Researchers are required to direct requests for information to the Research Office within the Administering Organisation.<br>ARC Contacts are on the ARC website.
Date guidelines released:
Type of grant opportunity:
Restricted competitive
Australian Research Council Act 2001
I, the Hon Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education, having satisfied myself of the matters set out in section 59 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001, approve these grant guidelines under section 60 of that Act.
1 Linkage Program: Industry Fellowships Program processes
The Linkage Program supports the Australian Government’s objectives for research and innovation
This program contributes to the ARC’s Outcome 1 – growth of knowledge and innovation through managing research grants, measuring research excellence and providing advice. The Early Career Industry Fellowship, Mid-Career Industry Fellowship and Industry Laureate Fellowship grants are funded within the Linkage Program.
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The grant opportunity opens
We (the ARC) publish the grant guidelines on GrantConnect.
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You (the Administering Organisation) complete and submit an application
You work with Industry Partners to complete an application on the ARC’s Research Management System (RMS), addressing eligibility and assessment criteria.
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We manage the assessment of applications
We manage the assessment of applications against eligibility criteria and assessment criteria.
Your application will be assigned to Detailed Assessors to undertake in-depth assessments. Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) members will then assess Your application, consider the Detailed Assessors’ ratings and comments and assign a final score. The Selection Advisory Committee will also consider the National Interest Test.
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We make grant recommendations
The Selection Advisory Committee considers applications and recommends those to be funded, and the level and duration of funding for grants to the ARC Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The CEO then makes an assessment and recommendation to the Minister. In making recommendations to the Minister, the CEO considers the applicant’s response to the National Interest Test, risks relating to foreign interference and alignment with Australian Government priorities as well as the Assessment Committee’s advice. The CEO may consider advice from other Commonwealth agencies.
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Grant decisions are made
The Minister decides which applications will be funded and the level and duration of funding for grants.
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We notify You of the outcome We advise You if Your application was successful or not through RMS.
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We enter into a grant agreement with You
We enter into a grant agreement with You through RMS if You are successful.
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Delivery of the grant
You undertake the grant activity and report to Us as set out in Your grant agreement. We manage the grant, monitor Your progress and make payments.
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Evaluation of the grant opportunity
We evaluate the grant based on information You provide to Us (including post-project reporting) and information we collect from other sources.
2 About the program
2.
2.1. The Industry Fellowships Program (IFP) is funded under the ARC’s Linkage Program. The Linkage Program is one of two ARC National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) Programs which promotes national and international research partnerships between researchers and business, industry, community organisations and other publicly funded research agencies. Information about the Linkage Program is on the ARC website.
2.2. The primary goal of the IFP is to create a pathway to support academic researchers in establishing careers in industry, and industry-based researchers to work in university settings, with the aim of increased two-way mobility and skill-building in research collaboration, translation and commercialisation. The Schemes will also drive research collaboration, translation and commercialisation outcomes across a range of industry settings.
2.3. There are three levels in the IFP. All levels seek to:
develop a strong pipeline of researchers in Australia with capabilities in research collaboration, translation and commercialisation;
open up and maintain a diversity of career pathways traversing university and industry settings;
increase strategic engagement and alignment between universities and industry;
contribute to the solving of industry-identified challenges and opportunities; and
create commercial, economic and other benefits for Australia through enhanced translation and commercialisation, including the development of start-up companies.
2.4. Specific aims at each of the levels are:
Early Career Industry Fellowships
develop the industry collaboration skills of early career researchers;support early career researchers to achieve translatable and/or commercialisable outcomes.
Mid-Career Industry Fellowships
strengthen the industry collaboration skills of mid-career researchersencourage uptake of a wider range of career options for established researchers; andsupervise and develop future research and nurture their development of collaboration, commercialisation and translation skills; anddeliver significant, actionable outcomes for industry partners and end-users.
Industry Laureate Fellowships
provide leadership in the development of high quality and impactful collaborations between university and industry personnel;fund significant programs of research that deliver step-changes across a variety of industry settings;provide an excellent research training environment and exemplary mentorship to nurture the development of collaboration, commercialisation and translation skills among early career researchers and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students; andattract and retain, within Australia, outstanding researchers and research leaders of international reputation with demonstrated capacity for collaboration, commercialisation and/or translation.
3 Grant amount and period
3.
3.1. We provide salary and project funding contributions for the Industry Fellowship Program grant opportunities as detailed below. Salary and/or project contributions will not be awarded separately.
Grant Opportunity
Funding for each grant from the ARC
Early Career Industry Fellowships
up to 50 Early Career Industry Fellowships may be awarded funding in a grant opportunitythe Early Career Industry Fellow will receive a contribution to salary and salary related on-costs of $109,079 per year for 1–3 consecutive years on a full-time basisproject costs not exceeding $150,000 may be requested over the duration of the grantthe grant may be converted to a part-time basis for funded applications, not exceeding 6 consecutive years (excluding any approved periods of suspension).
