Selection Report: Industrial Transformation Training Centres 2019
[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:
- support opportunities for Higher Degree by Research candidates and postdoctoral researchers to pursue industrial training
- drive growth, productivity and competitiveness by linking to the relevant sectors
- enhance competitive research collaboration between universities and organisations outside the Australian higher education sector, and
- strengthen the capabilities of industries and other research end-users in identified Industrial Transformation Priority areas.
Selection process
Applications for projects commencing in 2019 opened on 15 October 2018 and closed on 12 December 2018. Applications were submitted through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Management System (RMS). This report outlines recommendations from the selection process for that round.
These recommendations are based on advice from the Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) which:
- assessed applications and reviewed assessments made by independent assessors
- reviewed applicants’ comments on assessors’ reports
- ranked each application relative to the others on the basis of the application, the assessors’ reports and applicants’ responses to those assessments
- assessed and recommended budgets
- recommended application feedback
and advice from the ARC Eligibility Committee which:
- considered eligibility issues identified by ARC staff, the SAC or independent assessors
- made recommendations to the CEO in respect of ineligible applications.
This report reflects the outcomes approved by the Minister.
Selection criteria
Selection criteria and corresponding weights for Industrial Transformation Training Centres applications are:
- Project Quality and Innovation (30%)
- Feasibility and Commitment (20%)
- Benefit (30%)
- Investigator(s) (20%).
The ARC assessment and reporting process for Industrial Transformation Training Centres 2019 used a panel of 12 SAC members and was managed in RMS. A total of 90 independent assessors’ reports were submitted to the ARC for Industrial Transformation Training Centres 2019.
Summary of Outcomes
The ARC received 25 applications for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding commencing in 2019. There were no withdrawn applications. Of all applications, five did not meet eligibility requirements.
As shown in Table 1, the overall success rate was 24.0 per cent, lower than the success rate for the previous round of 25.0 per cent.
Table 1. Comparison of application numbers, success rates, requested and allocated funds for approved applications from Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2018 and 2019*
|
Funding year |
Applications considered |
Applications approved |
Success rate (%) |
Requested funds over project life (all applications) |
Requested funds over project life (approved applications) |
Funds allocated over project life* |
Allocation as a percentage of request (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2018 |
28 |
7 |
25.0 |
$120,905,851 |
$30,922,441 |
$28,922,441 |
93.5 |
|
2019 |
25 |
6 |
24.0 |
$108,706,867 |
$24,072,165 |
$24,072,165 |
100.0 |
*May include indicative funding amounts
Outcomes of Training Centres approved
Table 2 lists a summary on the approved Training Centres for funding in 2019.
Table 2. Details of approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019
|
Training Centre Title |
Administering Organisation |
Training Centre Director |
Approved funds over project life |
|---|---|---|---|
|
ARC Training Centre for Transformation of Australia's Biosolids Resource |
RMIT University |
Prof Andrew Ball |
$3,852,568 |
|
ARC Training Centre in Data Analytics for Resources and Environments (DARE) |
The University of Sydney |
Prof Sally Cripps |
$3,973,202 |
|
ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Joint Biomechanics |
Queensland University of Technology |
Prof Yuantong Gu |
$3,998,796 |
|
ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing |
Monash University |
Prof Antonio Patti |
$3,574,272 |
|
ARC Training Centre for Integrated Operations for Complex Resources |
The University of Adelaide |
Prof Peter Dowd |
$3,703,664 |
|
ARC Training Centre for Cell and Tissue Engineering Technologies |
Monash University |
Prof Laurence Meagher |
$4,969,663 |
Outcomes by Administering Organisation
Institutions in five Australian states submitted applications for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019. In addition to ARC funding, significant contributions are made by participating organisations. In some cases this contribution represents more than double the ARC funding as shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Numbers of applications, success rates and ARC approved funding for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019
