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15 October 2008
$288 million in research funding for 845 Discovery Projects
The Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research today announced total funding of over $288 million awarded to 845 projects under the Australian Research Council's Discovery Projects scheme.
"The Australian Government is committed to supporting innovative research that will broaden Australia’s knowledge base and enhance Australia’s international competitiveness," Senator Carr said.
"These 845 projects will lead to major discoveries aimed at providing an environmentally sustainable Australia, promoting and maintaining good health, enhancing frontier technologies for building and transforming Australian industries, and safeguarding Australia."
"It is critical to Australia's future that we nurture the talents of our most promising researchers while supporting the best established researchers." The Discovery Projects scheme funds excellence in fundamental research, with 37.4 per cent of total funding awarded to projects involving early-career researchers."
The Government is keen to promote greater international collaboration on research funded through the ARC. This funding round will support Australian research collaboration with 68 countries.
The Discovery Projects scheme is part of the Australian Research Council's National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP). Applications for NCGP funding are subject to a rigorous, independent peer review process that considers factors such as the researcher's track record and capacity to undertake the work, the significance and innovation of the proposed research, the approach to be taken training opportunities to be made available, and national benefit.
A summary of the Discovery Projects scheme 2009 funding is below. For more information, visit www.arc.gov.au/ncgp/
Media contacts:
Catriona Jackson Minister's office 0417
142 238
Sheena Ireland ARC 0412
623 056
Summary of Discovery Projects 2009 funding
- Total ARC funding for Discovery Projects in this round is $288,435,583.
- Average funding per project increased by 1% on the previous funding round to $341,344.
- Total number of successful projects is 845.
- 508 projects foreshadow 1116 incidences of international collaboration with researchers in 68 countries. The majority of collaborations will take place with the USA (281 projects).
- 37.4 per cent of the funding awarded went to projects where one or more of the participants were Early-Career Researchers (five years or less from completion of their PhD).
- 23.3 per cent of participants in funded projects are women.
- 195 Fellowships are recommended for funding.
Funding by ARC discipline panel:
| Approved funds over project life | Percentage of total funding | |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Sciences and Biotechnology | $56,867,639 | 19.7% |
| Engineering and Environmental Sciences | $41,496,773 | 14.4% |
| Humanities and Creative Arts | $40,954,314 | 14.2% |
| Mathematics, Information and Communication Sciences | $39,991,828 | 13.9% |
| Physics, Chemistry and Geoscience | $62,254,867 | 21.6% |
| Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences | $46,870,162 | 16.2% |
Projects in the ARC discipline panel Physics, Chemistry and Geoscience will receive the highest funding at $62,254,867.
Projects in National Research Priority areas:
| Approved funds over project life | Number of projects | |
|---|---|---|
| An Environmentally Sustainable Australia | $42,634,772 | 122 projects |
| Promoting and Maintaining Good Health | $52,778,392 | 164 projects |
| Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries | $134,318,588 | 357 projects |
| Safeguarding Australia | $34,746,772 | 117 projects |
| Total National Research Priority | $264,478,524 | 845 projects |
89.9 per cent of successful Discovery Projects proposals are considered by the applicants to lie in the National Research Priority areas.
State/Territory outcomes
| Success rate (%) | Funding ($) | |
|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 21.2% | $104,680,108 |
| Victoria | 19.4% | $68,864,294 |
| Queensland | 20.7% | $47,548,231 |
| Australian Capital Territory | 27.1% | $32,722,780 |
| Western Australia | 16.5% | $16,664,184 |
| South Australia | 17.6% | $13,503,846 |
| Tasmania | 12.6% | $4,167,140 |
| Northern Territory | 20% | $285,000 |
Investment by Organisation
| Administering organisation | Funded projects | Indicative funding over project life | Share of funding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Catholic University | 1 | $140,000 | 0.05% |
| Bond University | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Central Queensland University | 1 | $147,000 | 0.05% |
| Charles Darwin University | 1 | $285,000 | 0.10% |
| Charles Sturt University | 2 | $425,000 | 0.15% |
| CSIRO - Livestock Industries | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| CSIRO - Molecular Science | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| CSIRO - Plant Industry | 1 | $235,773 | 0.08% |
| Curtin University of Technology | 12 | $3,187,160 | 1.10% |
| Deakin University | 8 | $1,841,943 | 0.64% |
| Edith Cowan University | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Flinders University | 10 | $3,219,903 | 1.12% |
| Griffith University | 17 | $5,470,000 | 1.90% |
| James Cook University | 6 | $1,980,000 | 0.69% |
| La Trobe University | 8 | $2,039,183 | 0.71% |
| Macquarie University | 21 | $6,807,035 | 2.36% |
| Melbourne College of Divinity | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Monash University | 66 | $20,123,948 | 6.98% |
| Murdoch Childrens Research Institute | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Murdoch University | 8 | $1,705,414 | 0.59% |
| Museum Victoria | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Queensland Museum | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| Queensland University of Technology | 14 | $3,611,000 | 1.25% |
| RMIT University | 14 | $3,939,028 | 1.37% |
| Southern Cross University | 1 | $380,000 | 0.13% |
| Swinburne University of Technology | 10 | $2,501,934 | 0.87% |
| The Australian Museum | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| The Australian National University | 86 | $32,017,007 | 11.10% |
| The Australian Wine Research Institute | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| The University of Adelaide | 25 | $7,630,943 | 2.65% |
| The University of Melbourne | 104 | $37,471,712 | 12.99% |
| The University of New England | 3 | $485,000 | 0.17% |
| The University of New South Wales | 78 | $27,310,860 | 9.47% |
| The University of Newcastle | 18 | $6,632,564 | 2.30% |
| The University of Notre Dame Australia | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| The University of Queensland | 93 | $35,780,231 | 12.40% |
| The University of Sydney | 124 | $45,847,060 | 15.90% |
| The University of Western Australia | 32 | $11,771,610 | 4.08% |
| The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research | 2 | $471,546 | 0.16% |
| University of Ballarat | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| University of Canberra | 2 | $470,000 | 0.16% |
| University of South Australia | 12 | $2,653,000 | 0.92% |
| University of Southern Queensland | 2 | $560,000 | 0.19% |
| University of Tasmania | 11 | $4,167,140 | 1.44% |
| University of Technology, Sydney | 16 | $5,103,514 | 1.77% |
| University of the Sunshine Coast | 0 | $0 | 0.00% |
| University of Western Sydney | 11 | $2,899,500 | 1.01% |
| University of Wollongong | 23 | $8,649,575 | 3.00% |
| Victoria University | 2 | $475,000 | 0.16% |
| 845 | $288,435,583 |