Mid-Career Industry Fellowships
up to 25 Mid-Career Industry Fellowships may be awarded funding in a grant opportunitythe Mid-Career Industry Fellow will receive a contribution to salary and salary related on-costs of $199,824 per year for 2–4 consecutive years on a full-time basis project costs not exceeding $290,000 may be requested over the duration of the grant the grant may be converted to a part-time basis for funded applications, not exceeding 8 consecutive years (excluding any approved periods of suspension).
Industry Laureate Fellowships
up to 8 Industry Laureate Fellowships may be awarded funding in a grant opportunitythe Industry Laureate Fellow will receive a contribution to salary and salary related on-costs of $173,758 per year for 4–5 consecutive years on a full-time basiscontribution to salary support (of $106,684 per year) for two Postdoctoral Research Associates (PDRA) will be provided for 4–5 years eachcontribution to stipend support ($28,870 per year) for two Postgraduate Researchers (PGR) will be provided for 4 years eachproject costs not exceeding $1.5 million may be requested over the duration of the grantup to $20,000 per year (additional to project costs) will be provided to support ambassadorial work promoting industry-university collaboration.the grant may be converted to a part-time basis for funded applications, not exceeding 8 consecutive years (excluding any approved periods of suspension).
These figures are based on 2022 funding levels and may be subject to variation (for example, due to annual indexation). Updated levels will be listed on the salaries and stipends page of the ARC website.
4 Eligibility criteria
4.
4.1. We will only accept applications from Eligible Organisations as identified in Appendix A. An Eligible Organisation that submits an application will be the ‘Administering Organisation’ (henceforth, ‘You’).
What are the eligibility requirements for applications?
4.2. Applications must:
include one IFP candidate; and
include one Key Industry Partner.
4.3. An IFP candidate can only be named on one IFP application (at any level) in a program round.
Who is eligible to be a fellowship candidate?
4.4. The IFP candidate must satisfy eligibility criteria for the role they are to perform (including criteria outlined in this section as well as scheme-specific criteria in Part A, Part B or Part C).
4.5. An ARC Fellow or Award recipient cannot concurrently hold more than one ARC Fellowship or Award.
4.6. The IFP candidate must not undertake a HDR during the project activity period.
4.7. The IFP Candidate must have met their obligations on previously funded ARC projects, including submission of satisfactory final reports, before the commencement date of their IFP.
Who is eligible to be a Key Industry Partner or Other Industry Partner?
4.8. The Key Industry Partner must be one of the following:
an organisation with an Australian Company Number (ACN);
an Australian government entity (Commonwealth, State/Territory or Local); or
an Australian not-for-profit/charity registered on the Australian Government’s Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Charity Register.
4.9. Other Industry Partners are Australian or international organisations that provide Industry Fellows with additional or complementary support, facilities and/or networking opportunities.
4.10. To be eligible as the Key Industry Partner or an Other Industry Partner, an organisation cannot be:
included on the National Redress Scheme’s website on the list of ‘Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme’ (www.nationalredress.gov.au);
b. an Eligible Organisation;
c. a controlled entity of any Eligible Organisation; or
d. an entity (for example a joint venture) where more than 50 per cent is owned by one or more Eligible Organisations.
4.11. Key Industry Partner and Other Industry Partner cash contributions cannot be sourced from funds awarded or appropriated by the Commonwealth or an Australian State or Territory or Local Government for the purposes of research, nor funds used to leverage any other government research or research infrastructure funding.
5 What the grant money can be used for
Eligible grant activities
5.
5.1. The Linkage Program supports research activities that meet the definition of ‘research’ in the Glossary.
What grant funds can be used for
5.2. Expenditure must:
be a direct cost of the research proposed in the application or training to build the Industry Fellowship candidate’s capacity for research commercialisation, translation and/or collaboration;
b. not support ineligible grant activities (5.3) or ineligible budget items (5.4); and
c. accord with any special conditions in the grant agreement.
Ineligible grant activities
5.3. Ineligible grant activities include:
research activities or research infrastructure previously funded or being funded through any other Commonwealth grant;
c. any application that uses ARC funds for clinical trials;
d. applications where one or more Organisation(s) is seeking expert external assistance, not available within their own organisation, to develop applications or outputs that involve little innovation or are low risk;
e. unless they meet the definition of ‘research’ and are directly related to the project activities:
activities leading solely to the creation or performance of a work of art, including visual art, musical compositions, drama, dance, film, broadcasts, designs and literary works; or
production of computer programs, research aids and tools; data warehouses, catalogues or bibliographies; or teaching materials.
