Linkage Projects 2 July 2015 The University of Melbourne Dr Fiona Cameron Executive Director, Biological Sciences

Topics for today Web: arc.gov.au I Environment ARC NCGP including tips and process Linkage grants ITRP

Commonwealth Investment in R&D 2014–15

2014–15 Federal Budget (Approx. AU$415 billion) Australian Government support for science, research and innovation shown in red (Treasury omitted)

Research Environment Describe the existing, or developing research environment within the Administering Organisation/other Organisation(s) for this Project. Outline the adequacy of the Research Environment in your department, school or research group, and the extent to which it will provide opportunities for knowledge growth, innovation, collaboration, mentoring and student training. Describe how the Project fits with the Administering Organisation’s research plans and strategies. Currently in DP15 ITAs

Web: arc.gov.au I Environment ARC NCGP including tips and process Linkage grants ITRP Topics for today (2)

ARC NCGP Programmes and Schemes Web: arc.gov.au I

Types of ARC Centres Web: arc.gov.au I

Overall All grants that are successful should provide exciting new outcomes and be an excellent investment Decisions will align with Scheme Objectives Not all excellent proposals can get funding; most applicants will be disappointed

Insights into grants process (1) Consider where to apply for funding; choose a scheme. Pay attention to eligibility and ARC cross scheme limits. The scheme objectives and the selection criteria— address every one of them. Choosing Field of Research Codes—assisting the ARC choose the right assessors. Track Record—career interruption—the ROPE provision. The scale of assessment –The external assessor—1–2 proposals –The ARC panel member—10–50 –ARC Panel meeting—150–400. The rejoinder.

Insights into grants process (2) Understand the research field and international context. Develop your ideas to solve a research problem. Network with leaders in the field. Consider the research environment when applying. Apply by yourself or as a team member… Career interruptions—making a case for ROPE Seek mentors on writing good grant applications Your first grant application –Write for your peers—write so that someone broadly in your field will understand your project –Write for the public—write a plain English statement

Low ranked proposals Use too much technical jargon Make grandiose and implausible claims about outcomes Don't support claims of excellence or progress with evidence Relate to research areas without momentum Are weakly linked into national and international research networks

Low ranked proposals (2) Emphasize the collection of data rather than the solution of controversies Set a negative or depressive tone about the state of the subject in Australia Contain a high rate of spelling and grammatical errors Are badly structured and difficult to follow

Responding to an assessment/rejoinder Read the assessments then wait at least a day before starting the rejoinder Approach it constructively The rejoinder is to help College of Experts to seek applicant’s views on criticisms made by peers Don’t rubbish the assessor—you’re wasting valuable space to address important concerns

NCGP Lifecycle Funding Rules Approved by Minister Published on the ARC website Sector advised of availability Proposals applications submitted via RMS by Eligible Organisations by the relevant scheme closing date instructions to applicants, sample application form and FAQs published on ARC website Assessment proposals are considered against eligibility criteria and compliance with the Funding Rules. proposals are assessed by independent assessors applicants may be given the opportunity for a rejoinder to assessors’ written comments proposals are assessed by the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee Selection meeting the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee consider all proposals, rank each proposal relative to other proposals in the same discipline cluster and recommend budgets for the highly ranked proposals Approval of funding ARC CEO provides recommendations to the Minister in relation to which Proposals should be approved for funding, which Proposals should not be approved for funding, and the level of funding and duration of Projects. Minister considers recommendations and approves and announces funding outcomes Postaward and reporting

NCGP Lifecycle (2) Funding Rules Approved by Minister Published on the ARC website Sector advised of availability Proposals applications submitted via RMS by Eligible Organisations by the relevant scheme closing date instructions to applicants, sample application form and FAQs published on ARC website Assessment proposals are considered against eligibility criteria and compliance with the Funding Rules. proposals are assessed by independent assessors applicants may be given the opportunity for a rejoinder to assessors’ written comments proposals are assessed by the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee Selection meeting the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee consider all proposals, rank each proposal relative to other proposals in the same discipline cluster and recommend budgets for the highly ranked proposals Approval of funding ARC CEO provides recommendations to the Minister in relation to which Proposals should be approved for funding, which Proposals should not be approved for funding, and the level of funding and duration of Projects. Minister considers recommendations and approves and announces funding outcomes Postaward and reporting

Assign external assessors

NCGP Lifecycle (3) Funding Rules Approved by Minister Published on the ARC website Sector advised of availability Proposals applications submitted via RMS by Eligible Organisations by the relevant scheme closing date instructions to applicants, sample application form and FAQs published on ARC website Assessment proposals are considered against eligibility criteria and compliance with the Funding Rules. proposals are assessed by independent assessors applicants may be given the opportunity for a rejoinder to assessors’ written comments proposals are assessed by the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee Selection meeting the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee consider all proposals, rank each proposal relative to other proposals in the same discipline cluster and recommend budgets for the highly ranked proposals Approval of funding ARC CEO provides recommendations to the Minister in relation to which Proposals should be approved for funding, which Proposals should not be approved for funding, and the level of funding and duration of Projects. Minister considers recommendations and approves and announces funding outcomes Postaward and reporting

NCGP Lifecycle (4) Funding Rules Approved by Minister Published on the ARC website Sector advised of availability Proposals applications submitted via RMS by Eligible Organisations by the relevant scheme closing date instructions to applicants, sample application form and FAQs published on ARC website Assessment proposals are considered against eligibility criteria and compliance with the Funding Rules. proposals are assessed by independent assessors applicants may be given the opportunity for a rejoinder to assessors’ written comments proposals are assessed by the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee Selection meeting the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee consider all proposals, rank each proposal relative to other proposals in the same discipline cluster and recommend budgets for the highly ranked proposals Approval of funding ARC CEO provides recommendations to the Minister in relation to which Proposals should be approved for funding, which Proposals should not be approved for funding, and the level of funding and duration of Projects. Minister considers recommendations and approves and announces funding outcomes Postaward and reporting