|
Administering Organisation |
Applications considered |
Applications approved |
Success rate (%) |
ARC approved funding over project life (approved applications) |
Participating organisation*# contributions (approved applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New South Wales |
10 |
1 |
10.0 |
$3,973,202 |
$7,230,565 |
|
Charles Sturt University |
1 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
The University of New South Wales |
2 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
The University of Newcastle |
1 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
The University of Sydney |
4 |
1 |
25.0 |
$3,973,202 |
$7,230,565 |
| University of Wollongong |
2 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Queensland |
3 |
1 |
33.3 |
$3,998,796 |
$7,661,200 |
|
Queensland University of Technology |
2 |
1 |
50.0 |
$3,998,796 |
$7,661,200 |
|
The University of Queensland |
1 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
South Australia |
2 |
1 |
50.0 |
$3,703,664 |
$8,810,701 |
|
The University of Adelaide |
2 |
1 |
50.0 |
$3,703,664 |
$8,810,701 |
|
Victoria |
8 |
3 |
37.5 |
$12,396,503 |
$34,618,636 |
|
Deakin University |
1 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
La Trobe University |
1 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Monash University |
3 |
2 |
66.7 |
$8,543,935 |
$20,891,108 |
|
RMIT University |
2 |
1 |
50.0 |
$3,852,568 |
$13,727,528 |
|
The University of Melbourne |
1 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Western Australia |
2 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Curtin University |
1 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
The University of Western Australia |
1 |
0 |
0.0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Total |
25 |
6 |
24.0 |
$24,072,165 |
$58,321,102 |
* Participating Organisations include the Administering Organisation, Other Eligible Organisations, Partner Organisations and Other Organisations.
# Participating Organisation contributions are shown by organisation type in Table 4.
Participating Organisations
As shown in Table 4, contributions to Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019 from Partner Organisations total over $24 million. This is 42 per cent of the total organisation contributions to successful Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019.
Table 4. Participating organisation contributions by organisation type for approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019 applications
|
Organisation type |
Organisation contributions (cash & in-kind) over project life (approved applications) |
|---|---|
|
Administering Organisation |
$19,025,302 |
|
Other Eligible Organisation |
$13,354,389 |
|
Partner Organisation |
$24,294,921 |
|
Other Organisation |
$1,646,490 |
|
Total |
$58,321,102 |
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 applications approved in 2019 are shown in Table 5.
Table 5. Partner Organisation contributions by sector for approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019 applications
|
Type |
Cash |
In-kind |
Total |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
$ |
% |
$ |
% |
$ |
% |
||
|
Government |
|||||||
|
Australian Federal Government |
$0 |
0.00 |
$353,935 |
2.12 |
$353,935 |
1.46 |
|
|
Australian State, Territory and Local Government |
$827,500 |
10.83 |
$2,276,139 |
13.66 |
$3,103,639 |
12.77 |
|
|
Sub-total |
$827,500 |
10.83 |
$2,630,074 |
15.78 |
$3,457,574 |
14.23 |
|
|
Industry Body |
|||||||
|
Australian |
$5,350,000 |
70.05 |
$9,631,818 |
57.82 |
$14,981,818 |
61.67 |
|
|
International |
$850,000 |
11.13 |
$1,525,000 |
9.16 |
$2,375,000 |
9.78 |
|
|
Sub-total |
$6,200,000 |
81.18 |
$11,156,818 |
66.98 |
$17,356,818 |
71.45 |
|
|
Non-profit |
|||||||
|
Australian |
$30,000 |
0.39 |
$50,000 |
0.30 |
$80,000 |
0.33 |
|
|
International |
|
$0 |
0.00 |
$25,000 |
0.15 |
$25,000 |
0.10 |
|
Sub-total |
$30,000 |
0.39 |
$75,000 |
0.45 |
$105,000 |
0.43 |
|
|
Education |
|||||||
|
International |
$50,000 |
0.65 |
$597,255 |
3.59 |
$647,255 |
2.66 |
|
|
Sub-total |
$50,000 |
0.65 |
$597,255 |
3.59 |
$647,255 |
2.66 |
|
|
Other |
|||||||
|
Other |
$530,000 |
6.94 |
$2,198,274 |
13.20 |
$2,728,274 |
11.23 |
|
|
Sub-total |
$530,000 |
6.94 |
$2,198,274 |
13.20 |
$2,728,274 |
11.23 |
|
|
Total |
$7,637,500 |
100 |
$16,657,421 |
100 |
$24,294,921 |
100 |
|
Note: All totals and percentages are shown using rounded figures, and as such may not sum.
