OverviewThe Discovery Projects scheme reflects the Australian Government’s commitment to excellence in research by supporting grant funding to support research projects that may be undertaken by individual researchers or research teams.The objectives of the Discovery Projects scheme are to:support excellent basic and applied research and research training by individuals and teams;support national and international research collaboration; andenhance the scale and focus of research in Australian Government priority areas. Selection processApplications for funding commencing in 2024 opened on 1 December 2022 and closed on 8 March 2023. Applications were submitted through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Management System (RMS). This report outlines outcomes from the selection process for that round.These recommendations are based on advice from the ARC Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) which:assigned independent assessors to review the applicationsassessed applications and reviewed assessments made by independent assessorsreviewed candidates’ comments on assessors’ reportsranked each application relative to the others on the basis of the application, the assessors’ reports and candidates’ responses to those assessmentsassessed and approved budgets;and, advice from the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) Eligibility Committee which:considered eligibility issues identified by ARC staff, the members of the ARC College of Experts or independent assessorswhere required, sought advice from the ARC’s Medical Research Advisory Groupmade recommendations to the CEO in respect of ineligible applications.This report reflects the outcomes approved by the Minister. Unless otherwise specified, data represented in this report exclude withdrawn applications. Assessment criteriaAll applications that meet the eligibility criteria for the Discovery Projects 2024 applications were assessed and merit ranked using the following assessment criteria:Investigator(s)/Capability (35%)Describe:Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE);time and capacity to undertake the research;evidence of experience in research training, mentoring and supervision (where appropriate); andthe capability of the investigator or team to build collaborations both within Australia and internationally.Project quality and innovation (40%)Describe the:contribution to an important gap in knowledge or significant problem;novelty/originality and innovation of the proposed research (including any new methods, technologies, theories or ideas that will be developed);clarity of the hypothesis, theories and research questions;cohesiveness of the project design and implementation plan (including the appropriateness of the aim, conceptual framework, method, data and/or analyses); andextent to which the research has the potential to enhance international collaboration.Benefit (15%)Describe the potential benefits including the:new or advanced knowledge resulting from outcomes of the research;economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for Australia and international communities; andpotential contribution to capacity in the Australian Government priority areas.Feasibility (10%)Describe the:cost-effectiveness of the research and its value for money;suitability of the environment for the research team and their project, and for HDR students where appropriate;availability of the necessary facilities to complete the project; andextent to which the project’s design, participants and requested budget create confidence in the timely and successful completion of the project.If the project involves research pertaining to Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities describe:the strategies for enabling collaboration with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities (for example, dialogue/collaboration with an Indigenous cultural mentor);any existing or developing, supportive and high-quality relationships with Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities; andany personal affiliations with local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities that can facilitate the proposed research. Assessment processThe ARC assessment process for Discovery Projects 2024 involved 98 College of Experts members across five discipline panels and was managed in RMS. A total of 8,406 independent assessors’ reports were submitted to the ARC. Funding levels and durationFunding of between $30,000 and $500,000 per annum for up to 5 consecutive years may be awarded for each Discovery Projects application. Summary of outcomesThe ARC received a total of 2,592 applications for Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2024, of which two applications were withdrawn.421 Discovery Projects are approved for funding commencing in 2024, shown in Table 1. The overall success rate for Discovery Projects for funding commencing in 2024 is 16.3 per cent. A comparison of success rates and funding amounts is shown in Table 1.Of the unsuccessful applications in 2024, 16 were found not to meet eligibility requirements.Table 1. Comparison of application numbers, success rates, requested and allocated funds for approved Discovery Projects applications from 2023 to 2024Funding yearApplications