Section 11 - Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Federation Fellowships - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008 - Selection and approval process | Zoe
Australian Research Council Act 2001 - Federation Fellowships - Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008
11Selection and approval process
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11.1.1 All Federation Fellowships Proposals which meet the eligibility criteria will be assessed using the following criteria:
a. Investigator (50%)
- consideration should be given to stage of career and opportunities the candidate has had to attain the level of achievement
outstanding research track record
potential to undertake groundbreaking research
outstanding leadership ability
potential to build world-class research groups/teams and/or Centres over the term of the proposed project
potential to leave an enduring legacy
b. Project/Program of research activity (50%)
- innovation
are the project aims and concepts original and innovative?
will new methods, technologies or theories/ideas be developed?
how does the research program enhance innovation in Australia?
- approach
are the conceptual framework, design, methods and analyses adequately developed, well integrated and appropriate to the aims of the project?
significance and national benefit
does the research address an important problem?
how will the anticipated outcomes advance the knowledge base?
what is the potential of the research project to result in economic, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia?
what is the potential for the research to contribute to the National Research Priorities?
- nature and level of organisational support
the level of institutional or organisational commitment
is the package of administrative support and facilities appropriate and adequate to support the research plan?
does the package include funding for postgraduate students and post-doctoral researchers to work with the Federation Fellow?
11.1.2 There is a limited number of Federation Fellowships available for funding. The recommending of Federation Fellowships is at the ARC’s discretion, having regard to the criteria in subsection 11.1.1 and the matters at subsections 4.3.4, 4.3.5 and 11.1.3.
11.1.3 Subject to the ARC receiving an adequate number of requests of the requisite type and of sufficient quality, the ARC will award up to five Federation Fellowships to support researchers who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, but who can demonstrate that the Federation Fellowship would be of national benefit to Australia. Proposals for these Federation Fellowship candidates should demonstrate special expertise, extensive skills or exceptionally high performance levels, and the ability to build Australian research capacity by facilitating the transfer of critical knowledge to Australia and Australians.
11.2 Assessment and selection procedure
11.2.1 Assessment and selection process
11.2.1.1 Assessment of Proposals is undertaken by the ARC, which has the right to make decisions and recommendations solely on the basis of its expertise, and which may:
a. consider if a Proposal satisfies the eligibility criteria set out in these Funding Rules;
b. identify and consider any other matters that these Funding Rules state may result in the ARC’s not recommending a Proposal for approval;
c. assign assessors to review Proposals;
d. rank each Proposal relative to the others on the basis of the Proposal and any assessors’ reports;
e. assess and recommend the amount of funding to be made available for a Proposal; and/or
f. prepare funding recommendations for the Minister as required by the ARC Act.
11.2.1.2 The ARC College of Experts assists with the assessment of Proposals. The ARC has procedures for managing organisational and personal conflicts of interest experienced by members of the College of Experts, members of other ARC committees, ARC staff, and other assessors, and for enabling individuals to withdraw from the assessment process for particular Proposals where any actual or perceived conflict may exist.
11.2.2 Exclusion of Proposals
11.2.2.1 The ARC will not recommend for approval, and the Minister will not approve for funding, any Proposal that fails to satisfy the “eligibility criteria” set out in these Funding Rules, including:
a. if the Proposal is not for a program of research, or a program that supports the conduct of a program of research;
b. if the Proposal seeks funding for projects of the type referred to in subsection 6.4.1, or for any of the items listed in subsection 6.4.2, and the ARC considers no other part of the proposed project worthy of support;
c. if the ARC determines that the proposed project falls within the area of Medical and Dental Research (subsection 6.4.2.a and Section 9.4);
d. if the Proposal was not submitted by an Eligible Organisation (Section 7.1);
e. If the Proposal does not nominate one researcher for a Federation Fellowship (subsection 8.1.1);
f. if the ARC considers that a Federation Fellowship candidate nominated in the Proposal does not meet the eligibility criteria for a Federation Fellow as specified in Section 8;
g. if the Proposal does not meet the requirement for contributions from the Administering Organisation (Sections 6.1 and 7.1 and Appendix 4); and
h. if a Proposal has not been submitted through the appropriate Research Office/Chief Executive Officer for certification (Section 10.3).
