will calculate limits of Projects and Proposals as at the closing time of submission of Proposals (and may re-calculate this rule as other scheme rounds’ announcements are made and End of Year Reports are submitted), by totalling:
a. the number of Discovery Program CI roles, ARC Fellowships or ARC Awards that the participant will hold on Active Projects as at the scheme-specific Active Project Assessment Date;
b. the number of Centres of Excellence and Special Research Initiatives CI and/or Director roles that the named participant will hold on Active Projects as at the scheme-specific Active Project Assessment Date; and
c. the number of Discovery Program Proposals currently under assessment by the ARC which include that participant as a CI or Candidate.
Notwithstanding the above
A6.2.6 A participant cannot concurrently hold more than one ARC Award or ARC Fellowship, and a holder of an ARC Award or ARC Fellowship cannot concurrently hold an award or fellowship from another Commonwealth funding agency. Successful ARC Awardees or ARC Fellows will be required to relinquish salary from other Commonwealth Fellowships and awards prior to the commencement of the ARC Award or ARC Fellowship.
A6.2.7 A previous Recipient of funding for an ARC Award or ARC Fellowship cannot apply for a subsequent ARC Award or ARC Fellowship in the same scheme, with the exception of a DAATSIA.
A6.2.8 Schemes in other Funding Rules may have different Project limits. Applicants should determine if applying for or holding a Project under these Funding Rules will affect their eligibility for the other ARC funding schemes. The ARC reserves the right to change Project and Proposal limits in future funding rounds. Funding Rules for all ARC schemes are on the ARC website.
A6.3 Eligibility Process
A6.3.1 The ARC can determine whether a Proposal meets the eligibility requirements in these Funding Rules at any stage during assessment of the Proposal.
A6.3.2 If the ARC considers that a Proposal is ineligible, the Proposal may not be progressed through the assessment process.
A6.3.3 If a Proposal is ineligible, the ARC must not recommend the Proposal for funding.
A6.4 Research Activities Supported
A6.4.1 Research activities that meet the definition of Research in A3 of these Funding Rules will be supported.
A6.5 Research Activities Not Supported
A6.5.1 Except where such activities meet the definition of Research in A3 of these Funding Rules, the Discovery Program does not support production of:
A6.5.2 The Discovery Program does not support Medical Research, as defined in A3 of these Funding Rules.
A7. Funding
A7.1 Level and Period of Funding
A7.1.1 The level and period of funding for schemes under the Discovery Program are outlined in Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A7.1.2 The ARC reserves the right to recommend funding levels which may be less than those requested in the Proposal, and a duration of funding which may differ from that requested in the Proposal.
A7.1.3 Subject to these Funding Rules, Funding for a Project will commence:
a. on the Funding Commencement Date for the scheme;
b. after Ministerial announcement;
c. on a date set by the minister, or
d. in line with other arrangements approved by the ARC
whichever is the later.
A7.1.4 Other Commonwealth funding may be used to augment ARC funding. However the ARC will not fund the same research activities, infrastructure or Project previously funded or currently being funded through any other Commonwealth funding. Full details of any financial assistance received for, or in connection with, the research activities or Project must be disclosed in the Proposal and on an ongoing basis.
A7.1.5 Any funding awarded will be subject to sufficient funds being available for the Project, the provisions of the ARC Act and continued satisfactory progress of the Project.
A7.1.6 All amounts referred to in these Funding Rules are to be read as exclusive of GST (if any), unless expressly stated otherwise.
A7.1.7 The Administering Organisation is responsible for any and all financial and taxation implications associated with receiving funds.
A7.2 Budget Items Supported
A7.2.1 Project funding may be sought for budget items that directly support a research program contained in a Proposal, including:
a. access to national and international research and infrastructure facilities including specialist archives, collections and databases;
b. access to Technical Workshop Services linked to and justified explicitly against the Project (for example, machine tools and qualified technicians);
c. expenditure on Field Research essential to the Project, including technical and logistical support and travel and accommodation costs;
d. expert services of a third party if the services are directly related to and essential for the proposed Project. Such services include, but are not limited to:
e. equipment (and its maintenance) and consumables essential for the Project. Funding will not be provided for equipment or consumables that are considered to be for broad general use;
f. personnel, for example postdoctoral research associates, research assistants, technicians and laboratory attendants. Salary support must be requested at an appropriate salary level for the Administering Organisation, including 30 per cent on-costs. Where the scheme-specific Parts of these rules contain a specified salary level, only funding up to this level may be requested from the ARC;
g. Higher Degree by Research stipends at a rate of $26,694 per year (2017$);
h. publication and dissemination of Project Research Outputs and outreach activity costs;
i. specialised computer equipment and software essential to the Project;
j. teaching relief for CIs, as specified for each scheme in Parts E and F (not available for Recipients of ARC Awards or Fellowships);
k. Travel Costs essential to the Project, as specified for each scheme in Parts B to F of these Funding Rules;
l. web hosting and web development specific to the Project;
m. workshops, focus groups and conferences that are essential for the conduct of the proposed research (including reasonable hospitality costs such as morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea); and
n. reasonable essential extraordinary costs to allow a participant who is a carer, or who personally requires care or assistance, to undertake travel essential to the Project.
A7.2.2 For all other scheme-specific budget items supported, refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A7.2.3 All budget items must be justified in the Proposal to the satisfaction of the ARC.
A7.3 Budget Items Not Supported
A7.3.1 Budget items which are not supported by ARC funding and should not be requested in the budget include:
a. Bench Fees or similar laboratory access fees;
b. capital works and general infrastructure costs;
c. costs not directly related to the Project, including but not limited to professional membership fees, professional development courses, fees for patent application and maintenance, equipment for live music or drama performances, visas, relocation costs, entertainment costs, insurance, and other indirect costs;
d. fees for international students or the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) and Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) liabilities for students;
e. salaries and/or on-costs and/or Higher Degree by Research stipends, in whole or in part, for CIs or PIs; and
f. salary top ups for personnel above the salary level specified in these Funding Rules.
A7.3.2 The following basic facilities must be provided and funded by the Administering Organisation, where relevant, and are not funded by the ARC:
a. access to a basic library collection;
b. access to film or music editing facilities;
c. accommodation (for example, laboratory and office space, suitably equipped and furnished);
d. basic computer facilities and standard software; and
e. standard reference materials or funds for abstracting services.
A7.3.3 For all other scheme-specific budget items not supported, refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A8. Submission of Proposals
A8.1 Proposals
A8.1.1 The Proposal must contain all the information necessary for its assessment, including eligibility assessment, without the need for further written or oral explanation, or reference to additional documentation. The ARC may request additional information but is not obliged to do so.
A8.1.2 All details in the Proposal must be current at the time of submission.
A8.1.3 A Proposal may only be submitted once in the same funding scheme round regardless of any variation in the proposed research, the named participants and/or Administering Organisation.
A8.1.4 For additional scheme-specific requirements refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A8.2 Submission of Proposals in RMS
A8.2.1 Administering Organisations must submit Proposals through RMS unless otherwise advised by the ARC.
A8.2.2 All Proposals must meet the format and content requirements, including certification, as set out in the RMS online form and the relevant scheme Instructions to Applicants available on the ARC website.
A8.3 Closing Time for Proposals
A8.3.1 A Proposal form must be submitted in RMS by the relevant scheme closing date and time as listed on the Important Dates page on the ARC website.
A8.3.2 Additions, deletions and modifications will not be accepted after submission, unless invited by the ARC.
A8.3.3 Upon receipt of a written request with justification from the Administering Organisation the ARC may approve the withdrawal of a Proposal. The ARC will only approve such a request in exceptional circumstances.
A8.4 Certification in RMS
A8.4.1 The Administering Organisation must certify a Proposal online in RMS. Research Offices must ensure that the person assigned the ‘Research Office Delegate’ role in RMS is authorised to certify and submit Proposals.
A8.4.2 The ARC reserves the right at any point in the process to seek evidence from the Administering Organisation to support the certification of Proposals.
A8.5 Request Not to Assess
A8.5.1 Administering Organisations may name up to three persons whom they do not wish to assess a Proposal by submitting a Request Not to Assess form as detailed on the ARC website. This form must be received by the ARC two weeks prior to the relevant scheme closing date and time available on the Important Dates page on the ARC website.
A8.5.2 Only one request containing the names of up to three individual assessors may be submitted per Proposal.
A8.5.3 If the Administering Organisation names a current ARC College of Experts member, as listed on the ARC website at the time of submitting the Request Not to Assess form, the request must be accompanied by comprehensive evidence justifying the request for the ARC College of Experts member or members named. If the ARC considers the evidence is not sufficient for the named ARC College of Experts member or members, the ARC may reject the request.
