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National Competitive Grants Program
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Linkage Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities
Selection Report for Funding Commencing in 2006
Overview
The objectives of the Linkage Infrastructure Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme are to:
- encourage organisations to develop collaborative arrangements among themselves, across the higher education sector and with organisations outside the sector, in order to develop research infrastructure;
- support large-scale cooperative initiatives involving two or more organisations, thereby allowing expensive facilities to be shared;
- enhance support for areas of research strength; or
- ensure that researchers in fields of recognised research potential have access to the support necessary for development.
Selection process
Applications for funding under LIEF are received annually. In early April 2005, the ARC called for applications under LIEF for funding commencing in 2006, with applications closing in late May 2005.
Selection Advisory Committee Membership
The LIEF Selection Advisory Committee comprised nine members of the ARC College of Experts.
Selection Meeting
Following the receipt of the Selection Advisory Committee report the ARC Board submitted recommendations to the Minister for his approval.
Selection criteria
The Selection Advisory Committee’s assessment of applications was based on the scheme’s selection criteria:
- need for Australian researchers to access the proposed equipment or facilities;
- excellence of the researchers and research activity to be supported;
- effectiveness of the cooperative arrangements between organisations, including access and resource sharing; and
- commitment of each collaborating organisation.
National Research Priorities
Applicants in this round identified 166 out of a total of 168 applications (98.8%) as being in one of the areas of National Research Priority. All applications approved for funding identified their projects as being in an area of National Research Priority.
Table 1: Numbers and success rates for LIEF applications by National Research Priority
| National Research Priority | applications received | applications approved | Success rate (%) | Funding |
| None Selected | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | $0 |
| An Environmentally Sustainable Australia | 37 | 18 | 48.6 | $4,545,367 |
| Promoting and Maintaining Good Health | 27 | 11 | 40.7 | $4,994,706 |
| Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries | 95 | 51 | 53.7 | $27,293,660 |
| Safeguarding Australia | 7 | 3 | 42.9 | $480,844 |
| Total priority applications | 166 | 83 | 50.0 | $37,314,577 |
| Total applications | 168 | 83 | 49.4 | $37,314,577 |
| Priority as % of total | 98.8 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
Duration of funding
Funding is normally for one year only. However, applications for multiple years of funding may be considered in the case of subscriptions to, or other payments in respect of, major international facilities. LIEF grants may be awarded for up to five years of funding, subject to parliamentary appropriation.
Summary of outcomes
Applications received
A total of 169 applications were received, of which one was withdrawn after the closing date for applications. A total of 168 applications seeking $79,689,949 in funding were considered.
Applications approved for funding
A total of 83 applications (49.4%) are approved for funding. These applications requested funding of $45,130,007 in total. Funding approved for these applications is $37,314,577 in total.
The success rate of 49.4% in this round is similar to the success rate in the last round (49.1%).
Applications not funded
A total of 74 applications were considered uncompetitive and are not approved.
Reserve applications
Eleven applications, in rank order of merit, are approved as “reserves” for funding if additional funds become available.
Grant size
The average ARC funding approved per application is $449,573 (82.7% of average request). These figures are broadly similar to the last round.
Table 2: Grant size
| Average funding per application | ||||
| Applications approved |
Amount requested | Amount approved |
Average funding | % of requested funds |
| 83 | $45,130,007 | $37,314,577 | $449,573.22 | 82.7 |
Research library collections and databases
Table 3 provides information on applications involving library or database projects. The approved applications in Table 3 do not include applications in the ranked reserve list.
Table 3: Library or database projects
| Applications received | |||||
| Applications considered | Requested funds (over the life of project) | Partner cash contribution (over the life of project) | |||
| 19 | $7,365,279 | $3,654,809 | |||
| Applications approved | |||||
| Applications approved | Success rate | Requested funds | Partner contribution (cash only) | ARC allocation | % of requested funds |
| 6 | 31.6% | $2,621,549 | $1,721,909 | $2,207,844 | 84.2% |
Applications by State/Territory
Table 4 shows applications and approved funding by State/Territory.
Table 4: Applications by State/Territory
| State | Applications received | Applications approved |
Success rate (%) | ARC allocation | % of total funds |
| ACT | 18 | 8 | 44.4% | $3,322,367 | 8.9% |
| NSW | 51 | 31 | 60.8% | $15,170,150 | 40.7% |
| Qld | 26 | 17 | 65.4% | $7,370,610 | 19.8% |
| SA | 15 | 4 | 26.7% | $1,585,000 | 4.2% |
| Tas | 7 | 1 | 14.3% | $262,706 | 0.7% |
| Vic | 38 | 17 | 44.7% | $7,684,744 | 20.6% |
| WA | 13 | 5 | 38.5% | $1,919,000 | 5.1% |
| Total | 168 | 83 | 49.4% | $37,314,577 | 100% |
Outcomes by organisation
Table 5 shows funding requests and contributions for all applications considered and for those applications approved for funding, by administering organisation.