What grant funds cannot be used for
5.4. You cannot request or use grant funds for the following:
basic facilities (such as bench fees or similar laboratory fees; access to basic library collections; or basic computer facilities);
b. capital works and general infrastructure;
c. equipment or consumables for broad general use;
d. costs not directly related to the project, including but not limited to professional membership fees, fees for patent application and maintenance, equipment for live music or drama performances, equipment for gallery and museum exhibitions, visas, relocation costs, entertainment costs, purchase of alcohol, insurance, mobile phones (purchase or call charges) and other indirect costs;
e. fees for international students or the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) and Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) liabilities for students;
f. costs associated with starting up companies or legal (or other expert-related) costs associated with commercialisation of Intellectual Property; and/or
g. salary top ups for personnel above the salary level specified in these grant guidelines or published on the ‘Salaries and Stipends’ page of the ARC website (any top-up salary or stipend support may be provided by funds other than ARC funds).
6 How to apply
6.
Application process
6.1. Instructions To Applicants will be issued on the opening of the grant opportunity and applicants must follow the processes described in those Instructions.
6.3. You cannot change Your application after the closing date and time, unless invited to by the ARC.
6.4. We reserve the right to seek evidence to support the certification of applications at any point.
6.5. Questions during the application period should be directed to the Administering Organisation’s Research Office. Answers to Frequently Asked Questions will be posted on GrantConnect.
Timing of the grant opportunities
6.6. Schemes under the IFP typically accept one round of applications each year.
6.7. You must submit Your application between the round opening and closing dates and times specified on GrantConnect.
7 The grant selection process
Eligibility and assessment
7.1. All applications will be considered through a competitive peer process, based on:
how well it meets the assessment criteria;
b. how it is ranked against other applications; and
c. whether it provides value for money (as defined in the Glossary).
7.2. Assessment of applications will be undertaken by an Assessment Committee of IFP Assessors and Detailed Assessors.
7.3. In Our absolute discretion, We may recommend an application not be approved if we consider it (a) incomplete, (b) inaccurate or contains false or misleading information, or (c) is otherwise in breach of the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.
7.4. We may seek advice on security or other matters from Commonwealth agencies at any time during the process. We may seek information from You about activities and protections in line with that advice.
7.5. During the assessment, We may request additional information, which does not change the nature of Your application.
National Interest Test
7.6. Applicants must provide a National Interest Test statement.
7.7. The National Interest Test statement should address, in terms that are easily understood by the general community, the potential of the project to contribute to Australia’s national interest.
Who will approve grants?
7.8. Our CEO will make recommendations for funding to the Minister, after considering the advice from peer review, the National Interest Test, national security considerations, and alignment with Australian Government priorities.
7.9. The Minister will decide which grants to fund. The Minister’s decision is final in all matters.
7.10. The outcome of all applications will be published in RMS.
Requests not to assess process
7.11. You may name up to three persons whom You do not wish to assess an application by submitting a ‘Request Not to Assess’ form in RMS as detailed on GrantConnect and on the ARC website. This form must be received by Us two weeks prior to the grant opportunity closing date.
7.12. Only one request containing the names of up to three individual assessors may be submitted per application.
7.13. If a request includes the name of a current ARC College of Experts member, as listed on the ARC website or in RMS 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 We consider the evidence is not sufficient for the named ARC College of Experts member or members, We will reject part, or all of the request.
7.14. We have discretion about whether We accept or refuse a ‘Request Not to Assess’. We will not notify You of the outcome.
8 Successful grant applications
Announcement
8.
8.1. If successful, Your grant will be listed on GrantConnect no more than 21 calendar days after the date of effect.
8.2. We will publicise offers and grants awarded, which may include the following information:
Your name and any other parties involved in or associated with the project;
b. Industry Fellows and their organisations;
c. project description (the title and summary description);
d. Your response to the National Interest Test;
e. classifications and international collaboration country names; and
f. the ARC grant funding amount.
8.3. You should ensure information contained in the project title, summary descriptions and National Interest Test statement will not compromise Your requirements for confidentiality (such as protection of Intellectual Property).
8.4. We may publish a project description, including title and summary, which differs from that provided in the application.
Grant Agreements
8.5. You must enter into a grant agreement with Us to receive a grant.
8.6. We use the ARC Linkage Program IFP grant agreement which contains standard terms and conditions that cannot be changed. A sample grant agreement is available on GrantConnect. Any special conditions will be identified in the grant offer.
8.7. You will have 30 calendar days from the date of offer to execute the grant agreement.
8.8. We must execute a grant agreement with You before We can make payment. We are not responsible for any of Your project expenditure until a grant agreement is executed. You must not start any activities until all third-party agreements are executed.
How We pay the grant
8.9. Payments will be made as set out in the grant agreement. Grant funding will typically be paid monthly through Our payment system to You.
8.10. The grant offer will specify the approved grant amount. We will not pay more than the approved grant amount under any circumstances. If you incur extra costs, You must meet them.
8.11. All amounts referred to in these grant guidelines are exclusive of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), unless expressly stated otherwise.
Grant Agreement Variation
8.12. Variations must be submitted where there are changes to the duration of the fellowship, changes to the Key Industry Partner, or if changes to the project result in it no longer aligning with the project description. Further information can be found in the Grant Agreement.
