News Archive

The Australian Research Council's Chief Executive Officer, Professor Margaret Sheil , visited UWA on 2 June and presented an update to UWA researchers on ARC activity. A summary from the update is provided by UWA's Research Development Office.

Promotion of Research Activity
The ARC would like to be informed of all good news arising from ARC funded work, to promote through media statements. The items should be sent to the ARC Communications Manager . This is a great opportunity to get UWA work known in the Eastern States.

Federal Budget allocations to ARC
Total: $680M over 2009/10:  DP (Discovery Project) $379M, LP (Linkage Project) $290.8M and ERA (The Excellence in Research for Australia Initiative) $9.6M

Specific funding over next four years:

• ERA -$35.8M
• 100 New Super Science Fellowships (3 years) - $27.2M
• Bionic Eye (Research in Bionic Vision Science and Technology) - $50M
• Continued funding for NICTA (National ICTAustralia)- $92.75M

Super Science Fellowships

• 100 ECR (Early Career Researchers) Fellowships (3 years)
• Research Areas:
  - Space Science and Astronomy
  - Marine and Climate
  - Future industries
  - Biotech and nanotech
• Call for applications in second half of this year.
• Proposals should be in areas of existing strength (fellowship only, no project funding)

Future Fellowships

• Assessments are taking place in June 2009 with announcements on success to be made shortly afterwards.
• The ARC intends to beat the conservative deadline of September for announcements.

ARC Centres of Excellence

• Consultation paper to be out soon.
• Expect some changes in the funding guidelines.
• Call for applications later this year, for funding to begin in Jan 2011.

"Working Smarter" Initiative
The ARC is applying a "working smarter" initiative to its funding schemes. This will include better definitions of eligibility, in particular through discussions with NHMRC (National Health and Medical Research Council), they will be defining medical and clinical research.  They will also examine how they can increase efficiency in handling of applications, including the RMS (Research Management System).

RMS (Research Management System)
The ARC is aware of the problems encountered during the Linkage Project round with the new RMS, which replaces GAMS (Grants Application Management System). All of these are being addressed.

For further information on ARC update please contact Faculty Research Development Officer Debbie Thackray .