A8.5.4 In extraordinary circumstances, the Administering Organisation may submit a Request Not to Assess Form naming more than three persons whom it does not wish to assess a proposal. Any request containing more than three names must be accompanied by comprehensive evidence justifying the request for each person named. If the ARC considers the evidence is not sufficient for one or more of the named people, the ARC may reject part or all of the request.
A8.5.5 It will be at the absolute discretion of the ARC whether it will accommodate a request under this subsection A8.5.
A8.6 Conflict of Interest
A8.6.1 Each participant or organisation named in a Proposal must declare to the Administering Organisation at the date of submission any Conflict of Interest that exists or is likely to arise in relation to any aspect of the Proposal.
A8.6.2 If a Conflict of Interest exists or arises, the Administering Organisation must have documented processes in place for managing the Conflict of Interest for the duration of the Project. Such processes must comply with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2007), the ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy and any relevant successor documents.
A8.6.3 As part of the certification at A8.4.1, the Administering Organisation must certify that all Conflicts of Interest have been disclosed in accordance with A8.6.1, and that any Conflict of Interest will be managed in accordance with A8.6.2.
A9. Selection and Approval Process
A9.1 Assessment and Selection Process
A9.1.1 The ARC manages the assessment of Proposals. The ARC may make recommendations for funding to the Minister based on any number of assessments or solely on the basis of its expertise.
A9.1.2 All Proposals will be considered against the selection criteria for the relevant scheme and compliance with these Funding Rules.
A9.1.3 Proposals may be:
a. assigned to independent assessors to assess and report on the Proposal against the selection criteria; and
b. ranked relative to other Proposals and recommended a budget, by the SAC, on the basis of the Proposal, any assessors’ reports and any rejoinder.
A9.1.4 The ARC may stop the progression of Proposals at any time during the selection process. Grounds for cessation include, but are not limited to:
a. the Proposal does not meet the eligibility requirements set out in these Funding Rules; or
b. the Proposal contains incomplete, inaccurate or misleading information.
A9.1.5 The SAC for the relevant scheme will make recommendations to the CEO on which Proposals should be approved for funding, which Proposals should not be approved for funding, and the level of funding and duration of Projects.
A9.1.6 The ARC has procedures in place for managing organisational and personal Conflicts of Interest for assessors, members of the ARC College of Experts or SAC, members of other ARC Committees and ARC staff. Details of these procedures are available on the ARC website.
A9.2 Rejoinder
A9.2.1 The Administering Organisation may be given the opportunity to provide a rejoinder to assessors’ written comments, and to provide any additional information requested by the ARC. Names of assessors will not be provided to the Administering Organisation or to Proposal participants. Further information on the Rejoinder process is available on the ARC website.
A9.3 Recommendations and Offer of Funding
A9.3.1 In accordance with the ARC Act, the CEO will submit funding recommendations to the Minister for consideration. The Minister will determine which Proposals will be funded and the amount and timing of funding to be paid to Administering Organisations for approved Proposals.
A9.3.2 Under the ARC Act, the Minister must not approve for funding any Proposal that fails to meet the eligibility criteria set out in these Funding Rules.
A9.3.3 All Administering Organisations will be notified of the outcomes of their Proposals (including Proposals not recommended for funding). Outcomes, funding allocations and other relevant information about the successful Proposals will be published on the ARC website and GrantConnect.
A9.3.4 Administering Organisations whose Proposals are approved will be notified in a letter of offer and will be required to enter into a Funding Agreement in RMS.
A9.3.5 The ARC may vary the funding approval if, in the opinion of the ARC, the particular circumstances of the Project warrant variation. Any variation or change will accord with the relevant Funding Rules and Funding Agreement.
A10. Appeals Process
A10.1 Applicants for funding under the schemes of the NCGP are able to submit an appeal against the administrative process used to assess Proposals. The appeals process is designed to ensure that the Proposal has been treated fairly and consistently in the context of selection procedures.
A10.2 Appeals will be considered only against the administrative process and not against committee decisions, assessor ratings and comments or the assessment outcome. Appellants must identify the specific Funding Rule clause, policy or procedure which they believe has been incorrectly applied.
A10.3 Appeals must be submitted by the Administering Organisation using the
ARC Appeals Form on the ARC website, authorised by a Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent. Appeals must be received within 28 days of the date of the notification to the Administering Organisation of the outcome of Proposals. The ARC will not accept appeals later than 5.00pm (AEDT/AEST) on the appeals submission due date.
A10.4 Appeals must be submitted to the ARC electronically to the Appeals email address appeals@arc.gov.au.
A10.5 Applicants for funding may at any time seek to appeal ARC decisions using available external appeal options. Regarding available options for external appeal, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal does not have general power to review ARC decisions.
A11. Reporting Requirements
Details of ARC reporting requirements can be found on the ARC website. For additional scheme-specific reporting requirements, refer to Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
A11.1 End of Year Reports and Progress Reporting by Exception
A11.1.1 The Administering Organisation must submit an End of Year Financial Report by 31 March in the year following each calendar year for which the Funding was awarded, in accordance with the instructions to be provided each year by the ARC.
A11.1.2 A Progress Report by exception must be completed only if significant issues are affecting the progress of the Project.
A11.1.3 If the ARC is not satisfied with the progress of any Project, further payment of funds may not be made until satisfactory progress has been made on the Project. If satisfactory progress is still not achieved within a reasonable period of time, the Funding may be terminated and all outstanding monies will be recovered by the ARC.
A11.1.4 The form for these reports will be made available by the ARC in RMS, with instructions on the ARC website.
A11.2 Final Report
A11.2.1 A Final Report must be submitted for the Project within 12 months of the final ARC approved Project end date. The form for this report will be made available by the ARC in RMS, with instructions on the ARC website.
A11.2.2 The Final Report must address compliance with the conditions on which funding was granted, as set out in the Funding Agreement.
A11.2.3 If any reports are not submitted or are not satisfactory to the ARC this will be noted against future Proposals submitted by all participants named on the Project.
A11.2.4 The ARC may also seek additional information about subsequent Research Outputs after submission of the Final Report.
A12. Fundamental Principles of Conducting Research
A12.1 Ethics and Research Practices
A12.1.1 All Proposals and ARC-funded research Projects must conform to the principles outlined in the following and successor documents:
a. Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2007);
b. as applicable, the National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (2007, updated 2015);
c. as applicable, NHMRC Values and Ethics: Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Research (2003);
d. as applicable, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies (2012);
e. as applicable, Australia Council for the Arts Indigenous Cultural Protocols for Producing Indigenous Music; Writing; Visual Arts; Media Arts; and Performing Arts (2007);
f. as applicable, the Australian Code for the care and use of animals for scientific purposes (2013).
A12.1.2 If there is any conflict between a successor document and its predecessor, then the successor document prevails to the extent of any inconsistency.
A12.2 Applicable Law
A12.2.1 The ARC is required to comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988, the Freedom of Information Act 1982 and the Criminal Code Act 1995.
A12.3 Confidentiality
A12.3.1 The ARC will treat information contained in a Proposal as confidential. However, the ARC may disclose information contained in a Proposal, or otherwise provided to the ARC, to the extent that the information is:
a. disclosed by the ARC to its advisors (including assessors), officers, employees or other third parties in order to assess, evaluate or verify the quality, accuracy or completeness of a Proposal;
b. disclosed by the ARC to its advisors (including assessors), officers, employees or other third parties solely to comply with obligations or exercise rights under the ARC Research Integrity and Research Misconduct Policy;
c. disclosed by ARC personnel to third parties to enable effective management or auditing of the Discovery Program schemes or any Funding Agreement;
d. disclosed by the ARC to the Minister and their staff;
e. shared by the ARC within the agency, or with another Commonwealth Department or agency, where this serves the Commonwealth’s legitimate interests;
f. authorised or required by law to be disclosed;
g. disclosed in accordance with any other provision of these Funding Rules or the Funding Agreement; or
h. in the public domain.
A12.3.2 Where information contained in a Proposal is made available to third parties for evaluation, assessment or audit purposes the ARC will require the third parties to maintain the confidentiality of the material, including any Intellectual Property contained in the Proposal.
A12.3.3 In addition to the exemptions listed in subsection A12.3.1, the ARC may publicise and report offers or awards of funding, including the following information about the proposed Project:
Administering Organisations should ensure that information contained in the Proposal title and summary descriptions would not, if released, compromise their own requirements for confidentiality (such as protection of Intellectual Property).
A12.3.4 In making public information about a Proposal which has been approved for funding, the ARC may use a Project description, including title and summary, which differs from that provided in the Proposal.
A12.4 Intellectual Property
A12.4.1 The ARC does not claim ownership of any Intellectual Property in a Proposal or in any research arising from a Project.
A12.4.2 The Administering Organisation must adhere to an Intellectual Property policy, approved by the Administering Organisation’s governing body, which has as one of its aims the maximisation of benefits to Australia arising from research. The Administering Organisation should ensure that participants applying for ARC funding are familiar with the current Intellectual Property and patent landscape for the research areas included in the Proposal. Unless otherwise approved by the Commonwealth, the Administering Organisation’s Intellectual Property policy must comply with the National Principles of Intellectual Property Management for Publicly Funded Research and/or any successor document(s). These document(s) are available on the ARC website.
A12.5 Publication and Dissemination of Research Outputs and Research Data
A12.5.1 All ARC-funded research Projects must comply with the ARC Open Access Policy on the dissemination of research findings, which is on the
ARC website.
A12.5.2 Participants and institutions have an obligation to collect and maintain research data in accordance with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2007). The ARC strongly encourages the depositing of data arising from a Project in an appropriate publicly accessible subject and/or institutional repository. Participants must outline briefly in their Proposal how they plan to manage research data arising from a Project.
A12.5.3 The ARC strongly encourages all participants applying for funding to have an ORCID Identifier in their RMS Profile.
A12.6 Misconduct, Incomplete or Misleading Information
A12.6.1 All ARC-funded research Projects must comply with the ARC Research Integrity and Research Misconduct Policy, which is available on the ARC website.
A12.6.2 If the ARC considers that a Proposal is incomplete, inaccurate or contains false or misleading information, the ARC may in its absolute discretion decide to recommend that the Proposal not be approved for funding.
A12.6.3 A decision under subsection A12.6.2 may be made by the ARC at any stage during the assessment of the Proposal and may result in non-progression of the Proposal through the assessment process.
A12.6.4 Examples of misleading information and misconduct include:
A13. List of Eligible Organisations
A13.1 Higher Education Organisations
The Australian National University
University of Canberra
New South Wales
Australian Catholic University
Charles Sturt University
Macquarie University
Southern Cross University
The University of New England
The University of New South Wales
The University of Newcastle
The University of Sydney
University of Technology Sydney
University of Wollongong
Western Sydney University
Northern Territory
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
Charles Darwin University
Queensland
Bond University
Central Queensland University
Griffith University
James Cook University
Queensland University of Technology
The University of Queensland
University of Southern Queensland
University of the Sunshine Coast
The Flinders University of South Australia
The University of Adelaide
Torrens University Australia
University of South Australia
Tasmania
University of Tasmania
Victoria
Deakin University
Federation University Australia
La Trobe University
Monash University
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University)
Swinburne University of Technology
The University of Melbourne
University of Divinity
Victoria University
Curtin University
Edith Cowan University
Murdoch University
The University of Notre Dame Australia
The University of Western Australia
A13.2 Additional Eligible Organisations
Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS)
Additional Eligible Organisations may be specified on a scheme by scheme basis.
Part B Scheme-specific rules for Australian Laureate Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018
B1. Interpretation
Part B contains the scheme-specific rules for Australian Laureate Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018.
B2. Important Dates
B2.1 Funding Commencement Date
The Funding Commencement Date for Australian Laureate Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018 is 1 July 2018.
B2.2 Active Project Assessment Date
The Active Project Assessment Date for Australian Laureate Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018 is 1 January 2019.
B3. Additional definitions for Part B
Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA) means a postdoctoral research associate funded by the Commonwealth through the Administering Organisation, who will be employed on the Project.
Postgraduate Researcher (PGR) means a postgraduate research student funded by the Commonwealth through the Administering Organisation, who will undertake a Higher Degree by Research through the Project.
B4. Objectives
B4.1 The objectives of the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme are to:
a. attract and retain outstanding researchers and research leaders of international reputation;
b. support ground-breaking, internationally competitive research;
c. provide an excellent research training environment and exemplary mentorship to nurture early-career researchers;
d. forge strong links among researchers, the international research community and/or industry;
e. expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability; and
f. enhance the scale and focus of research in the Science and Research Priorities.
B4.2 Preference will be given to researchers who will play a significant, sustained leadership and mentoring role in increasing Australia’s internationally competitive research capacity.
B4.3 Up to 17 Australian Laureate Fellowships may be awarded for funding commencing in 2018, including named fellowships as outlined in subsection B4.4.
B4.4 Two named Australian Laureate Fellowships, a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship and a Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship, may be awarded to successful female Australian Laureate Fellows for funding commencing in 2018. Recipients will be provided with additional funding to undertake an ambassadorial role to promote women in research.
B5. Organisation Eligibility
B5.1 General
B5.1.1 Administering Organisations may participate in Australian Laureate Fellowships.
B6. Participant Eligibility Requirements
B6.1 Limits on Proposals
B6.1.1 In any year, a person may be nominated on only one Australian Laureate Fellowship Proposal.
B6.1.2 A Proposal may be submitted for an Australian Laureate Fellowship on behalf of an Australian or international researcher. An Australian Laureate Fellowship Candidate may hold a continuing or non-continuing appointment in Australia or overseas at the time the Proposal is submitted.
B6.1.3 A Proposal must request at least a minimum of two PDRAs and two PGRs.
B6.2 Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship and Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship
B6.2.1 The Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship and Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship aim to encourage applications from female research leaders of international repute.
B6.2.2 These two fellowships involve the provision of additional funding of up to $20,000 per annum (for five years) to each of the successful Recipients to undertake an ambassadorial role to promote women in research and to mentor early career researchers, particularly women, to encourage them to enter and establish careers in research in Australia.
B6.2.3 A Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship will be available to a highly ranked female Candidate from the humanities, arts and social science disciplines, and a Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship will be available to a highly ranked female Candidate from the science and technology disciplines.
B6.2.4 Recipients of a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship and Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship must be female, and must also meet the eligibility criteria for Australian Laureate Fellows outlined in subsection B7 of these Funding Rules. Candidates will be required to indicate their willingness to take on the ambassadorial role within their Proposal, including providing a brief outline of their proposed activities.
B6.2.5 Candidates who apply for a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship or a Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship will be assessed against the same selection criteria and will be subject to the same conditions and obligations that apply to all Australian Laureate Fellowship Candidates as outlined in these Funding Rules. Preference will be given to Candidates who are able to demonstrate outstanding mentoring and capacity building qualities.
B6.2.6 Candidates who are unsuccessful in obtaining a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship or a Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship will still be considered for an Australian Laureate Fellowship.
B6.2.7 The ARC may in its absolute discretion decide not to award one or both of these named fellowships.
B7. Australian Laureate Fellows Operational Requirements
B7.1 Prior to the commencement of an Australian Laureate Fellowship, any fellowships, awards or the duties of any existing appointments must be relinquished, unless otherwise approved by the ARC. Approval for any such appointments that would enhance the Fellowship must be sought from the ARC, and will be at the absolute discretion of the ARC. The Australian Laureate Fellowship Level E salaried position is excepted from this clause. The Australian Laureate Fellow may hold honorary or non-remunerated fellowships or awards. ARC approval must also be obtained for any responsibilities assumed after the award of the Project.
B7.2 The Administering Organisation must provide Australian Laureate Fellows with a Level E professorial appointment (or equivalent) and salary for the duration of the Australian Laureate Fellowship.
B7.3 The Australian Laureate Fellow must be an employee of the Administering Organisation for the Project Activity Period.
B7.4 Australian Laureate Fellows are normally expected to be employed full time (100 per cent of Full Time Equivalent).
B7.5 Australian Laureate Fellows are expected to spend a minimum of 0.8 FTE (80 per cent of Full Time Equivalent) on research and research capacity-building activities related to the proposed Australian Laureate Fellowship. Research capacity-building activities could include research leadership in teams and centres (ARC Centres of Excellence or other research-related centres) and supervision of postgraduate students, but do not include a major role in administration.
B7.6 The Australian Laureate Fellow’s remaining minimum of 0.2 FTE (20 per cent of Full Time Equivalent) is expected to be spent on activities at the Administering Organisation. This may include teaching activities. The Australian Laureate Fellowship will not be extended to accommodate any periods of teaching.
B7.7 The Australian Laureate Fellow must reside in Australia for a minimum of three out of the five years of the Fellowship, except where ARC approval has been granted.