Responsibilities
Fellow responsibilities
8.13. The Industry Fellow:
takes responsibility for the authorship and intellectual content of the application, appropriately citing sources and acknowledging all significant contributions, including from third parties;
b. must obtain a legal right to work and reside in Australia, prior to the commencement of the project if the candidate is not an Australian citizen; and
c. must meet residential, time commitment and relinquishment requirements specified in the grant agreement.
Your (Administering Organisation) responsibilities
8.14. You must ensure the Industry Fellow is supported to spend significant time working in the Key Industry Partner setting (at least 20% of the project activity period) and Administering Organisation (at least 20% of the project activity period). You must provide appropriate facilities for project-related activities, and have arrangements in place with the Key Industry Partner to ensure the Fellow’s access to their facilities.
8.15. The salary component of a grant is a contribution to assist You employing the Industry Fellow to conduct research. An Industry Fellow’s total salary must be agreed between You and the Industry Fellow, and may include top-ups provided by funds other than ARC funds.
Key Industry Partner responsibilities
8.16. The Key Industry Partner will be required to certify their commitment to the successful completion of the project, including any financial contributions they will make and that they have appropriate governance arrangements in place.
8.17. The Key Industry Partner must ensure the Industry Fellow is supported to spend significant time working in an industry setting (at least 20% of the project activity period) as well as in the Administering Organisation (at least 20% of the project activity period). The Key Industry Partner must provide appropriate facilities for project-related activities.
Specific research policies and practices
8.18. All applications and ARC-funded research projects must comply with the requirements for responsible and ethical research practice specified in the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research and the codes, guidelines, practices and policies on the ARC website.
8.19. An ethics plan must be in place before commencement of the Fellowship.
8.20. Intellectual Property arrangements should be negotiated between You, the Key Industry Partner and Other Industry Partners. Key Industry Partners or Other Industry Partners may have access to Intellectual Property arising from the project. We do not claim ownership of any IP arising from the project.
8.21. All research projects must comply with the ARC Open Access Policy on the dissemination of findings on the ARC website.
8.22. A data management plan must be in place before the project commences, in line with the grant agreement, and ARC expectations on the ARC website.
Monitoring and Reporting
8.23. You must inform us of any changes to Your:
name;
b. addresses;
c. nominated contact details; or
d. bank account details.
8.24. You must submit reports in line with the grant agreement. Reports must be submitted through RMS, unless otherwise advised by Us. Reporting includes:
End of year reports;
b. Final reports; and
c. Post-project reporting.
8.25. We will monitor progress by assessing Your reports and may conduct site visits or request records to confirm details of Your reports if necessary. We may re-examine claims, seek further information or request an independent audit of claims and payments.
8.26. We may evaluate the project to measure how well the outcomes and objectives were achieved. We may use information from Your application and reports or may contact You after grant completion to assist evaluation.
9 Probity
9.
9.1. The Australian Government will make sure that the grant opportunity process is fair, according to the published guidelines, incorporates appropriate safeguards against fraud, unlawful activities and other inappropriate conduct and is consistent with the CGRGs and the ARC Act.
Appeals process
9.2. We will only consider appeals against the NCGP administrative process and not against committee decisions, assessor ratings and comments, or the assessment outcome. Appellants must identify the specific guideline/legislative instrument clause, policy or procedure which they believe has been incorrectly applied.
9.3. You must submit an appeal using the Form on the ARC website and have it authorised by the Administering Organisation’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent. Appeals must be received by 5.00pm (AEDT/AEST) within 30 days of the date You were notified of the outcome of Your application.
9.4. The appeals process is set out on the ARC website.
Conflicts of interest
9.5. You will be asked to declare any perceived, potential or existing conflicts of interests or that, to the best of Your knowledge, there is no conflict of interest in Your application. Each named individual or organisation must make this declaration about any aspect of the application or project to You at the date of submission.
9.6. If a Conflict of Interest exists or arises, You must have documented processes in place to manage that Conflict for the duration of the project. Processes must comply with the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research (2018), the ARC Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy and any relevant documents.
9.7. We will handle any Conflicts of Interest as set out in Australian Government policies and procedures. Refer to the Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality Policy on the ARC website.
Privacy and protection of personal information
9.8. We treat your personal information according to the Australian Privacy Principles and the Privacy Act 1988.
9.9. You are required, as part of Your application, to certify Your compliance with the Privacy Act 1988, including the Australian Privacy Principles and impose the same privacy obligations on any subcontractors You engage. You must ask for our consent in writing before disclosing confidential information.
Confidential information
9.10. The Australian Government may use and disclose confidential information about grant applicants and grant recipients to any other Australian Government business or function.
9.11. We will treat the information You give Us as confidential if:
You clearly identify the information as confidential and explain why We should treat it as confidential;
b. the information is commercial in confidence;
c. revealing the information would cause unreasonable harm to You or someone else; or
d. You provide the information with an understanding that it will stay confidential.
Freedom of information
9.12. All documents in the possession of the Australian Government, including those about this program, are subject to the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act).
Part A Early Career Industry Fellowships
A1.1 The requirements for the Early Career Industry Fellowship scheme set out here must be read with the IFP requirements in Sections 1–9 of these grant guidelines.
Eligibility criteria
A1.2 The Early Career Industry Fellowship candidate must hold a Higher Degree by Research or equivalent.
A1.3 Your application must justify why the candidate may be considered ‘early career’. The candidate should have a total of 5 or less years of industry and/or academic research experience (measured by FTE), and may take career interruptions into consideration.
A1.4 A previous recipient of an Early Career Industry Fellowship is not eligible to apply for another Early Career Industry Fellowship, but may apply for a Mid-Career Industry Fellowship or Industry Laureate Fellowship.
A1.5 An individual may submit a maximum of two Early Career Industry Fellowship applications.
A1.6 You may apply for an Early Career Industry Fellowship on behalf of an Australian or international candidate.
Assessment criteria
A1.7 Your application must address all assessment criteria. We will assess your application based on the weighting given to each criterion. The assessment criteria for the Early Career Industry Fellowship grant opportunity are:
Impact 25%
The significance of the industry challenge or opportunity being addressed in the research project and its relevance to industry partners;
The potential for short-, medium- or long-term outcomes, translation, adoption and/or commercialisation beyond Fellowship completion; and
The appropriateness, completeness and effectiveness of proposed pathways to impact, and related activities to support research translation, adoption and/or commercialisation, including IP management.
b. Commitment and Alignment 25%
Demonstration of the mutual benefit to the Fellow and Key Industry Partner including potential to lead to longer-term collaboration;
Strength of engagement between the Fellow and Key Industry Partner, including previous projects (where applicable), and interactions to date on the proposed project; and
The extent to which all parties demonstrate a commitment to the success of the project and to expanding a collaborative relationship.
c. Candidate Capability 25%
The extent to which the candidate’s skills and experience, relative to opportunity, are aligned to the project;
The candidate’s demonstrated capability to undertake research projects in collaboration with industry and/or other research end-user groups; and
The appropriateness and effectiveness of the proposed career development plans for the Fellow, including to enhance their research translation and/or commercialisation skills.
d. Research Quality and Innovation 25%
The clarity and novelty of the aim and conceptual framework and the innovativeness of the research method(s) to the industry challenge or opportunity;
The novelty of the research in the context of previous research in the area;
The clear presence of the Key Industry Partner in the design, method and delivery of the research; and
The feasibility of the research in terms of the project’s design, participants, requested duration, required resources/facilities, risk management and appropriateness of the budget.
If the project involves Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander research, additional criteria include:
The project’s level of collaboration, engagement, relationship building and benefit sharing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and First Nations Organisations and Communities;
The project’s strategy and mechanisms for Indigenous research capacity building within the project;
A1.8 The Early Career Industry Fellowship may be undertaken full-time or part‑time subject to Your employment conditions and provided it does not exceed 6 years (excluding any approved suspensions).
A1.9 You must employ the Early Career Industry Fellow at a minimum of academic level A (or equivalent) for the entire project activity period.
Part B Mid-Career Industry Fellowships
B1.1 The requirements for the Mid-Career Industry Fellowship scheme set out here must be read with the IFP requirements in Sections 1–9.
Eligibility criteria
B1.2 The Mid-Career Industry Fellowship candidate must hold a Higher Degree by Research or equivalent.
B1.3 Your application must justify why the candidate is considered ‘mid-career.’ The candidate should have 5 to 15 years of industry and/or academic research experience (measured by FTE), and may take career interruptions into account.
B1.4 A previous recipient of a Mid-Career Industry Fellowship is not eligible to apply for another Mid-Career Industry Fellowship or an Early Career Industry Fellowship, but may apply for an Industry Laureate Fellowship.
B1.5 An individual may only submit a maximum of three Mid-Career Industry Fellowship applications.
B1.6 You may apply for a Mid-Career Industry Fellowship on behalf of an Australian or international candidate.
Assessment criteria
B1.7 Your application must address all assessment criteria. We will assess your application based on the weighting given to each criterion. The assessment criteria for the Mid-Career Industry Fellowship grant opportunity are:
Impact 25%
The significance of the industry challenge or opportunity being addressed in the research project and its relevance to industry partners;
The potential for short-, medium- or long-term outcomes, translation, adoption and/or commercialisation beyond Fellowship completion;
The potential to build and expand sustainable relationships between industry partners and the research organisation and the wider research community; and
The appropriateness, completeness and effectiveness of proposed pathways to impact, and related activities to support research translation, adoption and/or commercialisation, including IP management.
b. Commitment and Alignment 25%
Demonstration of the mutual benefit to the Fellow and Key Industry Partner including potential to lead to longer-term collaboration;
Strength of engagement between the Fellow and the Key Industry Partner, including previous projects (where applicable), and interactions to date on the proposed project; and
The extent to which all parties demonstrate a commitment to the success of the project and to expanding a collaborative relationship, including the industry partners’ financial and/or in-kind contributions.
