Fact Sheet—International Research Collaboration

International Research Collaboration

The Australian Research Council (ARC) is committed to creating and enhancing international research collaboration opportunities. The ARC undertakes a range of international activities including provision of support for international research collaboration through all ARC funding schemes and regular engagement with research funding agencies overseas.

In supporting international research collaboration, the ARC’s overarching aim is to maximise Australia’s contribution to and benefits from international research partnerships, developments and policy.

The ARC is committed to:

• providing funding opportunities for international research collaboration through the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP), including direct support to Australian institutions to facilitate new and ongoing opportunities for international research collaboration
• maintaining strong linkages with research funding agencies overseas to share best practice in policy development and program delivery
• providing robust and reliable information for potential overseas partners in research collaboration through the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) program, which evaluates Australia’s research performance nationally and internationally at a discipline level in eligible higher education institutions. Please visit the ERA webpage for further information.

Opportunities

All ARC funding schemes are open to Australian and international researchers, provided they apply through an eligible Australian institution. ARC funding schemes provide a variety of opportunities to support international research collaboration.

Discovery Projects scheme supports excellent research by individual researchers or research teams. International researchers are eligible to apply for funding as Partner Investigators.

Discovery Early Career Researcher Awards support excellent research by early career researchers in both teaching and research, and research-only positions in Australia.

Australian Laureate Fellowships support ground-breaking research and provide incentives for outstanding world-class researchers and research leaders to take up key positions in Australia.

Future Fellowships support research in areas of critical national importance by outstanding mid-career researchers.

ARC Centres of Excellence are prestigious foci of expertise that promote a high level of national and international collaboration by world class research teams who investigate and find solutions to challenging and important Australian and international problems. As part of the scheme’s specific selection criteria, funding proposals must specify how the proposed Centre will build effective and high quality national and international partnerships, exchanges and networks.

Linkage Projects scheme supports collaborative research projects with organisations outside the higher education sector (government, industry, business and other end-users of research). Overseas organisations are eligible to be partner organisations.

Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities scheme supports existing and emerging research areas by providing funding for large scale cooperative initiatives so that expensive infrastructure, equipment and facilities can be shared between higher education organisations and industry.

Industrial Transformation Research Program encourages and supports university-based researchers and industry to work together to find solutions to a range of priority issues facing Australian industries.

• Industrial Transformation Research Hubs support eligible organisations to engage in cutting-edge research on new technologies and economic, commercial and social transformation. As part of the scheme’s specific selection criteria, funding proposals must specify whether the project will conduct a wide level of collaboration, including the development of national and international networks and linkages.
• Industrial Transformation Training Centres foster close partnerships between university-based researchers and other research end-users. They support Higher Degree by Research students and post-doctoral researchers in gaining real world practical skills and experience through placements in industry.

The current funding rules for each scheme are available on the Funding Rules webpage.

For more information on opportunities for international researchers wishing to collaborate on research projects with Australian researchers, and for Australian researchers wishing to conduct research overseas, please visit the International webpage.

Researchers interested in applying for ARC funding should liaise with an eligible Australian institution.

Further Information:         

Visit the Australian Research Council website, email at info[@]arc.gov.au, or telephone +61 2 6287 6600

 
This information was current at publishing on 12 September 2016.