Higher education research aims to maintain and strengthen Australia’s knowledge base and research capabilities, by developing an effective research and research training system, thereby enhancing Australia’s economic development, international competitiveness and attainment of social goals.
This is achieved through Commonwealth funding which is administered by the Australian Research Council 
in partnership with the Department of Education, Science and Training.
Approximately $1.5 billion annually is provided specifically for targeted research and research training through the Education, Science and Training portfolio, particularly to basic research (experimental and theoretical work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge without a special application in view).
Funding is allocated through a range of:
The formula-driven schemes allocate block funding to higher education institutions based on specific formulae.
On 21 December 1999, the Government released Knowledge and Innovation: A policy statement on research and research training, announcing major changes to current arrangements for the funding of higher education research. The new framework provides for:
- A strengthened Australian Research Council and an invigorated national competitive grants system;
- Performance-based funding for research training and research activity in universities, with allocative formulae and transitional arrangements designed to ensure that all universities are able to compete effectively under the new arrangements;
- The establishment of a broad quality verification framework supported by universities' Research and Research Training Management Plans; and
- Support for regional and rural institutions.
Under the new framework, universities will be assisted through two performance-based block funding schemes: the Institutional Grants Scheme (IGS) and the Research Training Scheme (RTS).
The IGS will support the general fabric of institutions' research and research training activities, and assist institutions in responding flexibly to their environment in accordance with their own strategic judgements. Universities will receive funding under a formula recognising their success in attracting research income from a diversity of sources (60%), attracting research students (30%) and the quality and output of their research publications, assessed through a revised publications measure (10%). The research student component of the formula will be sensitive to the size and composition of the research student body in an institution and will be weighted to reflect cost differentials associated with broad fields of research.
The RTS will provide funding for institutions for research training based on their performance according to a formula comprising three elements: numbers of research students completing their degree (50%), research income (40%) and the revised publications measure (10%).
Formula-driven research funding schemes Guidelines, instructions, deadlines, refereed journals details and classification codes.
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Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) - Titles and Codes (Available via
ABS website ABS Catalogue number 1292.0.15.002)