c. Candidate Capability 25%
The extent to which the candidate’s skills and experience, relative to opportunity, enable them to deliver the goals of the research project;
The demonstrated capability of the candidate to lead research projects in collaboration with industry and/or other research end-user groups;
Evidence of the candidate’s capability to effectively supervise and mentor more junior staff (in industry and university) and students; and
The appropriateness and effectiveness of the proposed career development plans for the Fellow, including to enhance their research translation and/or commercialisation skills.
d. Research Quality and Innovation 25%
The clarity and novelty of the aim and conceptual framework and the innovativeness of the research method(s) to the industry challenge or opportunity;
The novelty of the research in the context of previous research in the area;
The involvement of the Key Industry Partner’s staff and resources in the design, method and delivery of the research; and
The feasibility of the proposed research in terms of the project’s design, participants, requested duration, required resources/facilities, risk management and appropriateness of the budget.
If the project involves Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander research, additional criteria include:
The project’s level of collaboration, engagement, relationship building and benefit sharing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and First Nations Organisations and Communities;
The project’s strategy and mechanisms for Indigenous research capacity building within the project;
B1.8 The Mid-Career Industry Fellowship may be undertaken full-time or part-time subject to Your employment conditions and provided that it does not exceed 8 years (excluding any approved periods of suspension).
B1.9 You must employ the Mid-Career Industry Fellow at a minimum of Academic Level C (or equivalent) for the project activity period.
Part C Industry Laureate Fellowships
C1.1 The requirements for the Industry Laureate Fellowships scheme set out here must be read with the general IFP requirements in Sections 1–9.
Eligibility criteria
C1.2 Your Industry Laureate Fellowship application must:
nominate an Industry Laureate Fellowship candidate;
b. request funding for a minimum of two PDRAs and two PGRs; and
c. nominate a Key Industry Partner.
C1.3 You may apply for an Industry Laureate Fellowship on behalf of an Australian or international Industry Fellowship candidate.
C1.4 A previous recipient of an Industry Laureate Fellowship is not eligible to apply for another grant under the Industry Fellowship Program.
Assessment criteria
C1.5 Your application must address all the assessment criteria. We will assess your application based on the weighting given to each criterion. The assessment criteria for the Industry Laureate Fellowship grant opportunity are:
Impact 25%
The significance of the industry challenge or opportunity being addressed in the research project;
The case for industry transformation upon successful completion of the Fellowship;
The potential for short-, medium- or long-term research impact, translation and/or commercialisation beyond the Fellowship completion; and
The appropriateness and effectiveness of the pathways to impact, and related activities to support research translation and/or commercialisation, including IP management arrangements.
b. Commitment and Alignment 25%
The mutual benefit to the Fellow, the Fellow’s team, and Key Industry Partner including potential to lead to longer-term collaboration;
Strength of engagement between the Fellow, other project research participants and Key Industry Partner, including previous projects, and interactions to date on the proposed project; and
The extent to which all parties demonstrate a commitment to the success of the project and to establishing a collaborative relationship, including the industry partners’ financial and/or in-kind contributions.
c. Candidate Capability 30%
The extent to which the candidate’s skills and experience, relative to opportunity, ensure they will drive the achievement of the goals of the program of research;
The candidate’s capacity to lead a high-quality program of ground-breaking, internationally competitive research undertaken by a research team in collaboration with industry and/or other research end-user groups;
The candidate's potential to create an enduring legacy through acting as a senior academic-end user ambassador; and
The candidate’s ability to build world class research translation/commercialisation capabilities and end-user connections within diverse teams.
d. Research Quality and Innovation 20%
The clarity of the aim and conceptual framework and the appropriateness of the research method(s) to the industry challenge or opportunity;
Clear innovation by the Key Partner including in the design, method and delivery of the research;
The novelty of the proposed program of research and its potential to transform current bodies of knowledge and practices; and
The feasibility of the proposed research in terms of the design of the program of research, participants, requested duration, required resources/facilities, risk management and appropriateness of the budget.
If the project involves Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander research, additional criteria include:
The project’s level of collaboration, engagement, relationship building and benefit sharing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and First Nations Organisations and Communities;
The project’s strategy and mechanisms for Indigenous research capacity building within the project;
C1.6 The Industry Laureate Fellowship may be undertaken on either a full-time, or a part‑time basis subject to Your organisation’s employment conditions and provided that the Industry Laureate Fellowship does not exceed 8 years from the project start date (excluding any approved periods of suspension).
C1.7 You must employ the Industry Laureate Fellow at a minimum of academic level E (or equivalent) for the project activity period.
