Section Navigation
National Competitive Grants Program
Breadcrumb Navigation
Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme: An overview
- Who are Australian Laureate Fellows?
- Selection Criteria
- What are the objectives of Australian Laureate Fellowships?
- Funding for Australian Laureate Fellowships
- Types of research
- Assessment of proposals
- Rejoinders
Who are Australian Laureate Fellows?
Australian Laureate Fellows will be researchers of international repute who will play a significant, sustained leadership and mentoring 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.
Up to two additional Australian Laureate Fellowships may be awarded to successful female Australian Laureate Fellows for funding commencing in 2013. Recipients will be provided with both the Australian Laureate Fellowship funding plus additional funding to undertake an ambassadorial role to promote women in research.
A Kathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship will be available to a highly ranked female candidate from the humanities, arts and social sciences disciplines.
A Georgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship will be available to a highly ranked female candidate from the science and technology disciplines.
Selection Criteria
Eligible Organisations and Australian Laureate 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 40%
- Project/Program of research activity 30%
- Mentoring/Capacity Building 30%
What are the objectives of Australian Laureate Fellowships?
The objectives of the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme are to:
- attract and retain outstanding researchers and research leaders of international repute;
- build and strengthen world-class research capability in Australia;
- provide an excellent research training environment and exemplary mentorship to nurture early-career researchers;
- expand Australia’s knowledge base by supporting ground-breaking, internationally competitive research;
- forge strong links among researchers, the international research community and/or industry; and
- support research that will result in economic, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia.
Funding for Australian Laureate Fellowships
The Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme supports and encourages researchers of international repute to conduct research of significant national economic, environmental, cultural and social benefit.
Australian Laureate Fellows commencing in 2013 will receive a salary supplement from the ARC of $114,170 per annum (plus 28 per cent on-costs) with a standard tenure of five years. The Administering Organisation will appoint the Australian Laureate Fellow and provide a salary equivalent to a professor (Level E) or equivalent salary.
In addition to a salary supplement and salary-related (on-cost) support, the ARC may provide Australian Laureate Fellows with Project Funding of up to $300,000 per annum and additional funding to appoint up to two postdoctoral research associates and up to two postgraduate researchers.
Types of research
Research is defined by the Australian Research Council as the creation of new knowledge and/or the use of existing knowledge in a new and creative way so as to generate new concepts, methodologies and understandings. This could include synthesis and analysis of previous research to the extent that it is new and creative.
This definition of research is consistent with the broad notion of research and experimental development (R&D) as comprising creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of humanity, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise [innovative] applications*.
*OECD (2002), Frascati Manual: Proposed Standard Practice for Surveys on Research and Experimental Development, Paris.
Assessment of proposals
The review of proposals is undertaken by the ARC's Australian Laureate Fellowships Selection Advisory Committee (SAC). The SAC considers assessments provided by readers with relevant expertise (including members of the ARC College and peer reviewers). The SAC's recommendations are submitted to the ARC's CEO and, recommendations are made to the Minister responsible for research for decision.
The degree to which a proposed project would contribute to the Government’s National Research Priority areas and Priority Goals will be considered during the assessment of proposals.
Rejoinders
Assessors’ written comments, if obtained, may be provided to applicants to allow the opportunity for a rejoinder to the comments. Names of assessors are not provided. A period of up to 2 weeks is given to submit a rejoinder to the ARC. For more information on the Rejoinder process, please visit Assessor Reports & Rejoinders.
For more information, visit Australian Laureate Fellowships.
07/12/12