11.2.2.2 The ARC may in its absolute discretion decide not to recommend for approval a Proposal if:
a. in the opinion of the ARC, the Federation Fellowship candidate nominated in the Proposal has caused or has significantly contributed to the failure of an organisation to meet its obligations under any current or previous funding agreement with the ARC, or all obligations regarding previously funded projects involving the candidate have not been fulfilled to the satisfaction of the ARC (subsections 4.1.5 and 8.1.6);
b. in the opinion of the ARC, any party involved in or associated with the Proposal has failed to disclose any conflict of interest which has the potential to influence, or appear to influence, the research and activities, publications and media reports, or requests for funding related to the Proposal (subsection 4.4.3.2);
c. the limits on the number of Proposals and projects permissible are exceeded (subsection 6.6.1);
d. in the opinion of the ARC, a Proposal duplicates or is likely to duplicate research already being funded by the Commonwealth (subsections 4.4.2 and 9.1.1);
e. where required the Proposal does not include details of other funding or funding requests (subsection 9.2.1);
f. the ARC considers that incomplete, unsatisfactory, inaccurate or misleading material has been provided in relation to the Proposal or if the Administering Organisation and/or Federation Fellowship candidate nominated in the Proposal have provided the ARC with incomplete, unsatisfactory, inaccurate or misleading information in relation to the provision of advice relating to, or in the reporting of progress of, a funded project (subsections 9.2.1, 14.5.2 and 14.5.3);
g. when requested, the Administering Organisation fails to provide the signed certifications and agreements of all parties necessary to allow the proposed project to proceed (subsection 10.3);
h. the Proposal is submitted after the closing time (subsection 10.4.5); or
i. the Proposal fails to meet any format and other submission requirements (Section 10.4).
11.2.3 Assessment
11.2.3.1 In addition to assessment by the ARC, a Proposal may at the ARC’s absolute discretion be assessed by external assessors. Assessors may be drawn from a range of organisations to reduce the potential for conflicts of interest. Proposals will be assessed against the criteria set out in these Funding Rules and the reports by the assessors may include written comments.
11.2.3.2 The ARC reserves the right to make recommendations for funding to the Minister based on any number of assessments or solely on the assessment of the ARC.
11.2.3.3 Administering Organisations may provide written notification to the ARC naming any person or persons whom they do not wish to assess a Proposal. A “Request not to Assess” form is available from the ARC’s Web Site for this purpose. Such notifications must contain detailed justification and be submitted using the “Request not to Assess” form through the Administering Organisation’s Research Office. This notification must not accompany the Proposal. The notification must be received by the ARC by the closing time for Proposals, 5:00 pm (AEST) Friday 19 October 2007, and be sent:
by mail to:
or
by courier to:
Federation Fellowships Coordinator<br>Australian Research Council<br>GPO Box 2702<br>CANBERRA ACT 2601
11.2.3.4 The ARC will consider the justification put forward to exclude any person as an assessor, but may choose not to give effect to such a request.
11.2.4 Recommendations
11.2.4.1 The ARC’s recommendations will be submitted in accordance with the ARC Act to the Minister for Education, Science and Training (the Minister) for consideration. The Minister determines which Proposals will be approved and the amount and timing of financial assistance to be paid to Administering Organisations for approved Proposals.
11.2.4.2 Under the ARC Act, the Minister may not approve for funding any Proposal that fails to meet the eligibility criteria set out in these Funding Rules.
11.3 Offer of funding
11.3.1 Administering Organisations whose Proposals are approved will be:
a. notified in a letter of offer that will indicate the financial assistance to be offered; and
b. provided with a copy of a Funding Agreement for signing.