Table 5: Funding requests and contributions by administering organisation
| Applications received | Applications approved | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Admin Organisation |
Rec'd | Req'd funding |
Partner contribut- ions (cash only) |
Approved | Req'd funding |
Partner contribution (cash only) | ARC allocation |
Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE) |
1 | $240,000 | $160,000 | 1 | $240,000 | $160,000 | $240,000 |
Australian Maritime College |
1 | $329,948 | $115,000 | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Curtin University of Technology |
4 | $950,679 | $568,000 | 1 | $300,000 | $225,000 | $290,000 |
Deakin University |
3 | $1,805,259 | $850,000 | 2 | $1,203,753 | $580,000 | $968,000 |
Griffith University |
3 | $837,768 | $585,000 | 3 | $837,768 | $585,000 | $660,000 |
James Cook University |
3 | $724,656 | $381,000 | 1 | $184,000 | $166,000 | $150,000 |
La Trobe University |
4 | $1,897,384 | $1,119,000 | 2 | $1,371,499 | $880,000 | $1,108,000 |
Macquarie University |
1 | $734,124 | $380,000 | 1 | $734,124 | $380,000 | $650,000 |
Monash University |
14 | $7,687,563 | $5,310,500 | 5 | $3,320,305 | $2,847,500 | $2,570,000 |
Murdoch University |
2 | $732,525 | $336,000 | 1 | $540,525 | $240,000 | $485,000 |
Queensland University of Technology |
5 | $2,171,600 | $1,610,163 | 4 | $1,865,113 | $1,508,000 | $1,610,000 |
Southern Cross University |
2 | $532,967 | $282,275 | 1 | $342,967 | $150,000 | $274,000 |
Swinburne University of Technology |
3 | $1,046,744 | $1,129,000 | 3 | $1,046,744 | $1,129,000 | $1,046,744 |
The Australian National University |
18 | $8,453,894 | $4,489,100 | 8 | $3,818,313 | $2,219,500 | $3,322,367 |
The Flinders University of South Australia |
3 | $2,649,480 | $1,590,000 | 1 | $1,119,800 | $850,000 | $800,000 |
The University of Adelaide |
11 | $4,857,639 | $2,610,312 | 3 | $910,565 | $518,312 | $785,000 |
The University of Melbourne |
13 | $5,900,190 | $3,552,963 | 5 | $2,485,772 | $1,783,000 | $1,992,000 |
The University of New England |
6 | $1,996,021 | $3,010,300 | 1 | $249,000 | $373,000 | $175,000 |
The University of New South Wales |
9 | $5,132,288 | $3,045,138 | 4 | $3,128,221 | $2,016,000 | $1,820,385 |
The University of Newcastle |
9 | $3,055,303 | $1,592,748 | 6 | $2,377,438 | $1,351,500 | $2,013,240 |
The University of Queensland |
14 | $8,121,859 | $6,083,000 | 9 | $6,190,171 | $4,842,000 | $4,950,610 |
The University of Sydney |
14 | $9,623,869 | $5,210,000 | 9 | $7,944,530 | $4,232,000 | $7,250,525 |
The University of Western Australia |
7 | $2,732,062 | $1,361,909 | 3 | $1,335,156 | $761,909 | $1,144,000 |
University of South Australia |
1 | $117,436 | $52,000 | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
University of Southern Queensland |
1 | $100,746 | $33,582 | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
University of Tasmania |
6 | $3,382,998 | $2,265,306 | 1 | $262,706 | $112,588 | $262,706 |
University of Technology, Sydney |
4 | $2,111,003 | $1,492,500 | 3 | $1,857,593 | $1,392,500 | $1,530,000 |
University of Western Sydney |
2 | $469,364 | $260,000 | 2 | $469,364 | $260,000 | $350,000 |
University of Wollongong |
3 | $994,580 | $774,913 | 3 | $994,580 | $774,913 | $867,000 |
Victoria University of Technology |
1 | $300,000 | $100,000 | 0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Total |
168 | $79,689,949 | $50,349,709 | 83 | $45,130,007 | $30,337,722 | $37,314,577 |
Note: The "approved" figures in Table 5 exclude applications in the reserve list.
Single-organisation applications
Individual administering organisations may be granted assistance to purchase a large item of equipment or major facility without a partner administering organisation in cases where this is justified. Single-organisation applications may include collaboration with an international university or other organisation or an Australian industry or government organisation. In the current funding round a total of 32 applications were submitted by single organisations. Of these, five have been approved for funding and two of these have industry, government or international partners.
Table 6 shows the success rate for single-organisation applications under the LIEF scheme (2002 to 2006).
