Selection Report: Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2017
[TOC]
Overview
The Industrial Transformation Research Hubs scheme provides funding to Eligible Organisations to engage in cutting edge research on new technologies and economic, commercial and social transformation and support the development of research in the Industrial Transformation Priorities. Research Hubs will engage Australia’s best researchers in issues facing the new industrial economies and training the future workforce. The scheme supports collaborative research activity between the Australian higher education sector and industry, designed to focus on strategic outcomes not independently realisable.
The objectives of the Industrial Transformation Research Hubs scheme are to:
- encourage collaborative R&D projects between universities and organisations outside the Australian higher education sector that will solve challenging industry issues relevant to the Industrial Transformation Priorities
- drive growth, productivity and competitiveness to within key growth sectors
- leverage national and international investment in targeted industry sectors, including from industry and other research end-users.
Selection process
Proposals for projects commencing in 2017 opened on 11 October 2016 and closed on 15 December 2016. Proposals were submitted through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Management System (RMS). This report outlines approved recommendations from the selection process for that round.
The ARC has prepared funding recommendations for submission to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The outcomes were based on advice from the Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) which:
- assessed proposals and reviewed assessments made by independent assessors
- reviewed applicants’ comments on assessors’ reports
- 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
- recommended proposal feedback;
and, on advice from the ARC Eligibility Committee which:
- considered eligibility issues identified by ARC staff, the SAC or independent assessors
- where required, sought advice from institutions with respect to issues raised
- made recommendations to the CEO in respect of ineligible proposals.
This report reflects the approved recommendations by the Minister.
Selection criteria
Selection criteria and corresponding weights for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs proposals are:
| Project Quality and Innovation | (30%) |
| Feasibility and Commitment | (20%) |
| Benefit | (30%) |
| Investigator(s) | (20%) |
The ARC assessment and subsequent reporting process for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2017 used a total of nine SAC members and was managed in RMS. A total of 20 independent assessor reports were submitted to the ARC for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2017.
Summary of Outcomes
The ARC received a total of 5 proposals for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2017. There were no withdrawn proposals. The overall success rate was 60 per cent, higher than the success rate for the previous round of 45.5 per cent. Please note that within this selection report approved funding may include indicative funding amounts.
Table 1. Comparison of proposal numbers, success rates, requested and allocated funds for successful proposals from Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2015 and 2017*
|
Funding year |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate (%) |
Requested funds over project life (all proposals) |
Requested funds over project life (approved proposals) |
Funds allocated over project life |
Allocation as a percentage of request (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2015 |
11 |
5 |
45.5 |
$35,636,281 |
$15,705,194 |
$15,696,194 |
99.9 |
|
2017 |
5 |
3 |
60.0 |
$17,806,053 |
$10,603,797 |
$9,603,797 |
90.6 |
*There was no 2016 round
Approved Research Hubs for Funding
Table 2. Details of approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2017
|
Research Hub Title |
Administering Organisation |
Hub Director |
Approved funds over project life |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ARC Research Hub for Energy-efficient Separation |
Monash University |
A/Prof Xiwang Zhang |
$4,000,000 |
|
ARC Research Hub for Digital Enhanced Living |
Deakin University |
Prof John Grundy |
$2,962,655 |
|
ARC Research Hub for Processing Lignocellulosics into High Value Products |
Monash University |
Prof Gil Garnier |
$2,641,142 |
Selection outcomes by Administering Organisation
Table 3. Numbers of proposals, success rates, ARC approved funding and participating organisation contributions for approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2017 proposals by Administering Organisation
|
Administering Organisation |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate (%) |
ARC approved funding over project life (approved proposals) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Queensland |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
The University of Queensland |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Victoria |
4 |
3 |
75.0 |
$9,603,797 |
|
Deakin University |
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
$2,962,655 |
|
Monash University |
2 |
2 |
100.0 |
$6,641,142 |
|
Swinburne University of Technology |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
5 |
3 |
60.0 |
$9,603,797 |
Participating organisation contributions by organisation type
Table 4. Participating organisation contributions by organisation type for approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2017 proposals
|
Organisation type |
Organisation contributions (cash & in-kind) over project life (approved proposals) |
|---|---|
|
Administering Organisation |
$10,111,748 |
|
Other Eligible Organisation |
$5,177,646 |
|
Partner Organisation |
$19,635,060 |
|
Other Organisation |
$1,183,510 |
|
Total |
$36,107,964 |
Partner Organisation contributions by sector
Partner Organisations were identified as either Australian, international, government, non-profit, industry or overseas higher education organisations. The Partner Organisation contributions in these categories for proposals approved for funding in 2017 are shown below in Table 5.