B7.8 The Australian Laureate Fellow is expected to pursue research that is at the international leading edge in their field. To facilitate this aim, Australian Laureate Fellows may, with the approval of the ARC, undertake research outside Australia for periods of up to two years in total, providing that the Administering Organisation clearly demonstrates this is in the best interests of the research and its outcomes, and of national benefit to Australia.
B7.9 The Administering Organisation must ensure the Australian Laureate Fellow has access to the following leave entitlements in line with the Administering Organisation’s normal practice:
a. maternity leave;
b. partner/parental leave;
c. recreation leave; and
d. additional leave of up to twelve months using accrued leave or leave without pay.
B7.10 Funding for paid leave, and suspension of the Project to undertake such leave, must be requested from the ARC via a Variation to Funding Agreement as detailed in the Funding Agreement.
B8. Funding
B8.1 Level and Period of Funding
B8.1.1 The ARC provides a salary supplement and Project funding for Australian Laureate Fellowships as follows:
| Laureate Fellow Salary supplement funding level | $160,664 (2017$) including 30 per cent on-costs towards a Professorial Level E (or equivalent) salary. | | Laureate Fellow Salary supplement funding duration | Normally for five consecutive years on a full-time basis. | | PDRA salary support | $197,288 (2017$) including 30 per cent on-costs for two PDRAs for five years each. | | PGR stipend | $53,388 (2017$) per annum for two PGRs for four years each | | Project funding level | Up to $300,000 per annum, which may include a request for funding for additional postdoctoral researchers and postgraduate students. | | Project funding duration | Normally for five years on a full-time basis. |
The figures in this section are based on the 2017 levels of funding and will be subject to variation (for example, due to annual indexation). Updated levels will be available on the ARC website.
B8.2 Budget Items Supported
B8.2.1 In addition to budget items supported in subsection A7.2, the following costs may be supported under the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme:
a. Travel Costs associated with the Project subject to the policies of the Administering Organisation; and
b. additional funding of up to $20,000 per annum where the Candidate has applied for either the Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship or Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship and intends to use these funds as part of their ambassadorial role to promote women in research.
B8.2.2 All eligible requested funding costs must be justified in the Proposal to the satisfaction of the ARC.
B9. Selection Process
B9.1 Selection Criteria
B9.1.1 Proposals will be assessed and ranked using the following selection criteria:
a. Investigator 40%
- Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE);
- Evidence of outstanding Research Output and achievement taking into account research opportunity;
- Potential to undertake ground-breaking research;
- Outstanding leadership ability;
- Potential to create an enduring legacy that would be enhanced by the Australian Laureate Fellowship;
- Contribution to national and international public policy debates and initiatives;
b. Program of Research Activity 30%
- Are the proposed Project aims and concepts original and innovative, representing the leading edge of research in the field?
- Will new methods, technologies, theories or ideas be developed?
- How does the research program enhance innovation in Australia?
ii. Approach
- Are the conceptual framework, design, methods and analyses adequately developed, well integrated and appropriate to the aims of the Project?
iii. Significance and National Benefit
- Does the research address an important problem?
- How will the anticipated outcomes advance the knowledge base?
- Is there a major contribution to public policy formulation and debate?
- Will the proposed research maximise economic, environmental, social and/or cultural benefit to Australia?
- Will this research build new international research collaboration or links between research and industry?
c. Mentoring/Capacity Building 30%
- Does the Proposal show how the Project will build new teams and create world-class research capacity, collaboration and innovation?
- Does the Australian Laureate Fellowship Candidate:
- demonstrate exceptional ability to supervise and to mentor postdoctoral researchers and other early-mid career researchers?
- have a record of successful postgraduate supervision, where applicable?
- provide evidence in the Proposal of a suitable environment for postgraduate students and postdoctoral researchers?
- demonstrate exceptional leadership and the organisational ability to ensure the development of scale and focus in research?
- provide evidence of the potential to attract financial resources to enhance research capacity?
B10. Reporting Requirements
In addition to the reporting requirements in A11, Administering Organisations for successful Australian Laureate Fellowships will be required to submit mid-term case studies for each Project. The ARC will provide details to Administering Organisations regarding this requirement.
Part C Scheme-specific rules for Future Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018
C1. Interpretation
Part C contains the scheme-specific rules for Future Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018.
C2. Important Dates
C2.1 Funding Commencement Date
The Funding Commencement Date for Future Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018 is 1 July 2018.
C2.2 Active Project Assessment Date
The Active Project Assessment Date for Future Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018 is 1 January 2019.
C3. Additional Definitions for Part C
Australian Researchers means Australian citizens, permanent residents and New Zealand Special Category Visa holders.
Host Organisation means an organisation, other than the Administering Organisation, at which the Future Fellow undertakes her/his research.
C4. Objectives
C4.1 The objectives of the Future Fellowships scheme are to:
a. ensure that outstanding mid-career researchers are recruited and retained by Administering Organisations in continuing academic positions;
b. build collaboration across industry and/or research organisations and/or disciplines;
c. support research in Science and Research Priorities that will result in economic, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia; and
d. strengthen Australia’s research capacity by supporting innovative, internationally competitive research.
C4.2 Under the Future Fellowships scheme up to 100 four-year awards will be offered each year. Preference will be given to Australian Researchers.
C5. Organisation Eligibility Requirements
C5.1 General
C5.1.1 Organisations that may participate in Future Fellowships Projects are:
a. Administering Organisations;
b. Host Organisations; and
c. Other Organisations.
C5.2 Host Organisations
C5.2.1 If the Future Fellowship Candidate proposes to undertake research at an organisation other than the Administering Organisation whilst holding a Future Fellowship, this organisation must be listed as a Host Organisation within the Proposal.
C5.2.2 Each Proposal may identify one or more Host Organisations, which do not have to be Eligible Organisations listed in A13.
C5.2.3 The Future Fellow may conduct research at the Host Organisation(s), provided that it is in the best interests of the research and its outcomes, and is of national benefit to Australia.
C5.2.4 A Host Organisation must accommodate the Future Fellowship Candidate including providing suitable resources.
C5.2.5 The Proposal must describe the extent of the collaboration between the Future Fellowship Candidate and the Host Organisation(s).
C6. Participant Eligibility Requirements
C6.1 Limits on Proposals
C6.1.1 In any year, a person may be nominated on only one Future Fellowships Proposal.
C6.1.2 The Future Fellowship Candidate may be nominated on a maximum of three Future Fellowships Proposals over the period in which they are eligible. This includes Proposals that have been withdrawn after the closing time of submission of Proposals and Proposals which were deemed ineligible by the ARC.
C6.2 Future Fellowship Candidate
C6.2.1 A Proposal must only nominate one Future Fellowship Candidate.
C6.2.2 A person is eligible for a Future Fellowship if the person has an Award of PhD Date on or between 1 March 2003 and 1 March 2013.
C6.2.3 If a person was awarded a PhD prior to 1 March 2003, the person may be eligible for a Future Fellowship if the date of award of PhD together with the allowable career interruptions would be commensurate with being awarded a PhD on or after 1 March 2003.
C6.2.4 The types of career interruption that will be considered are in the table below in Column A, and the period allowed is listed in Column B.
C6.2.5 Each period of career interruption must be:
a. significant and not overlapping;
b. for a period of greater than one month; and
c. certified by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).
C6.2.6 If the Future Fellowship Candidate holds a research higher degree, which is not a PhD, it is the Administering Organisation’s responsibility to certify that the Future Fellowship Candidate’s qualification meets the level 10 criteria of the Australian Qualifications Framework Second Edition January 2013. For assessing overseas qualifications please see the Country Education Profiles Online tool. A subscription fee is required to access this service.
C6.2.7 If a Future Fellowship Candidate holds a professional equivalent to a PhD, this must be certified by the Administering Organisation.
C6.2.8 The ARC reserves the right to audit any evidence on which an application is based.
C7. Future Fellows Operational Requirements
C7.1 Prior to commencing, the Future Fellow must relinquish any fellowships, awards or the duties of any existing appointments. The Future Fellow may hold honorary or non-remunerated fellowships or awards. The Administering Organisation must ensure that honorary or non-remunerated fellowships will not impair the capacity of the Future Fellow to complete the proposed Project. ARC approval must also be obtained for any responsibilities after the award.
C7.2 The Future Fellow cannot begin another ARC Award or ARC Fellowship until the Future Fellowship has been completed.
C7.3 The Future Fellow must be an employee at the Administering Organisation for the Project Activity Period.
C7.4 The Future Fellow is expected to spend a minimum of 0.8 FTE (80 per cent of Full Time Equivalent) of their time on research activities related to the proposed Future Fellowship.
