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Contents > 3. Research and Research Training > 3.2 Block funding for research training
3.2 Block funding for research
training
Research Training Scheme
The Research Training Scheme (RTS) was one of the initiatives announced in the December 1999 Research White Paper Knowledge and Innovation. It allocates higher degree research student places to institutions on the basis of performance and thereby aims to improve the quality of the research training environment, reduce attrition rates and speed up completion times for students.
As research students complete or discontinue their studies, their vacated RTS places become available for reallocation through a performance-based formula. This formula distributes funding across universities based on successful research student completions (50 per cent), research income (40 per cent) and research publications (10 per cent).
Over the period 2002–2004, special arrangements are being made to protect institutions from any major funding losses and allow institutions time to adjust to the new framework. Institutions’ funding gains are being ‘capped’ at 5 per cent above the previous year with surplus funds being redistributed to institutions incurring the highest proportional losses. Funding is being provided to regional institutions to offset any further losses in total Institutional Grants Scheme and RTS funding incurred over this period (see Section 3.3).
Research Training Scheme implementation
The initial RTS allocations for 2001 were set through negotiation. The ‘funding pool’ is being introduced in 2002, with the funds being placed in the pool each semester reflecting the total value of ‘net separations’ from all institutions.
Net separations will normally be calculated from Higher Education Student Collection data, by deducting the number of full-time equivalent higher degree research students for a semester from the number of full-time equivalent higher degree research students in the previous semester. Pool funds are redistributed to institutions according to the performance-based formula.
The standard mechanism for counting separations is not being used on this one occasion. It has been replaced by a count of commencing places in semester 1, 2001, to avoid distortions arising from a comparison of pre-RTS arrangements and RTS arrangements. After the second submission of Student Collection data at the end of October 2001, it became possible to consider properly the impacts of the alternative mechanisms for counting separations. The modelling showed the kinds of distortions expected. For example, for several institutions the data delivered large negative separations (that is, suggesting many more continuing students in semester 1, 2001, than total students in semester 2, 2000). This situation arose because of the way institutions categorised their students in 2000, rather than any actual student movements. On the basis of this modelling, the Minister decided to apply the commencing places proxy in determining semester 1, 2002, separations.
Data integrity problems were experienced with the 2001 Student Data Collection. The Commonwealth will have the Student Collection independently audited in 2002 to ensure it has the required high level of confidence in future allocations.
Research Training Scheme funding allocations
Table 3.1 shows
funds allocated in 2001 under the Research Training Scheme (RTS) and
also the number of places. The latter are indicative numbers only.
They are based on institutions’ own estimates of the number of
places they could deliver for the funds allocated, taking account of
the expected balance
between high-cost and low-cost places. The number of places
delivered may vary if the high-cost/low-cost course split changes.
Special arrangements were made for designated ‘smaller’ institutions which are at an early stage in the development of their research capacity. In 2002 they
will receive a small number of higher degree research places outside of the standard formula (see table 3.1). The institutions are the University of the Sunshine Coast, the Australian Maritime College and the University of Notre Dame Australia. They are required to provide submissions demonstrating their capacity to deliver high quality research training in particular niches, consistent with their Research and Research Training Management Reports.
