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Linkage International
ARC International Fellowships
Selection Report for Funding Commencing in 2009
Overview
Objectives
Selection Process
Selection Criteria
Funding Levels and Duration
National Research Priorities
Summary of Selection Outcomes
Types of ARCIF Proposals
International Collaboration
Selection Outcomes by Administering Organisation
Overview
Linkage International comprises two elements:
- ARC International Fellowships (ARCIFs), comprising:
- ARCIFs to fund overseas researchers to work in Australia; and
- ARCIFs to fund Australian researchers to work in overseas institutions.
- Internationally Coordinated Initiatives: collaborative initiatives between the ARC and overseas funding agencies to fund collaborative research proposals in targeted areas of research as defined for each specific initiative.
The selection round for Linkage International ARCIFs for funding commencing in 2009 consisted of 86 proposals.
Objectives
The objectives of Linkage International are to:
- build collaborations among researchers, research teams and/or research centres of excellence in Australia and overseas;
- generate opportunities for researchers to participate in leading-edge international research networks and strengthen their international research experience;
- build Australian research capability by enhancing existing and developing new collaborations among researchers;
- develop innovative modes of international collaboration; and
- foster participation in global innovation networks.
Selection Process
The closing date for Linkage International ARCIFs proposals was 23 May 2008. Assessment of proposals was undertaken by a Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) comprising members of the Australian Research Councils College of Experts (CoE). The SAC was informed and advised by assessments provided by readers who had relevant expertise. Those readers were members of the ARC CoE and Australian Readers. The Linkage International SAC:
- ranked each proposal relative to the others on the basis of the proposal, the assessors’ reports and applicants’ responses to those assessments;
- assessed and recommended budgets; and
- prepared funding recommendations for submission to the CEO of the ARC.
The CEO considered the recommendations of the ARC's College of Experts SAC before making recommendations to the Minister who, in accordance with the Australian Research Council Act 2001, determined the funding outcomes.
Selection Criteria
The assessment of proposals was based on scheme’s selection criteria:
- ARCIF candidates track record relative to opportunities and capacity to undertake the proposed research and collaborative activities 30%
- significance, innovation and approach 30%
- collaboration, strengths and benefits 30%
- national benefit 10%
Funding Levels and Duration
Funding for Linkage International ARCIFs may be awarded for up to 12 months.
National Research Priorities
Of the 86 Linkage International proposals considered in this round, 77 (89.5%) were identified by the applicants as addressing a National Research Priority. Of those 77 proposals, 27 are approved for funding, representing 87.1% of the total 31 proposals approved for funding.
The overall commitment for approved proposals addressing National Research Priorities is $2,094,644 (91.1% of the total approved funding).
The greatest amount of approved funding ($1,461,414) is for projects in the area of Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries.
Table 1: Numbers of proposals and success rates for Linkage International ARCIFs by National Research Priority
National Research Priority Area |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate % |
Funding approved $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
None selected |
9 |
4 |
44.4% |
$205,268 |
An Environmentally Sustainable Australia |
16 |
3 |
18.75% |
$270,230 |
Promoting and Maintaining Good Health |
10 |
3 |
30% |
$204,000 |
Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries |
44 |
18 |
40.9% |
$1,461,414 |
Safeguarding Australia |
7 |
3 |
42.9% |
$159,000 |
Total proposals |
86 |
31 |
36.0% |
$2,299,912 |
Total priority proposals |
77 |
27 |
35.1% |
$2,094,644 |
% within priority areas |
90.7% |
87.1% |
97.5% |
91.1% |
Summary of Selection Outcomes
The ARC received 87 proposals, of which 1 was withdrawn after submission. Of the 86 proposals considered for funding commencing in 2009, 31 are approved for funding and 55 are not approved for funding. On the basis of the approved proposals, the overall success rate for proposals is 36.0%, compared with the 28.9% success rate for proposals considered for funding in 2008.
Table 2: Numbers of proposals and success rates for Linkage International ARCIFs for funding commencing in calendar years 2005 to 2009
Number of proposals |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Received |
46 |
80 |
80 |
76 |
87 |
Withdrawn |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Funded |
19 |
20 |
22 |
22 |
31 |
Success Rate % |
41.3% |
25.3% |
27.5% |
28.9% |
36.0% |
Table 3: Numbers of proposals and success rates for Linkage International ARCIFs, by discipline panel
Discipline panel* |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Proposals not approved for funding |
Success rate % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BSB |
14 |
6 |
8 |
42.9% |
EE |
19 |
7 |
12 |
36.8% |
HCA |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0% |
MIC |
14 |
5 |
9 |
35.7% |
PCG |
28 |
10 |
18 |
35.7% |
SBE |
10 |
3 |
7 |
30% |
Total |
86 |
31 |
55 |
36.0% |
*BSB = Biological Sciences and Biotechnology; EE = Engineering and Environmental Sciences; HCA = Humanities and Creative Arts; MIC = Mathematics, Information and Communication Sciences; PCG = Physics, Chemistry and Geoscience; SBE = Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences
The average funding per approved proposal is $74,191. The corresponding figure for 2008 was $90,909.
Table 4: Average funding per ARCIF, for funding commencing in calendar years 2005 to 2009
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Average funding $ |
$87,948 |
$83,065 |
$80,208 |
$90,909 |
$74,191 |
Table 5: Funding requested and approved for Linkage International ARCIFs, by discipline panel
Discipline panel* |
Total requested over project life (all proposals) $ |
Total requested over project life (approved proposals) $ |
Total approved over project life $ |
Total approved funding as % of funding requested (approved proposals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
BSB |
$1,294,464 |
$499,216 |
$456,000 |
91.3% |
EE |
$1,714,027 |
$665,959 |
$560,294 |
84.1% |
HCA |
$53,296 |
$0 |
$0 |
0% |
MIC |
$1,295,333 |
$359,953 |
$352,458 |
97.9% |
PCG |
$2,797,452 |
$881,975 |
$793,160 |
89.9% |
SBE |
$660,436 |
$156,727 |
$138,000 |
88.1% |
Total |
$7,815,008 |
$2,563,830 |
$2,299,912 |
89.7% |
*BSB = Biological Sciences and Biotechnology; EE = Engineering and Environmental Sciences; HCA = Humanities and Creative Arts; MIC = Mathematics, Information and Communication Sciences; PCG = Physics, Chemistry and Geoscience; SBE = Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences
Table 6: Funding for approved Linkage International ARCIFs
Number of proposals approved |
Amount requested for approved proposals |
Amount approved |
Average funding per approved proposal |
|---|---|---|---|
31 |
$2,563,830 |
2008 - 09 = $1,149,956 |
$74,191 |
2009 - 10 = $1,149,956 |
|||
Total = $2,299,912 |
Scheme Budget
The following table shows funds for approved Linkage International ARCIFs proposals for commencement in 2009.
Table 7: Funding allocations for approved Linkage International ARCIFs, by financial year
2008-09 |
2009-10 |
Total |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Funding Allocations |
$1,149,956 |
$1,149,956 |
$2,299,912 |
ARCIF Proposals
The Linkage International ARCIFs approved for funding commencing in 2009, by ARCIF type, are shown in Table 8.
Table 8: Numbers of proposals and success rates for Linkage International ARCIFs, by ARCIF type
ARCIF type |
Proposals received |
Proposals approved |
Success rate % |
|---|---|---|---|
Overseas researchers to work in Australia |
65 |
23 |
35.4% |
Australian researchers to work in overseas institutions |
21 |
8 |
38.1% |
Total |
86 |
31 |
36.0% |
International Collaboration
Participants on Linkage International ARCIF proposals are asked to indicate which countries will be involved in the proposed collaborations. There were 35 instances of international collaboration reported within the 31 approved proposals. For funding commencing in 2009 the highest incidence of international collaboration was with the United States of America, followed by the Canada and China, as indicated in Table 9.
Table 9: Instances of international collaboration on approved Linkage International ARCIF proposals for calendar years 2005 to 2009
Countries |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Austria |
1 |
1 |
|||
Belgium |
1 |
||||
Bulgaria |
1 |
||||
Canada |
4 |
1 |
4 |
||
China, Peoples Republic |
3 |
2 |
4 |
||
Denmark |
1 |
1 |
|||
France |
5 |
8 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
Germany |
3 |
6 |
3 |
5 |
|
Hong Kong |
1 |
||||
India |
1 |
||||
Israel |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
Italy |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||
Japan |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Korea, Republic of |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
Liechtenstein |
1 |
||||
Malaysia |
1 |
||||
New Zealand |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Netherlands, The |
3 |
||||
Norway |
1 |
||||
Papua New Guinea |
1 |
||||
Poland |
1 |
1 |
|||
Puerto Rico |
1 |
||||
Spain |
1 |
||||
Sweden |
2 |
2 |
2 |
||
Switzerland |
1 |
2 |
|||
Ukraine |
1 |
||||
United Kingdom |
4 |
5 |
2 |
3 |
|
United States of America |
7 |
2 |
7 |
12 |
|
Total |
11 |
44 |
31 |
29 |
35 |
Selection Outcomes by Administering Organisation
The following table shows proposal numbers and total ARC funding by Administering Organisation for Linkage International ARCIFs for funding commencing in 2009.
Table 10: Number of Linkage International ARCIF proposals and success rates, for funding commencing in 2009, by Administering Organisation
Administering Organisation
| Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate % |
Funding approved $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Central Queensland University |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Charles Sturt University |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Curtin University |
4 |
1 |
25 |
54,000 |
Flinders University |
1 |
1 |
100 |
110,000 |
Macquarie University |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Monash University |
8 |
4 |
50 |
335,164 |
Murdoch University |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Newcastle University |
1 |
1 |
100 |
46,000 |
Queensland University of Technology |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
RMIT University |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Swinburne University |
5 |
4 |
80 |
325,160 |
The Australian National University |
12 |
3 |
25 |
217,090 |
The University of Melbourne |
7 |
3 |
42.9 |
187,268 |
The University of New England |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
The University of Queensland |
11 |
7 |
63.6 |
470,230 |
The University of Sydney |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
The University of New South Wales |
7 |
2 |
28.6 |
143,000 |
The University of Western Australia |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
University of South Australia |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
University of Tasmania |
2 |
1 |
50 |
60,000 |
University of Wollongong |
5 |
4 |
80 |
352,000 |
Victoria University |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Total |
86 |
31 |
36 |
$2,299,912 |