Leverage of ARC funding
Of the 25 applications considered, six were approved with a total funding, over the life of these projects, of $24,072,165 million. There are 84 Partner Organisations involved, committing a total of $24,294,921 million in cash and in-kind funding. This represents $1.01 from Partner Organisations for every dollar of funding from the ARC.
Outcomes by Industrial Transformation Priorities
As shown in Table 6, applications for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019 were submitted in all Industrial Transformation Priorities.
Table 6. Instances of identified Industrial Transformation Priorities in Industrial Transformation Training Centres applications approved for funding commencing in 2019
|
Industrial Transformation Priorities |
Instances in applications considered* |
Instances in applications approved* |
|---|---|---|
|
Advanced Manufacturing |
10 |
1 |
|
Cyber Security |
5 |
0 |
|
Food and Agribusiness |
6 |
2 |
|
Medical Technologies and Pharmaceuticals |
6 |
2 |
|
Mining Equipment, Technology and Services |
5 |
2 |
|
Oil, Gas and Energy Resources |
4 |
1 |
|
Total |
36 |
8 |
* A single application may select multiple Industrial Transformation Priorities
Outcomes by Science and Research Priorities
As shown in Table 7, all applications for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019 selected a Science and Research Priority.
Table 7. Approved funding for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019 by Science and Research Priority
|
Priority area |
Applications considered |
Applications approved |
Success rate (%) |
Approved funds (over project life) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Advanced Manufacturing |
8 |
2 |
25.0% |
$8,543,935 |
|
Cybersecurity |
2 |
0 |
0.0% |
0 |
|
Energy |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
0 |
|
Food |
5 |
1 |
20.0% |
$3,852,568 |
|
Health |
4 |
1 |
25.0% |
$3,998,796 |
|
Resources |
4 |
2 |
50.0% |
$7,676,866 |
|
Transport |
1 |
0 |
0.0% |
0 |
|
Total |
25 |
6 |
24.0 |
$24,072,165 |
|
Total within Science and Research Priorities |
25 |
6 |
24.0 |
$24,072,165 |
|
Percentage within Science and Research Priorities (%) |
100.0 |
100.0 |
|
100.0 |
Outcomes by Field of Research Categories
Table 8. Application data by Field of Research category for Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019
|
Field of Research category |
Applications considered |
Applications approved |
ARC approved funding over project life (approved applications) |
Participating Organisation contributions (cash & in-kind) over project life (approved applications) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Mathematical Sciences |
1 |
1 |
$3,973,202 |
$7,230,565 |
|
Chemical Sciences |
2 |
1 |
$3,574,272 |
$7,683,074 |
|
Environmental Sciences |
1 |
1 |
$3,852,568 |
$13,727,528 |
|
Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences |
2 |
0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Information and Computing Sciences |
3 |
0 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
Engineering |
11 |
1 |
$3,703,664 |
$8,810,701 |
|
Technology |
2 |
1 |
$4,969,663 |
$13,208,034 |
|
Medical and Health Sciences |
3 |
1 |
$3,998,796 |
$7,661,200 |
|
Total |
25 |
6 |
$24,072,165 |
$58,321,102 |
Gender
A total of 649 participants were named as a Training Centre Director, Chief Investigator or Partner Investigator on applications considered in this round. Of these, 514 were male, 133 were 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 are 32.5 per cent, 37.6 per cent and 0.0 per cent respectively. While the total number of female participants is significantly lower than the total number of male participants, the success rate for female participants on approved applications is higher.
International collaboration
As shown in Figure 1, eight countries are participating in the successful Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019, compared with 17 for the previous selection round.
Figure 1. Instances of international collaboration on approved Industrial Transformation Training Centres for funding in 2019 applications