Table 5. Partner Organisation contributions by sector for approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2017 proposals
|
Type |
|
Cash |
In-kind |
Total |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | % | $ | % | $ | % | ||
|
Government |
|
||||||
|
Australian Federal Government |
|
$1,000,000 |
10.63 |
$500,000 |
4.89 |
$1,500,000 |
7.4 |
|
Australian state, territory and local government |
|
$25,000 |
0.27 |
$50,000 |
0.49 |
$75,000 |
0.38 |
|
|
Sub-total |
$1,025,000 |
10.90 |
$550,000 |
5.38 |
$1,575,000 |
8.02 |
|
Industry Body |
|
||||||
|
Australian |
|
$6,186,260 |
65.73 |
$6,948,800 |
67.97 |
$13,135,060 |
66.90 |
|
International |
|
$1,700,000 |
18.06 |
$1,450,000 |
14.18 |
$3,150,000 |
16.04 |
|
|
Sub-total |
$7,886,260 |
83.79 |
$8,398,800 |
82.15 |
$16,285,060 |
82.94 |
|
Non-Profit |
|
||||||
|
Australian |
|
$500,000 |
5.31 |
$1,125,000 |
11.00 |
$1,625,000 |
8.28 |
|
|
Sub-total |
$500,000 |
5.31 |
$1,125,000 |
11.00 |
$1,625,000 |
8.28 |
|
Other |
|
||||||
|
Other |
|
$0 |
0 |
$150,000 |
1.47 |
$150,000 |
0.76 |
|
|
Sub-total |
$0 |
0 |
$150,000 |
1.47 |
$150,000 |
0.76 |
|
|
Total |
$9,411,260 |
100 |
$10,223,800 |
100 |
$19,635,060 |
100 |
Note: All totals and percentages are shown using rounded figures, and as such may not sum.
Leverage of ARC funding
Of the five proposals considered, three were approved with a total approved funding, over the life of these projects, of $9.6 million. There are 30 Partner Organisations involved with these proposals, committing a total of $19.6 million in cash and in-kind funding. This represents $2.04 from Partner Organisations for every dollar of funding from the ARC.
Industrial Transformation Priorities
Table 6. Instances of identified Industrial Transformation Priorities in Industrial Transformation Research Hubs proposals approved for funding commencing in 2017
|
Industrial Transformation Priorities |
Instances in proposals considered* |
Instances in proposals approved* |
|---|---|---|
|
Advanced Manufacturing |
3 |
2 |
|
Food and Agribusiness |
1 |
0 |
|
Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals |
2 |
1 |
|
Total |
6 |
3 |
* A single proposal may select multiple Industrial Transformation Priorities
Science and Research Priorities
Table 7. Approved funding for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2017 by Science and Research Priority
|
Priority area |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
Success rate (%) |
Approved funds (over project life) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Food |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Advanced manufacturing |
3 |
2 |
66.7 |
$6,641,142 |
|
Health |
1 |
1 |
100.0 |
$2,962,655 |
|
Total |
5 |
3 |
60.0 |
$9,603,797 |
|
Total within Science and Research Priorities |
5 |
3 |
60.0 |
$9,603,797 |
|
Percentage within Science and Research Priorities (%) |
100% |
100% |
|
100% |
Table 8. Proposal data by Field of Research category for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2017
|
Field of Research category |
Proposals considered |
Proposals approved |
ARC approved funding over project life (approved proposals) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Information and Computing Sciences |
1 |
1 |
$2,962,655 |
|
Engineering |
4 |
2 |
$6,641,142 |
|
Total |
5 |
3 |
$9,603,797 |
Gender
A total of 136 participants were named as Hub Director, Chief Investigator or Partner Investigator on all proposals considered in this round. Of these, 117 are male and 19 are female. The success rates for male and female participants in this round are 74.3 and 52.6 per cent respectively. The three Hub Directors are male.
International collaboration
Figure 1. Instances of International Collaboration on approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2017 proposals
- United States of America—2
- Canada—1
- Denmark—1
- England—1
- Finland—1
- France—1
- Germany—1
- Ireland—1
- Japan—1
- Singapore—1
- Sweden—1