Table 6: Infrastructure funded 2002 – 2006
| Year | All applications received | Single- organisation applications received | Single-organisation applications as a % of all applications | Single-organisation applications approved as a % of all approved applications |
| 2002 | 129 | 15 | 11.6% | 6.6% |
| 2003 | 121 | 20 | 16.5% | 10.4% |
| 2004 | 146 | 17 | 11.6% | 8.0% |
| 2005 | 159 | 21 | 13.2% | 7.1% |
| 2006 | 168 | 32 | 19.05% | 6.0% |
Collaboration
Table 7 categorises applications and approved funding by the number of organisations participating in the proposed projects and provides success rates. The term ‘organisation’ includes both universities and industry or other partner organisations named in applications.
Table 7: Applications received, applications approved, and success rates by number of participating organisations
| Number of organisations involved | Applications received | Applications approved |
Success rate (%) |
| 1 | 18 | 3 | 16.7 |
| 2 | 43 | 19 | 44.2 |
| 3 | 45 | 29 | 64.4 |
| 4 | 20 | 11 | 55.0 |
| 5 | 18 | 11 | 61.1 |
| 6 | 9 | 3 | 33.3 |
| 7 | 5 | 1 | 20.0 |
| 8 | 2 | 1 | 50.0 |
| 10 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 |
| 11 | 2 | 2 | 100.0 |
| 12 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 |
| 15 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 16 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 18 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 |
| 21 | 1 | 1 | 100.0 |
Figure 1 illustrates the incidences of collaboration in applications approved for funding.
Figure 1: Incidences of collaboration
Table 8 illustrates the involvement of individual organisations in applications approved for funding. A total of 39 universities and 111 other organisations were involved in applications approved for funding.
Table 8: Involvement of individual organisations
| Organisation | Incidences of involvement in received applications | Total cash contribution pledged (over life of project) |
Incidences of involvement in applications approved for funding |
Total cash contribution pledged in applications approved for funding (over life of project) |
| Australian Catholic University | 1 | $5,000 | 0 | |
| Australian Maritime College | 2 | $90,000 | 0 | |
| Central Queensland University | 1 | $80,000 | 1 | $80,000 |
| Charles Sturt University | 1 | $6,000 | 0 | |
| Curtin University of Technology | 13 | $446,000 | 6 | $245,000 |
| Deakin University | 13 | $865,500 | 6 | $398,000 |
| Edith Cowan University | 5 | $107,000 | 1 | $61,000 |
| Griffith University | 14 | $784,000 | 10 | $725,000 |
| James Cook University | 7 | $471,000 | 4 | $281,000 |
| La Trobe University | 9 | $1,015,000 | 3 | $630,000 |
| Macquarie University | 15 | $1,072,440 | 13 | $1,050,000 |
| Monash University | 33 | $4,831,716 | 17 | $3,017,716 |
| Murdoch University | 6 | $341,000 | 3 | $231,000 |
| Queensland University of Technology | 13 | $1,501,000 | 9 | $1,410,000 |
| RMIT University | 11 | $640,000 | 4 | $265,000 |
| Southern Cross University | 3 | $392,275 | 2 | $260,000 |
| Swinburne University of Technology | 10 | $760,500 | 7 | $734,000 |
| The Australian National University | 33 | $3,780,413 | 19 | $2,353,413 |
| The Flinders University of South Australia | 12 | $1,410,000 | 5 | $760,000 |
| The University of Adelaide | 21 | $1,962,312 | 8 | $581,312 |
| The University of Melbourne | 34 | $3,400,523 | 18 | $2,217,500 |
| The University of New England | 10 | $2,767,100 | 2 | $142,000 |
| The University of New South Wales | 33 | $4,230,808 | 21 | $2,773,250 |
| The University of Newcastle | 19 | $1,103,748 | 11 | $747,500 |
| The University of Queensland | 37 | $4,809,600 | 22 | $3,593,000 |
| The University of Sydney | 41 | $3,846,780 | 27 | $2,981,000 |
| The University of Western Australia | 20 | $1,359,193 | 8 | $793,193 |
| University of Ballarat | 1 | $4,000 | 0 | |
| University of Canberra | 1 | $10,000 | 1 | $10,000 |
| University of South Australia | 12 | $473,163 | 3 | $162,000 |
| University of Southern Queensland | 2 | $38,582 | 1 | $10,000 |
| University of Tasmania | 10 | $1,299,306 | 2 | $142,588 |
| University of Technology, Sydney | 12 | $741,000 | 9 | $631,000 |
| University of the Sunshine Coast | 1 | $15,000 | 0 | |
| University of Western Sydney | 7 | $283,000 | 4 | $210,000 |
| University of Wollongong | 9 | $633,500 | 7 | $578,500 |
| Victoria University of Technology | 2 | $80,000 | 0 | |
| All Other Organisations | 111 | $4,693,250 | 57 | $2,263,750 |
| Total | 585 | $50,349,709 | 311 | $30,337,722 |
Scheme Budget
The following allocations from the LIEF budget are approved for new grants to commence in 2006.
| 2006 | 2007 | Total |
| $35,793,377 | $1,521,200 | $37,314,577 |
