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Federation Fellowships scheme: An overview
- Who are Federation Fellows?
- Selection Criteria
- What are the objectives of Federation Fellowships?
- Funding for Federation Fellowships
- Types of research
- Assessment of proposals
Who are Federation Fellows?
Federation Fellows are researchers of international standing who will play a leadership role in building Australia's international competitive research capacity. The ARC particularly encourages proposals from women, early- to mid-career researchers, and from researchers currently working overseas
Selection Criteria
Applicants and Federation Fellowship candidates should refer to the Funding Rules for selection criteria
and information on the selection process.
In summary, the selection criteria for Fellowships are:
- Investigator 50%
- Project/Program of research activity 50%
What are the objectives of Federation Fellowships?
The objectives of the Federation Fellowships scheme are to:
- attract and retain outstanding researchers of international renown;
- build and strengthen world-class research capability in Australia;
- expand Australia's knowledge base by supporting ground-breaking, internationally competitive research;
- forge strong links among researchers, industry and the international research community; and
- support research that will result in economic, environmental, social or cultural benefits for Australia.
Funding for Federation Fellowships
By providing an internationally competitive salary, the Federation Fellowships scheme supports and encourage researchers of international renown to conduct research of significant national economic, environmental, cultural and social benefit.
Federation Fellows commencing in 2008 will receive an annual salary of around A$256,000 (plus on-costs which include superannuation) with a standard tenure of five years.
The Federation Fellowships scheme particularly encourages researchers currently working overseas by offering, in addition to salary support, some eligible successful applicants with Start-up Project Funding of up to $500,000. Start-up Project Funding is to assist researchers who may not have had access to ARC funding in the past.
Administering Organisations must also provide a high level of financial support (cash and in-kind) to support Federation Fellows.
Types of research
The Federation Fellowships scheme support excellent research by world-class researchers, including:
- pure basic research which is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge without looking for long-term benefits other than the advancement of knowledge;
- strategic basic research which is experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge directed into specified broad areas that are expected to lead to useful discoveries. Such research provides the broad base of knowledge necessary to solve recognised practical problems; and
- applied research which is original work undertaken primarily to acquire new knowledge with a specific application in view. Such research is undertaken either to determine possible uses for the findings of basic research or to determine new ways of achieving some specific and predetermined objectives.
Assessment of proposals
Assessment of proposals is undertaken by the ARC's Federation Fellowships Selection Advisory Committees (SAC). The SAC is informed by assessments provided by readers with relevant expertise (including members of the ARC College of Experts, Australian readers and International readers). The Committee's recommendations are submitted to the ARC's CEO and, subject to her/his views, to the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research for decision.
In assessing proposals for Federation Fellowships, the Committee considers, in particular, the proposed investigator and project/program of research activity. The strength of the proposed host organisation's commitment is also an important factor in the granting of Federation Fellowships.
Assessment of the degree to which a proposed project would contribute to the Government's National Research Priority areas and Priority Goals informs the assessment process.
For more information, visit Discovery Federation Fellowships.
4/3/08
