Attachment A: Current funding arrangements

Funding for research managed under the Education, Training and Youth Affairs portfolio is provided through a number of programmes.

Research training

Funding to support research training is provided through university operating grants and in the form of HECS exemptions and student stipends known as Australian Postgraduate Awards. The component of operating grant supporting research training (the notional `Research Training Component') is estimated to have totalled $473 million in 1997 and will increase to $545 million in 2000.

The Research HECS Exemptions and Australian Postgraduate Awards are allocated to institutions in accordance with a formula comprising:

• higher degree research student load (40 per cent weighting);
• higher degree research student completions, weighted 3:1 in favour of PhD completions (20 per cent weighting); and
• the Composite Index, excluding the completions component to avoid double counting (40 per cent).

Awards allocated to institutions under this formula are then distributed by the institutions to research students on the basis of merit.

The Research Quantum

The Research Quantum ($221 million) forms part of the university operating grant and supports the general `fabric' of university research and research training activities.

The Research Quantum is reallocated each year according to a Composite Index which takes into account research inputs (research funding) and research output (publications and award completions) components.

Targeted research funding

In 2000 outturn pricing, estimated funding (accrual basis) for the 1999_2000 targeted higher education research programme, to be provided through the Education, Training and Youth Affairs portfolio, is:

The Large Grants Scheme provides research grants on a competitive basis for high quality research by individuals or research teams throughout Australia in all major discipline areas, except clinical medicine and dentistry. Applications are assessed by the Australian Research Council's Research Grants Committee and its expert discipline panels with the aid of external assessors.

The Small Grants Scheme provides block grants to higher education institutions to fund research grants for amounts less than the minimum amount required for Large Grants. All institutions participating in the Scheme receive a base grant of $50 000. The remaining funds are distributed according to a formula which takes account of each institution's success in obtaining Large Grants the previous year.

The Australian Postgraduate Awards Scheme assists the participation of Australian postgraduate students in research training programmes, by enabling persons of exceptional research promise to undertake a higher degree.

The Strategic Partnerships with Industry _ Research and Training Scheme supports high quality research involving collaboration between higher education institutions and industry. Funding is provided on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis with industry. Applications are assessed by the University-Industry Research Collaboration Committee of the Australian Research Council.

The International Researcher Exchange Scheme's key function is the movement of researchers between Australian research institutions and centres of research excellence overseas. It consists of fellowships and awards.

The Indigenous Researchers' Development Scheme aims to encourage participation in, and to improve the standard of, research conducted by Indigenous Australians.

The Research Fellowships Scheme provides approximately 100 new full-time fellowships each year. Fellowships have been awarded in four categories: Australian Postdoctoral Fellowship; Australian Research Fellowship; Queen Elizabeth II Fellowship; and Senior Research Fellowship. With the exception of the Senior Research Fellowship, successful applicants also receive a research support grant.

The International Postgraduate Research Scholarships Scheme provides 300 scholarships which meet the tuition fees and health cover of overseas postgraduate students and their dependants.

The Key Centres of Teaching and Research aim to promote excellence in teaching and research activities in higher education institutions, particularly in areas of national importance, and to encourage interaction with industry and other user groups.

Special Research Centres are established in higher education institutions to support research of outstanding quality in fields that will contribute substantially to Australia's development. They can be funded for a maximum of nine years.

The Research Infrastructure Scheme provides direct support to higher education institutions to maintain and develop their research infrastructure (e.g. equipment, special facilities, support staff, outfitting and maintenance). Its purpose is to enhance support for areas of research strength and ensure that areas of recognised research potential have access to the support necessary for development. It comprises Research Infrastructure Block Grants and Research Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities Grants.

• Research Infrastructure Block Grants are allocated to publicly-funded institutions on the basis of an index which measures institutional success in obtaining competitively awarded research funding.
• Research Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities Grants fund large equipment and facilities. In most cases, these are for collaborative use by two or more institutions or the higher education system as a whole.

Return to Higher Ed Homepage