C7.5 The Future Fellow is expected to spend a minimum of 0.2 FTE (20 per cent of Full Time Equivalent) of their time on activities at the Administering Organisation. The Future Fellow may spend up to 0.2 FTE (20 per cent of Full Time Equivalent) of their time annually on teaching activities. The Future Fellowship will not be extended to accommodate any periods of teaching. Supervision of honours or postgraduate students is not included in this limit.
C7.6 A Future Fellow must not spend more than half of the Project Activity Period outside Australia or engaged in international travel, except where ARC approval has been granted.
C7.7 The Future Fellow may not engage in other professional employment during the Project Activity Period without prior approval from the ARC. The Future Fellowship may be undertaken on a full-time basis, or a part-time basis subject to the employment conditions of the Administering Organisation provided that the Future Fellowship does not exceed eight years from the Date of Commencement (excluding any approved periods of suspension).
A Future Fellowship does not have a minimum Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) for ARC purposes, but the FTE of the Future Fellow for ARC purposes must match that of the Future Fellow’s employment contract. The Administering Organisation and not the ARC is to manage changes to the Future Fellow’s working hours. The Administering Organisation will notify the ARC of any changes to working hours through submission of a Variation of Funding Agreement.
C7.8 The Administering Organisation must ensure the Future Fellow has access to the following Leave entitlements in line with the Administering Organisation’s normal practice:
a. maternity leave;
b. partner/parental leave;
c. recreation leave; and
d. additional leave of up to twelve months using accrued leave or leave without pay.
C7.9 Funding for paid leave, and suspension of the Project to undertake such leave, must be requested from the ARC via a Variation to Funding Agreement as detailed in the Funding Agreement.
C8. Funding
C8.1 Level and Period of Funding
C8.1.1 The ARC provides a salary and Project funding as follows:
| Salary funding level | Requested and/or awarded at one of three salary levels as specified in subsection C8.1.2. | | Salary funding duration | Four consecutive years on a full-time basis. Subject to conditions in subsection C7.7, a Future Fellowship may be undertaken on a part-time basis not exceeding eight consecutive years. | | Project funding level | Up to $50,000 per annum. | | Project funding duration | Up to four consecutive years. |
| Current Academic Level (or equivalent) | Future Fellowship<br>Salary Level to be requested | Total |
|---|---|---|
| Level A and B | Level 1<br>(1.0 FTE) | $152,630 including 30 per cent on-costs. |
| Level C | Level 2<br>(1.0 FTE) | $184,766 including 30 per cent on-costs. |
| Level D and E | Level 3<br>(1.0 FTE) | $216,896 including 30 per cent on-costs. |
C8.1.2 A Future Fellowship salary must be requested and will be awarded at one of three salary levels (2017$) (plus salary-related (on-cost) funding). The correct Salary Level to request for the Future Fellowship Candidate’s current Academic Level (or equivalent) at the closing time for submission of Proposals, is shown in Table 1 below. For example, a researcher that is currently an Academic Level C must apply for a Future Fellowship Level 2. Exceptions to this clause are shown in C8.1.3 and C8.1.4.
The figures in this section are based on the 2017 levels of funding and will be subject to variation (for example, due to annual indexation). Updated levels will be available on the ARC website.
C8.1.3 Where the Future Fellowship Candidate is not employed at an Australian university at the time of application, or is an international researcher, the academic level applicable must be fully justified by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent.
C8.1.4 Where the Future Fellowship Candidate has experienced significant interruptions to their academic career, due to family responsibilities as primary care giver and/or due to working with a relevant industry, they may choose the most appropriate salary level. The circumstances of the career interruption and chosen salary level must be justified and certified by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent.
C8.1.5 The ARC has the absolute discretion in determining the requirements outlined in subsection C8.1.3 for circumstances including, but not limited to, Future Fellowship Candidates who are employed overseas, who are not employed, or who are not receiving a salary, at the time of submission of Proposals.
C8.2 Budget Items Supported
C8.2.1 In addition to the budget items supported in subsection A7.2, funding provided by the ARC may be used for items which directly support the Future Fellowship Candidate’s research including:
a. up to one Higher Degree by Research stipend, at a rate of $26,694 (2017$) per annum for students enrolled at Eligible Organisations; and
b. Travel Costs essential to the Project (excluding relocation costs) not exceeding $100,000 over the Project Activity Period. Travel Costs related to carrying out Field Research or any carers’ costs are not included in this $100,000 limit.
C8.2.2 All eligible requested funding costs must be justified in the Proposal to the satisfaction of the ARC.
C9. Selection Process
C9.1 Selection Criteria
C9.1.1 Proposals will be assessed and ranked using the following selection criteria:
a. Future Fellowship Candidate 40%
b. Proposed Project Quality and Innovation 35%
- Are the design and methods appropriate?
- Will the proposed research maximise economic, environmental, social, and/or cultural benefit to Australia?
- Will the proposed Project involve interdisciplinary research?
- Will the proposed Project push the boundaries of research?
- Will the proposed Project open up new research opportunities?
- Is there a contribution to public policy formulation and debate?
c. Feasibility and Strategic Alignment 10%
- To what extent does the Future Fellowship Candidate align with and/or complement the core or developing research strengths and staffing profile of the Administering Organisation?
- Are the necessary facilities available to conduct the proposed research?
- What resources will be provided by the Administering Organisation to support the Future Fellowship Candidate during her/his Future Fellowship?
- At the end of the Future Fellowship what capacity exists at the Administering Organisation to transition the Candidate to a continuing position?
- How will the Future Fellowship Candidate build collaborations across research organisations and/or industry and/or with other disciplines both within Australia and internationally?
- How will Host Organisations be utilised in the proposed Project?
- Will the completed Project produce significant new knowledge and/or innovative economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefit to the Australian and international community?
C9.2 Statement by the Administering Organisation outlining Strategic Alignment
C9.2.1 The Administering Organisation must provide a statement within the Proposal which:
a. outlines the area of core or emerging areas of research strength and describes the level of resources to be provided to support the successful Candidate (for example, include project costs, PhD students, or salary top-up);
b. outlines plans to retain the successful Future Fellow in a continuing position, subject to appropriate performance during the Fellowship;
c. where the Future Fellowship Candidate is an existing employee of the Administering Organisation, describe how the salary that was previously provided by the Administering Organisation will be used; and
d. is signed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent.
Part D Scheme-specific rules for Discovery Early Career Researcher Award for funding commencing in 2019
D1. Interpretation
Part D contains the scheme-specific rules for Discovery Early Career Researcher Award for funding commencing in 2019.
D2. Important Dates
D2.1 Funding Commencement Date
The Funding Commencement Date for Discovery Early Career Researcher Award for funding commencing in 2019 is 1 January 2019.
D2.2 Active Project Assessment Date
The Active Project Assessment Date for Discovery Early Career Researcher Award for funding commencing in 2019 is 1 July 2019.
D3. Objectives
D3.1 The objectives of the Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA) scheme are to:
a. support excellent basic and applied research by early career researchers;
b. advance promising early career researchers and promote enhanced opportunities for diverse career pathways;
c. enable research and research training in high quality and supportive environments;
d. expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability; and
e. enhance the scale and focus of research in the Science and Research Priorities.
D3.2 Under the DECRA scheme up to 200 three-year awards will be offered to early career researchers each year.
D4. Organisation Eligibility Requirements
D4.1 General
D4.1.1 Administering Organisations may participate in DECRA.
D5. Participant Eligibility Requirements
D5.1 Limits on Proposals
D5.1.1 In any year, a person may be nominated on only one DECRA Proposal.
D5.1.2 A participant may only apply for up to two DECRAs over the period in which they are eligible. This includes Proposals that have been withdrawn after the closing time of submission of Proposals, and Proposals which were deemed ineligible by the ARC.
D5.2 DECRA Candidate
D5.2.1 A Proposal must nominate one DECRA Candidate.
D5.2.2 A DECRA Candidate must at the closing time of submission of Proposals:
a. have been conferred a PhD on or after 1 March 2013; or
b. have a PhD conferral date together with allowable periods of career interruption (as in subsection D5.2.3) that would be commensurate with being awarded a PhD on or after 1 March 2013.
D5.2.3 The types of career interruption that will be considered are in the table below in Column A, and the period allowed is listed in Column B.
D5.2.4 Each period of career interruption must be:
a. significant and not overlapping;
b. for a period of greater than one month; and
c. certified by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research).
