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Selection Report: Industrial Transformation Training Centres 2016

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Overview

The Industrial Transformation Training Centres is a scheme that fosters close partnerships between university-based researchers and other research end-users to provide innovative Higher Degree by Research (HDR) and postdoctoral training for the end-user focused research industries vital to Australia’s future.  

The objectives of the Industrial Transformation Training Centres scheme are to:

  • foster opportunities for Higher Degree by Research candidates and postdoctoral fellows to pursue industrial training
  • drive growth, productivity and competitiveness within key growth sectors
  • enhance competitive research collaboration between universities and organisations outside the Australian higher education sector
  • strengthen the capabilities of industries and other research end-users in identified Industrial Transformation Priority areas.

Selection process

Proposals for projects commencing in 2016 opened on 10 September 2015 and closed on 10 December 2015. Proposals were submitted through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Management System (RMS). This report outlines recommendations from the selection process for that round.

The ARC prepared funding recommendations for submission to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The outcomes were based on advice from the Industry Advisory Panel (IAP) 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 IAP 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 Training Centres proposals are:

  • Proposed Project (30%)
  • Feasibility and Benefit (30%)
  • Collaborative Project Research Environment (20%)
  • Training Centre Director and Supervisors (20%).

The ARC assessment and subsequent reporting process for Industrial Transformation Training Centres 2016 used a total of 10 IAP members and was managed in RMS. A total of 76 independent assessors’ reports were submitted to the ARC for Industrial Transformation Training Centres 2016.

Summary of Outcomes

The ARC received a total of 27 proposals for Industrial Transformation Training Centresfor funding in 2016. There were no withdrawn proposals.  The overall success rate was 22.2 per cent, lower than the success rate for the previous round of 29.4 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 Training Centres for funding in 2015 and 2016

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

17

5

29.4

$67,420,481

$21,222,107

$20,895,677

98.5

2016

27

6

22.2

$108,649,447

$25,397,871

$22,044,067

86.8

 

Approved Training Centres for funding

Table 2. Details of approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2016

Training Centre Title

Administering Organisation

Training Centre Director

Approved funds over project life

ARC Training Centre in Food Safety in the Fresh Produce Industry

 

 

The University of Sydney

A/Prof Robyn McConchie

$2,259,000

 

ARC Training Centre in Additive Biomanufacturing

Queensland University of Technology

Prof Dietmar W Hutmacher

$3,722,989

ARC Training Centre for Biopharmaceutical Innovation

The University of Queensland

A/Prof Stephen Mahler

$4,340,802

ARC Training Centre in Lightweight Automotive Structures

RMIT University

Prof Chun Wang

$3,024,379

ARC Training Centre in Alloy Innovation for Mining Efficiency

Deakin University

Prof Matthew Barnett

$4,881,754

ARC Training Centre for Automated Manufacture of Advanced Composites

The University of New South Wales

Prof Gangadhara Prusty

$3,815,143

 

Selection outcomes by Administering Organisation 

Table 3. Numbers of proposals, success rates and ARC approved funding for approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2016 proposals by Administering Organisation

Administering Organisation

Proposals considered

Proposals approved

Success rate (%)

ARC approved funding over project life

(approved proposals)

New South Wales

16

2

12.5

$6,074,143

Macquarie University

1

0

0

-

Southern Cross University

1

0

0

-

The University of New South Wales

2

1

50.0

$3,815,143

The University of Newcastle

7

0

0

-

The University of Sydney

4

1

25.0

$2,259,000

The University of Wollongong

1

0

0

-

Queensland

3

2

66.7

$8,063,791

Queensland University of Technology

1

1

100.0

$3,722,989

The University of Queensland

2

1

50.0

$4,340,802

South Australia

2

0

0

-

The University of Adelaide

2

0

0

-

Tasmania

1

0

0

-

University of Tasmania

1

0

0

-

Victoria

3

2

66.7

$7,906,133

Deakin University

1

1

100.0

$4,881,754

Monash University

1

0

0

-

RMIT University

1

1

100.0

$3,024,379

Western Australia

2

0

0

-

Curtin University of Technology

1

0

0

-

The University of Western Australia

1

0

0

-

Total

27

6

22.2

$22,044,067

 

Participating organisation contributions by organisation type

Table 4. Participating organisation contributions by organisation type for approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2016 proposals

Organisation type

Organisation contributions (cash & in-kind) over project life (approved proposals)

Administering Organisation

$15,421,233

Other Eligible Organisation

$5,602,669

Partner Organisation

$17,719,665

Other Organisation

$754,775

Total

$39,498,342

 

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 2016 are shown below in Table 5.