Table 3.1: Research Training Scheme allocations, 2002(a)
|
State/Institution |
Places (EFTSU) |
Allocation ($) |
|
New South Wales |
||
|
Charles Sturt University |
132 |
3 081 583 |
|
Southern Cross University |
109 |
2 399 233 |
|
Macquarie University |
525 |
12 314 295 |
|
The University of New England |
377 |
8 563 264 |
|
The University of New South Wales |
1 540 |
40 237 668 |
|
The University of Newcastle |
600 |
12 560 912 |
|
The University of Sydney |
2 253 |
54 083 058 |
|
University of Technology, Sydney |
488 |
10 171 220 |
|
University of Western Sydney |
414 |
8 360 097 |
|
University of Wollongong |
502 |
12 622 143 |
|
Victoria |
||
|
Deakin University |
308 |
6 958 897 |
|
La Trobe University |
633 |
13 482 812 |
|
Melbourne College of Divinity |
6 |
85 797 |
|
Monash University |
1 676 |
37 226 740 |
|
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
530 |
12 195 615 |
|
Swinburne University of Technology |
196 |
4 980 673 |
|
The University of Melbourne |
2 230 |
52 726 433 |
|
University of Ballarat |
45 |
997 542 |
|
Victoria University of Technology |
237 |
4 736 163 |
|
Queensland |
||
|
Bond University |
1 |
24 479 |
|
Central Queensland University |
127 |
2 818 199 |
|
Griffith University |
530 |
11 910 209 |
|
James Cook University |
319 |
8 226 048 |
|
Queensland University of Technology |
400 |
9 533 968 |
|
The University of Queensland |
2 092 |
50 254 080 |
|
University of Southern Queensland |
98 |
1 945 982 |
|
University of the Sunshine Coast |
15 |
305 954 |
|
Western Australia |
||
|
Curtin University of Technology |
548 |
9 806 963 |
|
Edith Cowan University |
191 |
3 404 540 |
|
Murdoch University |
350 |
8 418 875 |
|
The University of Notre Dame Australia |
6 |
86 394 |
|
The University of Western Australia |
1 100 |
27 476 413 |
|
South Australia |
||
|
The Flinders University of South Australia |
467 |
10 563 290 |
|
The University of Adelaide |
897 |
25 215 913 |
|
University of South Australia |
458 |
7 207 237 |
|
Tasmania |
||
|
Australian Maritime College |
5 |
165 544 |
|
University of Tasmania |
520 |
13 782 324 |
|
Northern Territory |
||
|
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education |
0 |
0 |
|
Northern Territory University |
96 |
2 244 657 |
|
Australian Capital Territory |
||
|
The Australian National University |
886 |
20 760 933 |
|
University of Canberra |
157 |
2 699 597 |
|
Multi-State |
||
|
Australian Catholic University |
50 |
927 256 |
|
Total |
22 059 |
515 563 000 |
(a) Includes a transfer of $30 000 from the base operating grant to enable Charles Sturt University to retain research training ‘gap’ places it had previously elected to phase out. This transfer has yet to be legislated and is therefore subject to the approval of Parliament.
Australian Postgraduate Awards Scheme
The Australian Postgraduate Awards (APA) Scheme provides financial support to Australian postgraduate students of exceptional research promise who undertake their higher degree by research at an Australian higher education institution. Masters students may receive an award for a maximum of two years and doctoral students for
three years with a possible extension of six months. Students in receipt of an award receive an annual stipend and may qualify for other allowances. From 2002, the determination of institutional APA allocations will be aligned with the performance-based formula used in the Research Training Scheme (RTS) and new funding arrangements will enable institutions to offer additional awards from within their overall funding allocation. Table 3.2 shows APA funding allocations for each institution in 2002.
Table 3.2: Allocation of new Australian Postgraduate Awards and funding, 2002
|
State/Institution |
Notional Numberof New Awards |
Allocation ($) |
|
New South Wales |
||
|
Charles Sturt University |
8 |
447 115 |
|
Southern Cross University |
9 |
465 099 |
|
Macquarie University |
33 |
2 008 948 |
|
The University of New England |
22 |
1 339 201 |
|
The University of New South Wales |
128 |
6 791 238 |
|
The University of Newcastle |
39 |
2 111 643 |
|
The University of Sydney |
148 |
8 187 138 |
|
University of Technology, Sydney |
25 |
1 406 653 |
|
University of Western Sydney |
23 |
1 352 122 |
|
University of Wollongong |
32 |
1 737 834 |
|
Victoria |
||
|
Deakin University |
24 |
1 259 535 |
|
La Trobe University |
40 |
2 308 872 |
|
Melbourne College of Divinity |
2 |
35 968 |
|
Monash University |
105 |
5 958 363 |
|
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
44 |
2 302 007 |
|
Swinburne University of Technology |