D5.2.5 If the DECRA Candidate holds a research higher degree which is not a PhD, it is the Administering Organisation’s responsibility to certify that the DECRA Candidate is an early career researcher and that the DECRA Candidate’s qualification meets the level 10 criteria of the Australian Qualifications Framework Second Edition January 2013. For assessing overseas qualifications please see the Country Education Profiles Online tool. A subscription fee is required to access this service.
D5.2.6 The ARC reserves the right to audit any evidence on which an application is based.
D6. DECRA Operational Requirements
D6.1 Prior to commencing, the DECRA must relinquish any fellowships, or awards. The DECRA may hold honorary or non-remunerated fellowships or awards. The Administering Organisation must ensure that honorary or non-remunerated fellowships will not impair the capacity of the DECRA to complete the proposed Project. ARC approval must also be obtained for any responsibilities assumed after the award.
D6.2 The DECRA Recipient cannot begin another ARC Award or ARC Fellowship until the DECRA has been completed.
D6.3 The DECRA Recipient must be an employee at the Administering Organisation for the Project Activity Period.
D6.4 The DECRA Recipient is expected to spend a minimum of 0.8 FTE (80 per cent Full Time Equivalent) of their time on research activities related to the proposed DECRA.
D6.5 The DECRA Recipient is expected to spend a minimum of 0.2 FTE (20 per cent Full Time Equivalent) of their time on activities at the Administering Organisation. The DECRA Recipient may spend up to 0.2 FTE (20 per cent of Full Time Equivalent) of their time annually on teaching activities. The DECRA will not be extended to accommodate any periods of teaching. Supervision of honours or postgraduate students is not included in this limit.
D6.6 A DECRA Recipient must not spend more than one third of the Project Activity Period outside Australia or engaged in international travel, except where ARC approval has been granted.
D6.7 The DECRA Recipient may not engage in other professional employment for the Project Activity Period without prior approval from the ARC.
D6.8 The DECRA may be undertaken on a full-time basis, or a part-time basis subject to the employment conditions of the Administering Organisation, provided that the DECRA does not exceed six years from the date of commencement (excluding any approved periods of suspension).
A DECRA does not have a minimum Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) for ARC purposes, but the FTE of the DECRA Recipient for ARC purposes must match that of the DECRA Recipient’s employment contract. The Administering Organisation and not the ARC is to manage changes to the DECRA Recipient’s working hours. The Administering Organisation will notify the ARC of any changes to working hours through submission of a Variation of Funding Agreement.
D6.9 The Administering Organisation must ensure the DECRA Recipient has access to the following Leave entitlements in line with the Administering Organisation’s normal practice:
a. Maternity Leave;
b. Partner/Parental Leave; and
c. Recreation Leave.
D6.10 Funding for paid leave, and suspension of the Project to undertake such leave, must be requested from the ARC via a Variation to Funding Agreement as detailed in the Funding Agreement.
D7. Funding
D7.1 Level and Period of Funding
D7.1.1 The ARC provides a salary supplement and Project funding as follows:
| Salary supplement funding level | $100,858 (2017$) including 30 per cent on-costs. Salary and/or Project costs will not be awarded separately. | | Salary supplement funding duration | Three consecutive years on a full-time basis.<br>Subject to the conditions in subsection D6.8 a DECRA Project may be undertaken on a part-time basis not exceeding six consecutive years. | | Project funding level | Up to $40,000 per annum. | | Project funding duration | Three consecutive years. |
D7.1.2 Funding for the DECRA Recipient’s salary component may be used for other purposes to support the Project in exceptional circumstances with the approval of the ARC without extension to the Project Activity Period.
D7.1.3 The use of DECRA funding for other purposes does not confer an exemption from the limits in subsection A6.2.
D7.2 Budget Items Supported
D7.2.1 In addition to the budget items supported in subsection A7.2, funding provided by the ARC may be used for items which directly support the DECRA Candidate’s research including:
a. up to one Higher Degree by Research stipend per Proposal; and
b. Travel Costs essential to the Project up to $50,000 over the Project Activity Period. Travel and accommodation costs related to carrying out Field Research or any carers’ costs are not included in this $50,000 limit.
D7.2.2 All eligible requested funding costs must be justified in the Proposal to the satisfaction of the ARC.
D8. Selection Process
D8.1 Selection Criteria
D8.1.1 Proposals will be assessed and ranked using the following selection criteria:
a. Proposed Project Quality and Innovation 35%
b. DECRA Candidate 40%
- Research opportunity and performance evidence (ROPE) and
c. Feasibility 10%
- Do the Project’s design, participants and requested budget create confidence in the timely and successful completion of the Project?
- Is there an existing, or developing, supportive and high quality environment for this Candidate, their Project and for Higher Degree by Research students where appropriate?
- Will the completed Project produce significant new knowledge and/or innovative economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefit to the Australian and international community?
- To what extent will the DECRA Candidate build collaborations across research organisations and/or industry and/or with other disciplines both within Australia and internationally?
D8.2 Statement by the Administering Organisation
D8.2.1 The Administering Organisation must provide a statement in relation to the Project within the Proposal which:
a. indicates that this area is a core or emerging research strength and describes the level of resources to be provided to support the successful DECRA Candidate (for example, project costs, PhD students, or salary top-up);
b. details opportunities for the DECRA Candidate to demonstrate the level of independence required to be competitive for research and/or research and teaching pathways at the Administering Organisation during and after the Project; and
c. is signed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent.
Part E Scheme-specific rules for Discovery Indigenous for funding commencing in 2019
E1. Interpretation
Part E contains the scheme-specific rules for Discovery Indigenous for funding commencing in 2019.
E2. Important Dates
E2.1 Funding Commencement Date
The Funding Commencement Date for Discovery Indigenous for funding commencing in 2019 is 1 January 2019.
E2.2 Active Project Assessment Date
The Active Project Assessment Date for Discovery Indigenous for funding commencing in 2019 is 1 July 2019.
E3. Additional Definitions for Part E
Host Organisation means an organisation, other than the Administering Organisation, at which the Discovery Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award (DAATSIA) undertakes her/his research.
Indigenous Australian means a person of Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person and is accepted as an Australian Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person by the community in which they live or have lived.
E4. Objectives
E4.1 The objectives of the Discovery Indigenous scheme are to:
a. support excellent basic and applied research and research training by Indigenous researchers as individuals and as teams;
b. develop the research expertise of Indigenous researchers;
c. support and retain established Indigenous researchers in Australian higher education institutions; and
d. expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability.
E4.2 The Discovery Indigenous scheme includes support for DAATSIAs, an award for Indigenous Australian researchers.
E5. Organisation Eligibility Requirements
E5.1 General
E5.1.1 Organisations that may participate in Discovery Indigenous Projects are:
a. Administering Organisation;
b. Host Organisations;
c. Other Eligible Organisations; and
d. Other Organisations.
E5.2 Host Organisations
E5.2.1 A Proposal may identify no more than two Australian or international Host Organisations where a DAATSIA Candidate may, subject to the approval of the Administering Organisation, undertake research for up to 12 months in total over the Project Activity Period.
E5.2.2 A Host Organisation must accommodate the DAATSIA Candidate including providing suitable resources.
E5.2.3 The Proposal must describe the extent of the collaboration between the DAATSIA Candidate and the Host Organisation(s).
E6. Participant Eligibility Requirements
E6.1 Roles
E6.1.1 Roles that may be undertaken by participants are:
a. CI;
b. DAATSIA; and
c. PI.
E6.1.2 A Proposal must nominate at least one CI or DAATSIA; the first-named CI or DAATSIA must be an Indigenous Australian researcher as defined in subsection E3 and will be the Project Leader.
E6.2 Chief Investigators
E6.2.1 As at the Funding Commencement Date, and for the Project Activity Period, a participant nominated on a Proposal as a CI must meet at least one of the following criteria:
a. be an employee for at least 0.2 FTE (20 per cent of Full Time Equivalent) at an Eligible Organisation; or
b. be a holder of an Emeritus Appointment (as defined in A3) at an Eligible Organisation.
E6.2.2 Participants undertaking a Higher Degree by Research during the Project Activity Period are not eligible to be CIs. Participants are eligible to be a CI if their Higher Degree by Research has been conferred by the Funding Commencement Date of the Project
E6.3 Discovery Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Awards
E6.3.1 A DAATSIA Candidate must:
a. be an Indigenous Australian researcher as defined in subsection E3; and
b. satisfy the eligibility criteria for a CI in subsection E6.2.
E6.3.2 A person can only request one DAATSIA in a scheme round.
E6.3.3 A DAATSIA Recipient may apply for further DAATSIAs but can only hold one at a time.
