Selection Report: Industrial Transformation Training Centres 2017

[TOC]

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 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 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, 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 Training Centres 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 Training Centres 2017 used a total of ten SAC members and was managed in RMS. A total of 97 independent assessors’ reports were submitted to the ARC for Industrial Transformation Training Centres 2017.

 

Summary of Outcomes

The ARC received a total of 26 proposals for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2017. There were no withdrawn proposals. The overall success rate was 34.6 per cent, higher than the success rate for the previous round of 22.2 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 2016 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 (%)
2016	27	6	22.2	$108,649,447	$25,397,871	$22,044,067	86.8
2017	26	9	34.6	$109,330,426	$39,653,520	$36,990,090	93.3

 

Approved Training Centres for funding

Table 2. Details of approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2017

Training Centre Title	Administering Organisation	Training Centre Director	Approved funds over project life
ARC Training Centre for Advanced Technologies in Rail Track Infrastructure	University of Wollongong	Prof Buddhima Indraratna	$3,937,625
ARC Training Centre for Innovative Wine Production	The University of Adelaide	Prof Vladimir Jiranek	$4,459,672
ARC Training Centre for Personalised Therapeutics Technologies	The University of Melbourne	Prof Alastair Stewart	$3,123,492
ARC Training Centre for the Chemical Industries	The University of Melbourne	Dr Anastasios Polyzos	$3,279,502
ARC Training Centre for Musculoskeletal Biomedical Technologies	The University of Sydney	Prof Hala Zreiqat	$4,420,408
ARC Training Centre for CubeSats, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and their Applications	The University of Sydney	Prof Iver Cairns	$4,619,950
ARC Training Centre in Cognitive Computing for Medical Technologies	The University of Melbourne	Prof Timothy Baldwin	$4,133,659
ARC Training Centre in Fire Retardant Materials and Safety Technologies	The University of New South Wales	Prof Guan Yeoh	$4,272,072
ARC Training Centre for Innovation in Biomedical Imaging Technology	The University of Queensland	Prof David Reutens	$4,743,710

 

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 2017

Administering Organisation	Proposals considered	Proposals approved	Success rate (%)	ARC approved funding over project life (approved proposals)
Australian Capital Territory	1	0	0	0
The Australian National University	1	0	0	0
New South Wales	12	4	33.3	$17,250,055
Macquarie University	2	0	0	0
The University of New South Wales	4	1	25.0	$4,272,072
The University of Newcastle	2	0	0	0
The University of Sydney	3	2	66.7	$9,040,358
University of Wollongong	1	1	100.0	$3,937,625
Queensland	2	1	50.0	$4,743,710
Queensland University of Technology	1	0	0	0
The University of Queensland	1	1	100.0	$4,743,710
South Australia	4	2	25.0	$4,459,672
The University of Adelaide	4	1	25.0	$4,459,672
Tasmania	1	0	0	0
University of Tasmania	1	0	0	0
Victoria	4	3	75.0	$10,536,653
The University of Melbourne	4	3	75.0	$10,536,653
Western Australia	2	0	0	0
Curtin University	2	0	0	0
Total	26	9	34.6	$36,990,090

 

Participating organisation contributions by organisation type

Table 4.  Participating organisation contributions by organisation type for approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2017 proposals

Organisation type	Organisation contributions (cash & in-kind) over project life (approved proposals)
Administering Organisation	$30,493,500
Other Eligible Organisation	$11,944,232
Partner Organisation	$29,866,965
Other Organisation	$3,260,861
Total	$75,565,558

 

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 Training Centres for funding in 2017 proposals

Type		Cash		In-kind		Total
		$	%	$	%	$	%
Government
Australian Federal Government		$195,000	2.7	$2,528,000	11.2	$2,723,000	9.1
Australian state, territory and local government		$465,000	6.3	$1,261,473	5.6	$1,726,473	5.8
International Government		$0	0.0	$0	0.0	$0	0.0
	Sub-total	$660,000	9.0	$3,789,473	16.8	$4,449,473	14.9
Industry Body
Australian		$5,346,054	72.8	$14,227,188	63.2	$19,573,242	65.5
International		$1,050,000	14.3	$2,056,000	9.1	$3,106,000	10.4
	Sub-total	$6,396,054	87.1	$16,283,188	72.3	$22,679,242	75.9
Non-profit
Australian		$70,000	1.0	$437,250	1.9	$507,250	1.7
	Sub-total	$70,000	1.0	$437,250	1.9	$507,250	1.7
Education
International		$0	0.0	$376,340	1.7	$376,340	1.3
	Sub-total	$0	0.0	$376,340	1.7	$376,340	1.3
Other
Other		$216,000	2.9	$1,638,660	7.3	$1,854,660	6.2
	Sub-total	$216,000	2.9	$1,638,660	7.3	$1,854,660	6.2
	Total	$7,342,054	100.0	$22,524,911	100.0	$29,866,965	100.0

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

        

Leverage of ARC funding

Of the 26 proposals considered, nine were approved with a total approved funding, over the life of these projects, of just under $37.0 million. There are 80 Partner Organisations involved with these proposals, committing a total of $29.9 million in cash and in-kind funding. This represents $0.81 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 2017

Industrial Transformation Priorities	Instances in proposals considered*	Instances in proposals approved*
Advanced Manufacturing	8	4
Food and Agribusiness	8	2
Oil, Gas and Energy Resources	4	1
Mining Equipment, Technology and Services	6	1
Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals	12	5
Total	38	13

* 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 2017 by Science and Research Priority

Priority Area	Proposals considered	Proposals approved	Success rate (%)	Approved funds (over project life)
Food	6	1	16.7	$4,459,672
Resources	5	0	0	$0
Advanced Manufacturing	7	3	42.9	$12,171,524
Health	7	4	57.1	$16,421,269
Transport	1	1	100.0	$3,937,625
Total	26	9	34.6	$36,990,090
Total within Science and Research Priorities	26	9	34.6	$36,990,090
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 2017

Field of Research category	Proposals considered	Proposals approved	ARC approved funding over project life (approved proposals)
Chemical Sciences	2	2	$8,023,212
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences	3	1	$4,459,672
Information and Computing Sciences	2	1	$4,133,659
Engineering	12	4	$17,250,055
Technology	2	0	$0
Medical and Health Sciences	2	1	$3,123,492
Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services	2	0	$0
Studies in Human Society	1	0	$0
Total	26	9	$36,990,090

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	303	114	37.6
ICPD	95	33	34.7
Total	398	147	36.9

Gender

A total of 638 participants were named as Training Centre Director, Chief Investigator or Partner Investigator on all proposals considered in this round. Of these, 512 are male, 124 are female and two have chosen not to specify their gender. The success rates for male, female and participants who have chosen not to specify their gender in this round are 42.0 per cent,  29.8 per cent and 100 per cent respectively. Of the nine Training Centre Directors, eight are male and one is female.

International collaboration

Figure 1. Instances of international collaboration on approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2017 proposals

 

• Canada—1
• United States of America—6
• China (excludes SAR and Taiwan)—4
• England—2
• Germany—2
• Ireland—1
• Hong Kong (SAR of China)—1
• Israel—1
• Japan—1
• Singapore—1