14 |
760 605 |
|
The University of Melbourne |
162 |
8 920 889 |
|
University of Ballarat |
4 |
198 501 |
|
Victoria University of Technology |
12 |
708 789 |
|
Queensland |
||
|
Bond University |
1 |
54 890 |
|
Central Queensland University |
6 |
329 338 |
|
Griffith University |
35 |
1 923 927 |
|
James Cook University |
24 |
1 280 300 |
|
Queensland University of Technology |
34 |
1 832 131 |
|
The University of Queensland |
144 |
7 793 250 |
|
University of Southern Queensland |
6 |
321 487 |
|
The University of the Sunshine Coast |
1 |
47 039 |
|
Western Australia |
||
|
Curtin University of Technology |
35 |
1 839 330 |
|
Edith Cowan University |
14 |
747 398 |
|
Murdoch University |
24 |
1 296 295 |
|
The University of Notre Dame Australia |
1 |
54 890 |
|
The University of Western Australia |
81 |
4 517 380 |
|
South Australia |
||
|
The Flinders University of South Australia |
33 |
1 840 414 |
|
The University of Adelaide |
72 |
3 980 965 |
|
University of South Australia |
27 |
1 392 508 |
|
Tasmania |
||
|
Australian Maritime College |
1 |
47 039 |
|
The University of Tasmania |
36 |
1 970 819 |
|
Northern Territory |
||
|
Northern Territory University |
7 |
378 872 |
|
Australian Capital Territory |
||
|
The Australian National University |
80 |
4 388 020 |
|
University of Canberra |
10 |
527 839 |
|
Multi-State |
||
|
Australian Catholic University |
4 |
214 349 |
|
Total |
1550 |
85 079 000 |
International Postgraduate Research Scholarships Scheme
The International Postgraduate Research Scholarships (IPRS) Scheme aims to attract high calibre international postgraduate students to areas of research strength in Australian higher education institutions and to develop international research linkages. Masters students may receive a scholarship for two years and doctoral students for three years with a possible extension of up to twelve months in certain circumstances. A scholarship covers the student’s tuition fees and health insurance premiums. From 2002, the determination of institutional IPRS allocations will be aligned with the performance-based formula used in the Research Training Scheme (RTS) and 10 additional scholarships will be available. Table 3.3 shows IPRS funding allocations for each institution in 2002.
Table 3.3: Allocation of new International Postgraduate Research Scholarships and funding, 2002
|
Institution |
No. of |
Allocation |
|
New South Wales |
||
|
Charles Sturt University |
1 |
55 854 |
|
Southern Cross University |
2 |
87 405 |
|
Macquarie University |
6 |
335 125 |
|
The University of New England |
6 |
415 282 |
|
The University of New South Wales |
29 |
1 701 633 |
|
The University of Newcastle |
7 |
361 986 |
|
The University of Sydney |
27 |
1 423 215 |
|
University of Technology, Sydney |
4 |
159 035 |
|
University of Western Sydney |
5 |
279 271 |
|
University of Wollongong |
9 |
629 318 |
|
Victoria |
||
|
Deakin University |
4 |
143 259 |
|
La Trobe University |
8 |
475 826 |
|
Melbourne College of Divinity |
1 |
15 776 |
|
Monash University |
19 |
952 079 |
|
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology |
10 |
574 317 |
|
Swinburne University of Technology |
3 |
154 345 |
|
The University of Melbourne |
28 |
1 254 800 |
|
University of Ballarat |
1 |
55 854 |
|
Victoria University of Technology |
2 |
151 787 |
|
Queensland |
||
|
Bond University |
1 |
40 079 |
|
Central Queensland University |
1 |
71 630 |
|
Griffith University |
5 |
254 968 |
|
James Cook University |
7 |
457 919 |
|
Queensland University of Technology |
6 |
312 954 |
|
The University of Queensland |
30 |
1 664 539 |
|
University of Southern Queensland |
1 |
55 854 |
|
Western Australia |
||
|
Curtin University of Technology |
9 |
547 456 |
|
Edith Cowan University |
3 |
167 562 |
|
Murdoch University |
4 |
258 805 |
|
The University of Notre Dame Australia |
1 |
55 854 |
|
The University of Western Australia |
14 |
701 801 |
|
South Australia |
||
|
The Flinders University of South Australia |
6 |
266 053 |
|
The University of Adelaide |
13 |
783 664 |
|
University of South Australia |
5 |
252 410 |
|
Tasmania |
||
|
Australian Maritime College |
1 |
55 854 |
|
The University of Tasmania |
6 |
295 046 |
|
Northern Territory |
||
|
Northern Territory University |
1 |
55 854 |
|
Australian Capital Territory |
||
|
The Australian National University |
21 |
1 246 272 |
|
University of Canberra |
2 |
87 405 |
|
Multi-State |
||
|
Australian Catholic University |
1 |
55 854 |
|
Total |
310 |
16 914 000 |
|
< 3.1 Framework for higher education research and research training |