E6.3.4 A DAATSIA Candidate must demonstrate how the Project quality would be enhanced by a DAATSIA and detail the ways in which the additional research time would be utilised (for example, undertaking sustained Field Research, archival research of laboratory work).
E6.4 Partner Investigators
E6.4.1 As at the Funding Commencement Date, a participant nominated as a PI on a Proposal must not meet the eligibility criteria for CI.
E6.4.2 PIs on successful Projects will be required to retain their eligibility for the Project Activity Period in order to retain their PI status. Any changes to personnel and/or roles must be approved by the ARC via a Variation of Funding Agreement.
E6.4.3 An employee of an Eligible Organisation listed in A13 who does not reside predominantly in Australia may be a PI.
E7. Participant Operational Requirements
E7.1 Chief Investigator
E7.1.1 A CI must reside predominantly in Australia for the Project Activity Period. Any significant absences including fieldwork or study leave directly related to the Project must have approval from the Administering Organisation and must not total more than half the Project Activity Period. In extraordinary circumstances, changes must be approved via a Variation of Funding Agreement.
E7.1.2 If a CI is, at any time, no longer able to work as proposed on the Project, the Project may be continued provided that the Project still includes at least one CI who was named on the Proposal and any replacement CI meets the CI eligibility criteria and is approved by the ARC via a Variation of Funding Agreement.
E7.1.3 If a sole CI is, at any time, no longer able to work as proposed on the Project, the Project must be terminated.
E7.2 DAATSIA
E7.2.1 A DAATSIA Candidate must hold an appointment at the Administering Organisation for the Project Activity Period.
E7.2.2 The DAATSIA may be undertaken on a full-time basis, or a part-time basis subject to the employment conditions of the Administering Organisation provided that the DAATSIA does not exceed eight years from the date of commencement (excluding any approved periods of suspension).
A DAATSIA does not have a minimum Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) for ARC purposes, but the FTE of the DAATSIA Recipient for ARC purposes must match that of the DAATSIA Recipient’s employment contract. The Administering Organisation and not the ARC is to manage changes to the DAATSIA Recipient’s working hours. The Administering Organisation will notify the ARC of any changes to working hours through submission of a Variation of Funding Agreement.
E7.2.3 The Administering Organisation must ensure that the DAATSIA Candidate has access to the following Leave entitlements in line with the Administering Organisation’s normal practice:
a. maternity leave;
b. partner/parental leave; and
c. recreation leave.
E7.2.4 Funding for paid leave, and suspension of the Project to undertake such leave, must be requested from the ARC via a Variation to Funding Agreement as detailed in the Funding Agreement.
E7.3 Partner Investigator
E7.3.1 If a PI is, at any time, no longer able to work as proposed on the Project, the Project may be continued provided any replacement PI meets the PI eligibility criteria and is approved by the ARC via a Variation of Funding Agreement.
E8. Funding
E8.1 Level and Period of Funding
E8.1.1 The ARC provides Project funding and salary funding for DAATSIAs as follows:
| DAATSIA salary funding level | Requested and/or awarded at one of five salary levels as specified in subsection E8.1.2. | | DAATSIA salary funding duration | Up to five consecutive years on a full-time basis.<br>Subject to conditions in subsection E7.2.2, a DAATSIA may be undertaken on a part-time basis not exceeding eight consecutive years. | | Project funding level | Between $30,000 and $500,000 per annum. | | Project funding duration | Up to five consecutive years. |
E8.1.2 DAATSIA funding may be requested at one of five salary levels (2017$) including salary-related on-costs. The salary level must be either equivalent to or higher than the salary level of the CI as at the closing date for submission for Proposals.
| DAATSIA Funding Levels | Total | | DAATSIA Level 1 (1.0 FTE) | $100,858 including 30 per cent on-costs. | | DAATSIA Level 2 (1.0 FTE) | $118,658 including 30 per cent on-costs. | | DAATSIA Level 3 (1.0 FTE) | $154,254 including 30 per cent on-costs. | | DAATSIA Level 4 (1.0 FTE) | $177,988 including 30 per cent on-costs. | | DAATSIA Level 5 (1.0 FTE) | $213,584 including 30 per cent on-costs. |
E8.1.3 A Proposal cannot request funding for a DAATSIA only. If a Proposal requests a DAATSIA, the minimum level of funding of $30,000 per year in project costs must be requested in addition to the DAATSIA salary component detailed in subsection E8.1.2. The $500,000 maximum level of funding per year includes the DAATSIA.
E8.1.4 DAATSIA funding may be used for other purposes to support the Project in changed circumstances with the approval of the ARC, without extension to the Project Activity Period. The use of DAATSIA funding for other purposes does not confer an exemption from the limits in subsection A6.2.
E8.2 Budget Items Supported
E8.2.1 Budget items supported are listed in subsection A7.2, subject to the following limitations:
a. teaching relief for CIs may be supported up to a total of $50,000 per year per Project. A CI awarded a DAATSIA will not be awarded teaching relief;
b. Travel Costs essential to the Project up to $50,000 over the Project Activity Period. Travel and accommodation costs related to carrying out Field Research or any carers’ costs are not included in this $50,000 limit; and
c. Higher Degree by Research stipends may be supported at a rate of $26,694 (2017$) per annum (up to two per Proposal) for Indigenous Australian students enrolled at an Eligible Organisation.
E8.2.2 In addition, stipends may be requested to support Indigenous Australian Honours students, subject to the policies of the Administering Organisation.
E8.2.3 All eligible requested funding must be justified in the Proposal to the satisfaction of the ARC.
E9. Selection Process
E9.1 Selection Criteria
E9.1.1 Proposals will be assessed and ranked using the following selection criteria:
a. Proposed Project Quality and Innovation 40%
b. Investigator(s) 35%
- Research opportunity and performance evidence (ROPE).
c. Feasibility 10%
- Are there strategies for enabling collaboration with Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities where appropriate (for example, dialogue/collaboration with an Indigenous cultural mentor)?
- Is there an existing or developing, supportive and high quality research community?
- Is the design of the Project and the expertise of the participants sufficient to ensure the Project can be completed within the proposed budget and timeframe?
- Will the completed Project produce significant new knowledge and/or innovative economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefit to the Australian and international community?
- How will Host Organisations be utilised in the proposed Project?
- To what extent will the Project build collaborations across research organisations and/or industry and/or with other disciplines both within Australia and internationally?
Part F Scheme-specific rules for Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2019
F1. Interpretation
Part F contains the scheme-specific rules for Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2019.
F2. Important Dates
F2.1 Funding Commencement Date
The Funding Commencement Date for Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2019 is 1 January 2019.
F2.2 Active Project Assessment Date
The Active Project Assessment Date for Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2019 is 1 July 2019.
F3. Objectives
The objectives of the Discovery Projects scheme are to:
a. support excellent basic and applied research by individuals and teams;
b. encourage high-quality research and research training;
c. enhance international collaboration in research;
d. expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability; and
e. enhance the scale and focus of research in the Science and Research Priorities.
F4. Organisation Eligibility
F4.1 General
F4.1.1 Organisations that may participate in Discovery Projects are:
a. Administering Organisations;
b. Other Eligible Organisations; and
c. Other Organisations.
F5. Participant Eligibility
F5.1 Roles
F5.1.1 Roles that may be undertaken by participants in Discovery Projects are:
a. CI; and
b. PI.
F5.1.2 A Proposal must nominate at least one CI; the first named CI will be the Project Leader.
F5.2 Chief Investigators
F5.2.1 As at the Funding Commencement Date, and for the Project Activity Period, a participant nominated on a Proposal as a CI must meet at least one of the following criteria:
a. be an employee for at least 0.2 FTE (20 per cent of Full Time Equivalent) at an Eligible Organisation; or
b. be a holder of an Emeritus Appointment (as defined in A3) at an Eligible Organisation.
F5.2.2 Participants undertaking a Higher Degree by Research during the Project Activity Period are not eligible to be CIs. Participants are eligible to be a CI if their Higher Degree by Research has been conferred by the Funding Commencement Date of the Project.
F5.3 Partner Investigators
F5.3.1 As at the Funding Commencement Date, a participant nominated on a Proposal as a PI must not meet the eligibility criteria for a CI.
F5.3.2 An employee of an Eligible Organisation listed in A13 who does not reside predominantly in Australia may be a PI.
F6. Participant Operational Requirements
F6.1 Chief Investigators
F6.1.1 A CI must reside predominantly in Australia for the Project Activity Period. Any significant absences including fieldwork or study leave directly related to the Project must have approval from the Administering Organisation and must not total more than half the Project funding period. In extraordinary circumstances, changes must be approved via a Variation of Funding Agreement.