consideredApplications approvedSuccess rate (%)Requested funds over project life for all applications considered ($)Requested funds over project life for approved applications ($)Funds allocated over project life for approved applications ($)Return rate for approved applications (%)2023258847818.5$1,572,945,214$305,492,688$221,394,14272.52024259042116.3$1,651,322,807$275,707,441$220,182,44179.9Outcomes by disciplineA summary of outcomes by discipline panel is shown in Table 2.Table 2. Application numbers, success rates and requested and allocated funds for approved Discovery Projects 2024 applications by disciplineDiscipline*Applications consideredApplications approvedSuccess rate (%)Requested funds over project life for all applications considered ($)Requested funds over project life for approved applications ($)Funds over project life for approved applications ($)ReturnRate for approved applications (%)BSB65210616.3%$496,948,139$87,510,599$68,518,94378.3%EIC76712416.2%$474,112,318$78,915,298$63,863,28580.9%HCA2093516.7%$102,989,849$18,206,371$14,875,97681.7%MPCE5248917.0%$331,804,497$53,951,611$41,985,41077.8%SBE4386715.3%$245,468,004$37,123,562$30,938,82783.3%Total259042116.3%$1,651,322,807$275,707,441$220,182,44179.9%* BSB – Biological Sciences and Biotechnology; EIC – Engineering, Information and Computing Sciences, HCA – Humanities and Creative Arts; MPCE – Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences; SBE – Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences.Outcomes by Administering OrganisationA summary of outcomes by Administering Organisation is shown in Table 3.Table 3. Numbers of applications and success rates for approved Discovery Projects 2024 applications by Administering OrganisationAdministering OrganisationApplications ConsideredApplications ApprovedSuccess rate (%)Funds over project life for approved applications ($)Australian Capital Territory1353223.7%$17,831,357The Australian National University1293124.0%$16,922,750University of Canberra6116.7%$908,607New South Wales85311914.0%$61,987,380Australian Catholic University1600-Charles Sturt University7114.3%$553,139Macquarie University78810.3%$3,871,172Southern Cross University5240.0%$1,020,282The University of New England600-The University of New South Wales2673814.2%$20,502,058The University of Newcastle67710.4%$3,754,464The University of Sydney2453614.7%$18,629,794University of Technology Sydney821518.3%$7,809,255University of Wollongong531018.9%$5,037,233Western Sydney University2727.4%$846,076Northern Territory5120%$351,000Charles Darwin University5120%$351,000Queensland4546915.2%$36,119,313Bond University200-Central Queensland University400-Griffith University53917.0%$4,676,155James Cook University12216.7%$1,052,505Queensland University of Technology871517.2%$7,669,739The University of Queensland2643914.8%$20,563,527University of Southern Queensland24312.5%$1,553,432University of the Sunshine Coast8112.5%$603,955South Australia1632716.6%$14,040,466Flinders University36411.1%$2,197,079The University of Adelaide831720.5%$8,443,268Torrens University100-University of South Australia43614.0%$3,400,119Tasmania32515.6%$2,836,038University of Tasmania32515.6%$2,836,038Victoria82114717.9%$75,891,267Deakin University841315.5%$5,570,691Federation University Australia500-La Trobe University37513.5%$3,150,387Monash University3085116.6%$25,202,523RMIT University791620.3%$7,559,780Swinburne University of Technology401230%$6,119,206The University of Melbourne2604718.1%$26,387,043Victoria University8337.5%$1,901,637Western Australia1272116.5%$11,089,527Curtin University411024.4%$4,702,203Edith Cowan University1218.3%$523,602Murdoch University3133.3%$544,678The University of Western Australia69913.0%$5,319,044University of Notre Dame200-Total259042116.3%$220,182,441Career age and genderOf the 6471 Chief Investigators (CIs), considered in this round, 2084 were female, 4350 were male, 2 were indeterminate/intersex and 35 chose not to specify their gender. The success rate for female, male, indeterminate/intersex, and unspecified CIs is 18.87 per cent, 16.41 per cent, 0 per cent, and 14.29 per cent respectively.Success rates of CIs by career age and gender in Discovery Projects 2024 round are presented in Figure 1. CIs who did not provide gender information (0.57 per cent) and CIs who did not specify the date of completion of their PhD or equivalent or who do not hold a PhD (0.63 per cent) are not represented in the figure below.Figure 1. Participation and success rate of CIs in Discovery Projects 2024 by gender and career age*^ * Career age is calculated as years since PhD based on the relevant qualification as selected in the application.^ Calculated career age does not take career interruptions into consideration.International CollaborationAmong 2590 of the applications considered, applicants foreshadowed 3743 instances of collaboration with researchers in 110 overseas locations. Of the applications approved for funding, 330 foreshadowed 689 instances of collaboration with researchers in 72 overseas locations (Figure 2).Figure 2. International collaborations by location in approved Discovery Projects 2024 applications* *The top 10 international collaboration locations are listed in Figure 2 and the remaining locations are grouped in the ‘Other’ category.