Appendix A – Glossary
Acronyms
| Acronym | Description |
| --- | --- |
| ACN | Australian Company Number |
| ARC | Australian Research Council |
| ARC Act | Australian Research Council Act 2001 |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer |
| CGRGs | Commonwealth Grants Rules and Guidelines 2017 |
| CI | Chief Investigator |
| FTE | Full Time Equivalent |
| FOI Act | Freedom of Information Act |
| GST | Goods and Services Tax | | Acronym | Description |
| --- | --- |
| HDR | Higher Degree by Research |
| HECS | Higher Education Contribution Scheme |
| HELP | Higher Education Loan Program |
| IFP | Industry Fellowships Program |
| IP | Intellectual Property |
| ITRP | Industrial Transformation Research Program |
| NCGP | National Competitive Grants Program |
| PDRA | Postdoctoral Research Associate |
| PGR | Postgraduate Researcher |
| RMS | Research Management System |
Definitions
Term
Definition
active project
a project receiving funding under an existing Funding Agreement or grant agreement, with carryover funds approved by the ARC, or an approved variation to the project end date.
academic level
The system of academic titles and ranks in Australia (although titles may differ between institutions):<br>Level A — Tutor/Associate Lecturer/Research AssociateLevel B — Lecturer/Research FellowLevel C — Senior Lecturer/Senior Research FellowLevel D — Associate ProfessorLevel E — Professor.
Administering Organisation
an Eligible Organisation which submits a grant application and which will be responsible for the administration of the grant if it is approved for funding.
applicant
the Administering Organisation.
application
a request for funding under an ARC grant program submitted by an Administering Organisation through RMS. It specifies the proposed grant activity and administrative information required to determine eligibility.
ARC College of Experts
the experts of international standing appointed to assist the ARC identify research excellence, moderate assessments and advise the ARC CEO on applications. Members are drawn from the Australian research community as specialist and generalist experts in their fields. Membership is published on the ARC website.
ARC Fellowship
a named Fellowship position with a salary funded wholly or partly by the ARC.
assessment criteria
the principles or standards, against which applications will be considered. These criteria are used to assess the merits of applications and, in the case of a competitive grant opportunity, to determine application rankings.
Australian Government priority areas
priority research areas of the Australian Government, including the Science and Research Priorities
bench fees
fees an organisation charges for an individual to use infrastructure which would normally be provided by the organisation for their employees. For example, infrastructure could include an office or laboratory space or non-specialised equipment.
cash contribution
the cash from a partner organisation transferred to and managed by the Administering Organisation.
controlled entity
an entity that is subject to the control of another entity. An entity has the capacity to control a second entity if the first entity has the capacity to determine the outcome of decisions about the second entity’s decisions and policy making.
date of effect
the date on which a grant agreement is signed or a specified starting date.
eligibility criteria
mandatory criteria to qualify for a grant. Assessment criteria may apply in addition to eligibility criteria.
Fellow
the holder of a research fellowship, such as the Australian Laureate Fellowship, Future Fellowship, Discovery Early Career Researcher Award, Discovery Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Award, Industry Early Career Fellowship, Industry Mid-Career Fellowship or Industry Laureate Fellowship.
grant activity
the project/tasks/services that the grantee is required to undertake. A project consists of several grant activities.
grant agreement
the agreement between the ARC and an Administering Organisation when a grant is approved for funding. Previously referred to as ‘Funding Agreement’.
grant commencement date
the date on which grant funding may commence.
grant offer
the details listed in the ARC’s RMS under ‘Funding Offers’ specifying project details and grant amount.
GrantConnect
the Australian Government’s whole-of-government grants information system, which centralises the publication and reporting of Commonwealth grants in accordance with the CGRGs.
grantee
the Administering Organisation which will receive a grant.
grant opportunity
the grant round or process where a Commonwealth grant is made available.
GST
the meaning as given in Section 195-1 of the A New Tax System (Goods and Services Tax) Act 1999.
Higher Degree by Research (HDR)
‘a Research Doctorate or Research Masters course for which at least two-thirds of the student load for the course is required as research work’ as defined by the Commonwealth Scholarships Guidelines (Research) 2017.
Industry Fellowship Program Assessors
assessors with academic and industry research experience who assess applications under the Industry Fellowships Program.
in-kind contributions
goods, services, materials and/or time contributed to a project by an individual, business or organisation. Value is calculated based on the most likely actual cost - for example, current market, preferred provider or internal provider rates/valuations/rentals/charges of the costs of labour, work spaces, equipment or databases. Calculations should be documented and the ARC may audit these calculations.
Key Industry Partner
an Australian organisation, other than an Eligible Organisation, with an Australian Company Number (ACN) or an Australian government entity (Commonwealth, State/ Territory or Local) or and Australian not-for-profit/charity registered on the Australian Government’s Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission Charity Register.
legislative instrument
a law on matters of detail made by a person or body authorised to do so by the relevant legislation.
