Australian Laureate Fellowships

The Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme reflects the Commonwealth’s commitment to support excellence in research by attracting world-class researchers and research leaders to key positions, and creating new rewards and incentives for the application of their talents in Australia.  

Open to applications from outstanding researchers of international repute, the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme encourages proposals involving Australian or international researchers by providing eligible Australian Laureate Fellows with project funding in addition to a salary supplement and salary-related (on-cost) support.

The objectives of the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme are to:

• attract and retain outstanding researchers and research leaders of international reputation
• support ground-breaking, internationally competitive research
• provide an excellent research training environment and exemplary mentorship to nurture early-career researchers
• forge strong links among researchers, the international research community and/or industry
• expand Australia’s knowledge base and research capability
• enhance the scale and focus of research in the Science and Research Priorities.

Up to 17 five-year Australian Laureate Fellowships may be awarded each year, providing a salary supplement, in addition to a Level E professorial salary provided by the Administering Organisation; funding for up to two Postdoctoral Research Associates (five years) and two Postgraduate Researchers (four years); and up to $300,000 per annum project funding.

Project funding may be used for: personnel, postdoctoral research associates and research assistants, technicians and laboratory attendants; access to research and infrastructure facilities and technical workshop services; essential field research; expert third party services; equipment and consumables; publication and dissemination of outputs and outreach; specialised computer equipment and software; travel costs essential to the project; web hosting and development; workshops, focus groups and conferences; and reasonable essential extraordinary costs for researchers who are carers or who themselves require care.

Australian Laureate Fellowships include fellowships allocated to exceptional female researchers who will also undertake an ambassadorial role to promote women in research and to mentor early career researchers, particularly women, to encourage them to enter and establish a career in research in Australia. Preference will be given to researchers who will play a significant, sustained leadership and mentoring role in building Australia's internationally competitive research capacity.

One call for submission of Australian Laureate Fellowships proposals is made each year.

Two named Australian Laureate Fellowships may be awarded to successful female Australian Laureate Fellows for funding commencing in 2018. A Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship will be available to a highly ranked female candidate from the humanities, arts and social science disciplines, and a Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship will be available to a highly ranked female candidate from the science and technology disciplines. Please visit the profile page for Kathleen Fitzpatrick and Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellows for further information on their research, ambassadorial and mentoring role.

How are the Georgina Sweet and Kathleen Fitzpatrick Laureate Fellowships assessed?

The assessment for these prestigious Fellowships takes place in two stages. Applicants who have indicated interest in either a Georgina Sweet or Kathleen Fitzpatrick Fellowship must first be successful as an Australian Laureate Fellow. Only when the Selection Advisory Committee has recommended them as Australian Laureate Fellows will an applicant be assessed for a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship or a Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship.

The Selection Advisory Committee considers how the applicants will deliver their ambassadorial role based on a description of the activities that will be undertaken to promote and support women in research. Only candidates who can clearly demonstrate their capacity to promote women in research, mentor early career researchers, particularly women, and encourage them to enter and establish careers in research in Australia will be recommended for a Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship or a Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship.