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Linkage International
Social Sciences Collaboration (SSC)
Selection Report for funding commencing in 2009
Overview
Objectives
Selection Process
Selection Criteria
Funding Levels and Duration
Summary of Selection Outcomes
National Research Priorities
International Collaboration
Selection Outcomes by Administering Organisation
Scheme Budget by Financial Year
Overview
Linkage International comprises two elements:
- Australian Research Council 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 Australian Research Council (ARC) and overseas funding agencies to fund collaborative research proposals in targeted areas of research as defined for each specific initiative.
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 LX-SSC Proposals was 4 June 2008. Assessment of proposals was undertaken by a Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) comprising members of the ARC 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 and International 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 Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ARC.
Prior to finalising recommendations the ARC consulted with the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) in the UK regarding the relative merit of counterpart proposals. Only those proposals where the counterpart proposal has also been approved are recommended for funding.
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
Assessment of proposals was based on the following criteria and weightings:
- Investigators, including track record, capacity to undertake the
proposed collaborative research and commitments to other research
programs and duties 40% - Nature and merit of the proposal 60%
- Aims and approach (25%)
- Significance and innovation (25%)
- National Benefit (10%)
Funding Levels and Duration
Proposals may be awarded funding for up to five years subject to parliamentary appropriation. All proposals submitted in the 2008 round requested between one and three years of funding, with 95.7 per cent of proposals submitted requesting two or three years of funding.
Summary of Selection Outcomes
Of the 23 proposals considered for funding commencing in 2009, two are approved for funding, 21 are not approved for funding. On the basis of these approved proposals, the overall success rate for proposals is 8.7% compared with 16.7% success rate for proposals considered for funding in 2008.
Under a bilateral agreement the ARC and ESRC aim to fund the highest quality collaborative research projects in support of social science research within their own countries. Each Council conducts its own funding program for counterpart proposals, with no guarantee that if a proposal is successful under one Council its counterpart will be funded. For funding commencing in 2008 the ESRC recommended seven counterpart proposals for funding. For funding commencing in 2009 the ESRC recommended two counterpart proposals. This is reflected in the current success rate.
Table 1: Numbers and success rates for LX-SSC proposals for funding commencing in calendar years 2007 to 2009
Number of proposals |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Received | 25 | 42 | 23 |
| Withdrawn | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Funded | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| Success Rate % | 16% | 16.7% | 8.7% |
National Research Priorities
Of the 23 LX-SSC proposals considered in this round, 21 (91.3%) were identified by the applicants as addressing a National Research Priority. Of those 21 proposals, one is approved for funding, representing 50% of the total two proposals approved for funding addressing a National Research Priority. The approved proposal addresses the National Research Priority Safeguarding Australia.
The overall commitment for approved proposals addressing National Research Priorities is $152,000 (68.8% of the total funding).
Table 2: Numbers and success rates for LX-SSC proposals for funding commencing in 2009, by National Research Priority
National Research Priority |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate % |
Funding approved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| None selected | 2 | 1 | 50% | $69,000 |
| An Environmentally Sustainable Australia | - | - | - | |
| Promoting and Maintaining Good Health | 12 | - | - | |
| Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries | 4 | - | - | |
| Safeguarding Australia | 5 | 1 | 20% | $152,000 |
| Total proposals | 23 | 2 | 8.70% | $221,000 |
| Total priority proposals | 21 | 1 | 4.80% | $152,000 |
| % within priority area | 91.30% | 50% | 50% | 68.70% |
Table 3: Numbers of proposals and success rates for LX-SSC proposals for funding commencing in 2009, by discipline panel
Discipline panel* |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Proposals not approved for funding |
Success rate % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HCA | 4 | - | 4 | - |
| SBE | 19 | 2 | 17 | 10.50% |
| Total | 23 | 2 | 21 | 8.70% |
*HCA = Humanities and Creative Arts; SBE = Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences
Table 4: Funding requested and approved for LX-SSC proposals for funding commencing in 2009, by discipline panel
Discipline panel |
Total funding requested over project life for all proposals considered |
Total funding requested over project life for all approved proposals |
Total funding approved |
Total funding approved as % of total funding requested for approved proposals % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBE | $3,326,144 | $234,432 | $221,000 | 94.30% |
| HCA | $886,555 | - | - | - |
| Total | $4,212,699 | $234,432 | $221,000 | 94.30% |
Table 5: Funding approved for LX-SSC proposals for funding commencing in 2009
Number of proposals approved |
Total amount requested for approved proposals |
Funding approved over project life |
Average funding per approved proposal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | $234,432 | $221,000 | $110,500 |
The average allocation per approved proposal is $110,500. The corresponding figure for 2008 was $95,565.
International Collaboration
Participants on Linkage International proposals are asked to indicate which countries will be involved in the proposed collaborations. There were 27 instances of international collaboration reported within the 23 proposals considered. The ARC and ESRC called for proposals to stimulate collaborations between Australia-based and UK researchers. All 23 proposals reported international collaboration with the UK. Consequently, for funding commencing in 2009, the highest incidence of international collaboration was with the United Kingdom followed by Canada, Finland and India, as indicated in Table 6.
Table 6: Instances of international collaboration on approved LX-SSC proposals for calendar years 2007 to 2009
Country |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | - | 1 | 2 |
| Finland | - | - | 1 |
| India | - | 1 | 1 |
| United Kingdom | 25 | 50 | 23 |
| China | - | 1 | - |
| Fiji | - | 1 | - |
| Germany | - | 1 | - |
| Indonesia | - | 1 | - |
| Thailand | 1 | 1 | - |
| USA | 1 | 1 | - |
| New Zealand | 1 | - | - |
| Sweden | 1 | - | - |
Selection Outcomes by Administering Organisation
The following table shows proposal numbers and total ARC funding by Administering Organisation for LX-SSC for funding commencing in 2009.
Table 7: Number of LX-SSC proposals and success rates for funding commencing in 2009, by Administering Organisation
Administering Organisation |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate % |
Funding approved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ballarat University | 1 | - | - | - |
| Deakin University | 1 | - | - | - |
| Flinders University of South Australia | 2 | 1 | 50% | $152,000 |
| Griffith University | 1 | - | - | - |
| Monash University | 4 | 1 | 25% | $69,000 |
| Queensland University of Technology | 2 | - | - | - |
| The Australian National University | 1 | - | - | - |
| The University of Adelaide | 1 | - | - | - |
| The University of Newcastle | 2 | - | - | - |
| The University of Queensland | 4 | - | - | - |
| The University of Sydney | 2 | - | - | - |
| The University of Tasmania | 1 | - | - | - |
| TOTAL | 23 | 2 | 8.70% | $221,000 |
Scheme Budget by Financial Year
The approved funding allocations from the Linkage International budget for SSC proposals to commence in 2009, by financial year, are shown in Table 8.
Table 8: Funding allocations for approved LX-SSC proposals, for funding commencing in 2009, by financial year
2008-09 |
2009-10 |
2010-11 |
Total |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
Total |
$47,000 |
$110,500 |
$63,500 |
$221,000 |
03/04/09