F6.1.2 If a CI is, at any time, no longer able to work as proposed on the Project, the Project may be continued provided that the Project still includes at least one CI who was named on the Proposal, and any replacement CI meets the CI eligibility criteria and is approved by the ARC via a Variation of Funding Agreement.
F6.1.3 If a sole CI is, at any time, no longer able to work as proposed on the Project, the Project must be terminated.
F6.2 Partner Investigators
F6.2.1 If a PI is, at any time, no longer able to work as proposed on the Project, the Project may be continued provided a replacement PI meets the PI eligibility criteria and is approved by the ARC via a Variation of Funding Agreement.
F7. Funding
F7.1 Level and Period of Funding
F7.1.1 The ARC may provide Project funding as follows:
| Project funding level | Between $30,000 to $500,000 per annum. | | Project funding duration | Up to five consecutive years. |
F7.2 Budget Items Supported
F7.2.1 Budget items supported are listed in subsection A7.2, subject to the following limitations:
a. teaching relief for CIs may be supported up to a total of $50,000 per year per Project; and
b. Travel Costs essential to the Project may be supported up to $50,000 over the Project Activity Period. Travel and accommodation costs related to carrying out Field Research or any carers’ costs are not included in this $50,000 limit.
F7.2.2 Discovery International Awards (DIAs) will be funded as a Special Condition and may be requested:
a. for up to two participants (either CIs or PIs) per Proposal;
b. for a CI to work overseas on the Project with an overseas based PI subject to the conditions in subsection F6.1.1, and/or a PI based overseas to work in Australia on the Project. Preference will be given to overseas-based PIs to travel to Australia for collaborative research. DIAs do not fund travel to Australia by PIs located at an overseas campus of an Australian Eligible Organisation; and
c. to fund the following items: travel on international return economy class airfares, reasonable local travel, a living allowance and consumables. The living allowance should be based on standard institutional rates for academic visitors.
F8. Selection Process
F8.1 Selection Criteria
F8.1.1 Proposals will be assessed and ranked using the following selection criteria:
a. Investigator(s) 35%
- Research opportunity and performance evidence (ROPE);
- Evidence of research training, mentoring and supervision;
- Evidence of ability to build international linkages; and
b. Proposed Project Quality and Innovation 40%
- What is the potential for the research to enhance international collaboration?
c. Feasibility 10%
- Do the Project’s design, participants and requested budget create confidence in the timely and successful completion of the Project?
- Is there an existing, or developing, supportive and high quality environment for this Project and for Higher Degree by Research students where appropriate?
d. Benefit 15%
- Will the completed Project produce significant new knowledge and/or innovative economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefit to the Australian and international community?
[1] This definition of research is consistent with a broad notion of research and experimental development comprising “creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man [humankind], culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications”.
OECD (2002), Frascati Manual: Proposed Standard Practice for Surveys on Research and Experimental Development, Paris (Page 30).
Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation (legislation.gov.au), CC BY 4.0.
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Funding Rules for schemes under the Discovery Program (2017 edition)
Australian Laureate Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018
Future Fellowships for funding commencing in 2018
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award for funding commencing in 2019
Discovery Indigenous for funding commencing in 2019
Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2019
Australian Research Council Act 2001
I, Simon Birmingham, Minister for Education and Training, having satisfied myself of the matters set out in section 59 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001, approve these Funding Rules under section 60 of that Act.
Dated 22 August 2017
Simon Birmingham Minister for Education and Training
Part A General rules for schemes under the Discovery Program
Key Dates
Please refer to the Important Dates page on the ARC website for key dates and updates relevant to these Funding Rules.
Contacts
Researchers are required to direct requests for information to the Research Office within the Administering Organisation.
ARC Contacts can be located on the ARC website.
Appeals must be addressed and sent to the Appeals Officer by email to: appeals@arc.gov.au.
Part A General rules for schemes under the Discovery Program
A1. Name of Funding Rules
These Funding Rules are the Australian Research Council Funding Rules for schemes under the Discovery Program (2017 edition)
A2. Commencement
These Funding Rules shall take effect upon registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
A3. Definitions
In these Funding Rules, unless the contrary intention appears:
Active Project means a Project that is receiving funding according to the terms of the original Funding Agreement, or has any carryover funds approved by the ARC, or an approved variation to the Project’s end date.
Active Project Assessment Date means the date on which Active Project eligibility will be considered.
Administering Organisation means an Eligible Organisation which submits a Proposal for funding and which will be responsible for the administration of the funding if the Proposal is approved for funding.
Applicant means the Administering Organisation.
ARC means the Australian Research Council, as established under the ARC Act.
ARC Act means the Australian Research Council Act 2001.
ARC Award means a named Award position within any ARC scheme where the salary is funded wholly or partly by the ARC.
ARC College of Experts means a body of experts of international standing appointed to assist the ARC to identify research excellence, moderate external assessments and recommend fundable Proposals.
ARC Fellowship means a named Fellowship position within any ARC scheme where the salary is funded wholly or partly by the ARC.
ARC website is www.arc.gov.au.
Award of PhD Date means the date of conferral of a PhD, not the date of submission of the thesis, nor the date the thesis was accepted by the examination board.
Bench Fees means the fees that an organisation charges for an individual to use infrastructure which would normally be provided by the organisation for their employees. This infrastructure may vary and could include, for example, an office or a laboratory space with appropriate equipment, or access to non-specialised equipment owned by the organisation.
Candidate means a person nominated in a Proposal for an ARC Award or ARC Fellowship.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) means the person holding the position of ARC Chief Executive Officer in accordance with the ARC Act or any person acting in that position.
Chief Investigator (CI) means a participant who satisfies the eligibility criteria for a CI under these Funding Rules.
Commonwealth means the Commonwealth of Australia.
Commonwealth Fellowship means a position held by a participant where the salary is funded wholly or partly by the Commonwealth.
Conflict of Interest means any conflict of interest, any risk of a conflict of interest and any apparent conflict of interest arising through a party engaging in any activity, participating in any association, holding any membership or obtaining any interest that is likely to conflict with or restrict that party participating in the Project. The ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy is available on the ARC website.
Consultancy means the provision of specialist advice, analysis, assistance, services or products to another organisation(s), generally where the consultancy services are for the sole or preferred use of that other organisation(s).
Discovery Program refers to, for the purposes of eligibility, the schemes funded under the Discovery Program of the NCGP which consist of: Australian Laureate Fellowships, Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, Discovery Indigenous, Discovery Projects, and Future Fellowships and other schemes as updated from time to time.
Eligible Organisation means an organisation listed in A13.
Emeritus Appointment means any honorary position that gives full academic status, as certified by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) (or equivalent) in the Proposal. For ARC purposes this relationship must include access to research support comparable to employees. The person would not be considered to hold an Emeritus Appointment for the purposes of these Funding Rules if they hold a substantive, paid position elsewhere.
Field Research means the collection of information integral to the Project outside a laboratory, library or workplace setting and often in a location external to the participant’s normal place of employment.
Funding Agreement means the agreement entered into by the ARC and an Administering Organisation when a Proposal from that organisation is approved for funding.
Funding Commencement Date means the date on which funding may commence as defined for each scheme in Parts B to F of these Funding Rules.
Funding Offer means the Project Details listed in RMS under Funding Offers.
GrantConnect means the central information system for all Commonwealth grants publicised and awarded and is found at www.grants.gov.au.
GST has the meaning as given in section 195-1 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999.
Instructions to Applicants means a set of instructions prepared by the ARC to assist Applicants in completing the Proposal form.
Medical Research means medical research as defined in the ARC Medical Research Policy available on the ARC website.
Minister means the Minister responsible for the administration of the ARC Act.
NCGP means the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program.
NHMRC means the National Health and Medical Research Council.
ORCID Identifier means a persistent digital identifier for an individual participant, available on the ORCID website, www.orcid.org.
Other Eligible Organisation means an Eligible Organisation which is listed on a Proposal as a contributor to the Project but is not the Administering Organisation.
Other Organisation means an organisation which is listed on a Proposal and is not an Eligible Organisation, Host Organisation or a Partner Organisation.
Partner Investigator (PI) means a participant who satisfies the eligibility criteria for a PI under these Funding Rules.
PhD is a qualification that meets the level 10 criteria of the Australian Qualifications Framework Second Edition January 2013.
Project means a Proposal approved by the Minister to receive funding from the ARC.
Project Activity Period means the period during which a Project is receiving funding a
This is an opening excerpt, not the complete document.