Table 5. Partner Organisation contributions by sector for approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2016 proposals

Type

 

Cash

In-kind

Total

    $ % $ % $ %

Government

 

Australian Federal Government

 

$237,500

4.4

$1,190,204

9.6

$1,427,704

8.1

Australian state, territory and local government

 

$235,000

4.4

$224,000

1.8

$459,000

2.6

International Government

 

$20,000

0.4

$60,000

0.5

$80,000

0.5

 

Sub-total

$492,500

9.2

$1,474,204

11.9

$1,966,704

11.1

Industry Body

 

Australian

 

$4,135,409

76.9

$8,589,427

69.6

$12,724,836

71.8

International

 

$225,000

4.2

$884,750

7.2

$1,109,750

6.3

 

Sub-total

$4,360,409

81.1

$9,474,177

76.8

$13,834,586

78.1

Non-profit

 

Australian

 

$475,000

8.8

$740,000

6.0

$1,215,000

6.9

 

Sub-total

$475,000

8.8

$740,000

6.0

$1,215,000

6.9

Education

 

International

 

$0

0.0

$253,375

2.1

$253,375

1.4

 

Sub-total

$0

0.0

$253,375

2.1

$253,375

1.4

Other

 

Other

 

$50,000

0.9

$400,000

3.2

$450,000

2.5

 

Sub-total

$50,000

0.9

$400,000

3.2

$450,000

2.5

 

Total

$5,377,909

100.0

$12,341,756

100.0

$17,719,665

100.0

Note: All totals and percentages are shown using rounded figures, and as such may not sum.

Leverage of ARC funding

Of the 27 proposals considered, six were approved with a total approved funding, over the life of these projects, of $22.0 million. There are 50 Partner Organisations involved with these proposals, committing a total of $17.7 million in cash and in-kind funding. This represents $0.80 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 Training Centres proposals approved for funding commencing in 2016

Industrial Transformation Priorities

Instances in proposals considered*

Instances in proposals approved*

Advanced Manufacturing

15

5

Food and Agribusiness

5

1

Oil, Gas and Energy Resources

2

0

Mining Equipment, Technology and Services

6

1

Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals

13

2

Total

41

9

* A single proposal may select multiple Industrial Transformation Priorities 

Science and Research Priorities

Table 7. Approved funding for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2016 by Science and Research Priority

Priority area

Proposals considered

Proposals approved

Success rate (%)

Approved funds (over project life)

Food

4

1

25.0

$2,259,000

Resources

3

0

0

-

Advanced Manufacturing

13

3

23.1

$11,721,276

Health

7

2

28.6

$8,063,791

Total

27

6

22.2

$22,044,067

Total within Science and Research Priorities

27

6

22.2

$22,044,067

Percentage within Science and Research Priorities (%)

100%

100%

 

100%

 

Table 8. Proposal data by Field of Research category for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2016

Field of Research category

Proposals considered

Proposals approved

ARC approved funding over project life (approved proposals)

Chemical Sciences

2

0

-

Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences

2

0

-

Information and Computing Sciences

1

0

-

Engineering

16

5

$17,703,265

Technology

2

1

$4,340,802

Medical and Health Sciences

2

0

-

Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services

1

0

-

Psychology and Cognitive Sciences

1

0

-

Total

27

6

$22,044,067

Components

The components that can be funded in the Industrial Transformation Training Centres are Higher Degree by Research candidates (ICHDR) and Postdoctoral Fellows (ICPD). The component types, number requested and success rates are shown below in Table 9.

Table 9. Numbers and success rates for Industrial Transformation Training Centres components

Component

Number Requested

Number Approved

Success rate (%)

ICHDR

316

70

22.2

ICPD

104

24

23.1

Total

420

94

22.4

Gender

A total of 520 participants were named as Training Centre Director, Chief Investigator or Partner Investigator on all proposals considered in this round. Of these, 435 are male and 85 are female. The success rates for male and female participants in this round are 26.4 per cent and 30.6 per cent respectively. Of the six Training Centre Directors, five are male and one is female.

International collaboration

Figure 1. Instances of international collaboration on approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2016 proposals

 

Pie Chart showing Instances of international collaboration on approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2016 proposals
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