Linkage Program
the schemes funded under the Linkage Program of the NCGP: ARC Centres of Excellence, Industry Early Career Fellowships, Industry Mid-Career Fellowships, Industry Laureate Fellowships, Industrial Transformation Research Hubs, Industrial Transformation Training Centres, Linkage Projects, Learned Academies Special Projects, Supporting Responses to Commonwealth Science Council Priorities, Special Research Initiatives and other grant opportunities as announced from time to time.
medical research
medical research as defined in the ARC Medical Research Policy available on the ARC website.
officials
officials of a Commonwealth entity. An individual who is in, or forms part of the entity (see Section 8 of the PGPA Act).
participants
all named participants on an application (ie CIs, PIs, Directors), and unnamed researchers (postdoctoral research associates and researchers) working on a project.
PhD
a qualification that meets the level 10 criteria of the Australian Qualifications Framework Second Edition January 2013.
Postdoctoral Research Associate (PDRA)
a postdoctoral research associate funded by the Commonwealth through the Administering Organisation, who will be employed on the project.
Postgraduate Researcher (PGR)
a postgraduate research student funded by the Commonwealth through the Administering Organisation, who will undertake a Higher Degree by Research through the project.
project
an application approved to receive grant funding from the ARC.
project activity period
the period during which a project receives funding according to the original grant offer, has carryover funds approved by the ARC, or an approved variation to its end date. During this period, the project an ‘active project’.
project end date
the expected date by which project activity will be completed and all grant funding has been spent.
recipient
an individual or organisation who has received grant funding from the ARC.
research
the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way to generate new concepts, methodologies, inventions and understanding. This could include new and creative synthesis and analysis of previous research. This definition is consistent with OECD definitions of ‘creative and systematic work undertaken … to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge.’[1]
research infrastructure
the 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 allow researchers to undertake research and deliver innovative outcomes.
Research Office
a business unit within an Eligible Organisation responsible for contact with the ARC on its applications and projects.
research output
all products of a project that meet the definition of research, excluding pre-prints, which are the original version of manuscripts as submitted to a journal or other publication.
Special Condition
a condition specified in a grant offer which governs the use of ARC funding.
Value for Money
‘value for money’ is a judgement based on the application representing an efficient, effective, economical and ethical use of public resources determined from a variety of considerations: merit of the application, risk, cost and expected contribution to outcome achievement.
Variation of grant agreement
a request submitted to the ARC in RMS to change a Grant agreement.
We
the Australian Research Council (ARC). ‘Us’ and ‘Our’ are also used in this context.
You
the Eligible Organisation submitting an application. ‘Your’ is also used in this context.
Appendix B – Eligible Organisations
| Organisation Name | Organisation ABN |
| --- | --- |
| Australian Catholic University | 15 050 192 660 |
| Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies | 62 020 533 641 |
| Avondale University | 53 108 186 401 |
| Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education | 32 039 179 166 |
| Bond University | 88 010 694 121 |
| Central Queensland University | 39 181 103 288 |
| Charles Darwin University | 54 093 513 649 |
| Charles Sturt University | 83 878 708 551 |
| Curtin University | 99 143 842 569 |
| Deakin University | 56 721 584 203 |
| Edith Cowan University | 54 361 485 361 |
| Federation University Australia | 51 818 692 256 |
| Flinders University | 65 542 596 200 |
| Griffith University | 78 106 094 461 |
| James Cook University | 46 253 211 955 |
| La Trobe University | 64 804 735 113 |
| Macquarie University | 90 952 801 237 |
| Monash University | 12 377 614 012 |
| Murdoch University | 61 616 369 313 |
| Queensland University of Technology | 83 791 724 622 |
| Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University) | 49 781 030 034 | | Organisation Name | Organisation ABN |
| --- | --- |
| Southern Cross University | 41 995 651 524 |
| Swinburne University of Technology | 13 628 586 699 |
| The Australian National University | 52 234 063 906 |
| The University of Adelaide | 61 249 878 937 |
| The University of Melbourne | 84 002 705 224 |
| The University of New England | 75 792 454 315 |
| The University of New South Wales | 57 195 873 179 |
| The University of Newcastle | 15 736 576 735 |
| The University of Notre Dame Australia | 69 330 643 210 |
| The University of Queensland | 63 942 912 684 |
| The University of Sydney | 15 211 513 464 |
| The University of Western Australia | 37 882 817 280 |
| Torrens University Australia | 99 154 937 005 |
| University of Canberra | 81 633 873 422 |
| University of Divinity | 95 290 912 141 |
| University of South Australia | 37 191 313 308 |
| University of Southern Queensland | 40 234 732 081 |
| University of Tasmania | 30 764 374 782 |
| University of Technology Sydney | 77 257 686 961 |
| University of the Sunshine Coast | 28 441 859 157 |
| University of Wollongong | 61 060 567 686 |
| Victoria University | 83 776 954 731 |
| Western Sydney University | 53 014 069 881 |
[1] OECD (2015), Frascati Manual 2015: Guidelines for Collecting and Reporting Data on Research and Experimental Development (p.378).