NCGP Lifecycle (5) Funding Rules Approved by Minister Published on the ARC website Sector advised of availability Proposals applications submitted via RMS by Eligible Organisations by the relevant scheme closing date instructions to applicants, sample application form and FAQs published on ARC website Assessment proposals are considered against eligibility criteria and compliance with the Funding Rules. proposals are assessed by independent assessors applicants may be given the opportunity for a rejoinder to assessors’ written comments proposals are assessed by the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee Selection meeting the ARC College of Experts or a Selection Advisory Committee consider all proposals, rank each proposal relative to other proposals in the same discipline cluster and recommend budgets for the highly ranked proposals Approval of funding ARC CEO provides recommendations to the Minister in relation to which Proposals should be approved for funding, which Proposals should not be approved for funding, and the level of funding and duration of Projects. Minister considers recommendations and approves and announces funding outcomes Postaward and reporting

Topics for today (3) Web: arc.gov.au I Environment ARC NCGP including tips and process Linkage grants ITRP

The Grants Peer Review Process LP

2015 Panel Carriages Interdisciplinary research

Histogram of Rank

Mean value of normalized rankings

The Linkage Projects scheme objectives Web: arc.gov.au I Initiation and/or development of long-term strategic research alliances between higher education organisations and other organisations, including industry and end-users, in order to apply advanced knowledge to problems and/or to provide opportunities to obtain national economic, social or cultural benefits initiation scale and focus of research in strategic research priorities opportunities for researchers to pursue internationally competitive research in collaboration with organisations outside the higher education sector, targeting those who have demonstrated a clear commitment to high-quality research growth of a national pool of world-class researchers to meet the needs of the broader australian innovation system.

Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE) ROPE was first introduced ROPE helps provide a more realistic consideration of a researcher’s capabilities and assist those who have had career interruptions for family and other reasons. Make the case if time out of academia/research is an asset for the proposal.

Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE) The ARC considers that Research Opportunity comprises two separate elements: –Career experiences (relative to opportunity) –Career interruptions The new ROPE Statement (released Feb 2014) is on the ARC website.

Some Linkage Stats: Funding and Success Rates Web: arc.gov.au I Since 2005 there have been nearly 2200 instances of collaboration with Australian private companies, as partner organisations on linkage grants.

Success Rate: Comparison of Schemes Web: arc.gov.au I

LP Linkages Australia 2011–14 Higher Education Government Commercial Non-profit/other

LP Linkages VIC 2011–14 Higher Education Government Commercial Non-profit/other

LP Linkages The University of Melbourne 2011–14 Higher Education Government Commercial Non-profit/other

Instances of international collaboration on approved proposals in Linkage Projects 2014 Web: arc.gov.au I

Gender balance LP Web: arc.gov.au I

Gender of First CI: LP14 Web: arc.gov.au I

Important dates—previous round SchemeRelease of Funding Rules Proposals Open Request not to AssessClose Proposals Close RejoindersAnnouncement Linkage Projects for funding commencing in August September October November 2014 Open 17 February 2015 Close 5.00pm (AEDT) 2 March 2015 June 2015 Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding commencing in August September November December 2014 Open 23 February 2015 Close 5.00 (AEDT) 6 March May 2015 Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding commencing in August September November December 2014 Open 23 February 2015 Close 5.00 (AEDT) 6 March May 2015

Topics for today (4) Web: arc.gov.au I Environment ARC NCGP including tips and process Linkage grants ITRP

Researchers by sector of employment Source: OECD, Research and Development Statistics Database, June 2013.

Details of the Industrial Transformation Research Program—the Schemes 1 Web: arc.gov.au I Consists of two schemes: - Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Industrial Transformation Training Centres

Industrial Transformation Training Centres (ITTC) To foster close partnerships between university-based researchers and industry to provide innovative training for early career researchers vital to Australia’s future industry Over the life of the program the ARC will enable: - establishing Training Centres nationwide - support ‘industry ready’ Higher Degree by Research candidates and postdoctoral researchers - provide a maximum of $1 million per year for up to five (5) years for each Training Centre

Industrial Transformation Research Hubs (ITRH) Opportunities for universities and industrial partners to focus on significant collaborative R&D projects with outcomes beyond their independent endeavours The ARC will invest up to $1 million per year in each Research Hub with matching investment by industry partners up to a maximum of five years

ITRP Linkages All rounds Higher Education Government Commercial Non-profit/other

ITRP Linkages All rounds; The University of Melbourne Higher Education Government Commercial Non-profit/other

Melbourne University ITRP IH12 Dairy Innovation Hub: transformational research to underpin the future of the Australian dairy manufacturing industry Dr Sally Gras IH12 Unlocking the food value chain: Australian food industry transformation for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) markets Prof Frank Dunshea IC15 ARC Training Centre for Advanced Manufacturing of Prefabricated Housing Prof Priyan Mendis

Investment in ‘Food and Agriculture’ through ITRP, to date (starting 2012) 10/15 Successful ARC $34,932,067 All additional cash $19,938,338 All additional in kind $46,138,146 Total $101,008,551

Manufacturing: primary priority 5/13 successful, UQ/Monash/UNSW/Deakin/Melbourne/ ARC $17,588,339 All additional cash $15,211,290 All additional in kind $30,399,937 Total. $63,199,566

Oil and Gas priority 3/7 successful Sydney, 2 x UWA ARC $12,317,827 All additional cash $14,897,114 All additional in kind $17,873,693 Total. $43,891,488

Thank you