Overview The Special Research Initiative for Australian Society, History and Culture aims to advance understanding of Australian and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander society, history, culture, literature, art, music, politics and geography and increase research capacity in these fields. The objectives of the Special Research Initiative for Australian Society, History and Culture are to: support excellent research into Australian society, history and culture; and build Australian research capacity in this area by supporting researchers of the highest international standing as well as foster high-quality postdoctoral researchers. Selection Process Applications for funding commencing in 2020 opened on 28 February 2020 and closed on 6 May 2020. 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 outcomes are based on advice from the ARC Selection Advisory Committees (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; and advice from the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program Eligibility Committee which: considered eligibility issues identified by ARC staff, the members of the SAC or independent assessors; where required, sought advice from the ARC's Medical Research Advisory Group; made recommendations to the CEO in respect of ineligible applications. This report reflects the outcomes approved by the Minister. Unless otherwise specified, data presented in this report exclude withdrawn applications. Assessment Criteria Assessment criteria and corresponding weightings for the Special Research Initiative for Australian Society, History and Culture applications are: a. Project Quality and Innovation (40%) the extent to which the proposed research addresses the objectives of this grant opportunity; contribution to addressing an important gap in knowledge of Australian and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander society, history and culture; novelty/originality and innovation of the proposed research (including any new methods, technologies, theories or ideas that will be developed); • hypotheses, theories and/or research questions; and cohesiveness of the project design and implementation plan (including the appropriateness of the aim, conceptual framework, method, data and/or analyses). b. Investigator(s)/Capability (35%) demonstrated Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE) of the proposed team time and capacity of the team to undertake the research; evidence of experience in research training, mentoring and supervision (where appropriate); and the capability of the investigator or team to build collaborations. c. Benefit (10%) new or advanced knowledge resulting from outcomes of the research; and social or cultural benefits for Australia. d. Feasibility (15%) cost-effectiveness of the research and its value for money; availability of the necessary facilities to complete the project; and extent to which the project’s design, participants and requested budget create confidence in the timely and successful completion of the project. Assessment Process The ARC assessment and reporting process for the Special Research Initiative for Australian Society, History and Culture for funding commencing in 2020 involved a panel of 18 SAC members and was managed in RMS. A total of 1765 independent assessors’ reports were submitted to the ARC. Funding Levels and Duration Funding of between $20,000 and $100,000 per annum for up to three years may be awarded for each Special Research Initiative for Australian Society, History and Culture application. Summary of Outcomes The ARC received 693 Australian Society, History and Culture applications, of which one application was withdrawn. A total of 692 applications were considered for funding. The overall success rates and funding amounts are shown in Table 1. As shown in Table 1, 49 applications are approved for funding. The overall success rate is 7.1 per cent. Of the unsuccessful applications, eight were found not to meet eligibility requirements. Table 1. Application numbers, success rates, requested and allocated funds for approved Australian Society, History and Culture applications 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* - approved applications Return rate for approved applications (%) 2020 692 49 7.1 $161,418,120 $13,024,313 $11,759,398 90.3 *May include indicative funding amounts Outcomes by Administering Organisation Institutions across six States and two Territories submitted Special Research Initiative for Australian Society, History and Culture applications, as shown in Table 2. Table 2. Numbers of applications, success rates and ARC approved funding for approved Australian Society, History and Culture applications Administering Organisation Applications considered Applications approved Success rate (%) ARC approved funding over project life(approved applications) Australian Capital Territory 76 6 7.9 $1,528,608 Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies 1 0 0 $0 The Australian National University 67 5 7.5 $1,326,452 University of Canberra 8 1 12.5 $202,156 New South Wales 230 11 4.8 $2,314,299 Australian Catholic University 6 0 0 $0 Charles Sturt University 1 0 0 $0 Macquarie University 25 2 8 $343,838 Southern Cross University 4 0 0 $0 The University of New England 12 0 0 $0 The University of New South Wales 47 1 2.1 $247,923 The University of Newcastle 35 0 0 $0 The University of Sydney 54 6 11.1 $1,309,117 University of Technology Sydney 11 0 0 $0 University of Wollongong 15 1 6.7 $230,277 Western Sydney University 20 1 5 $183,144 Northern Territory 6 1 16.7 $178,000 Charles Darwin University 6 1 16.7 $178,000 Queensland 100 8 8 $1,879,775 Central Queensland University 1 0 0 $0 Griffith University 32 4 12.5 $1,047,796 James Cook University 6 1 16.7 $258,000 Queensland University of Technology 16 1 6.3 $227,131 The University of Queensland 23 1 4.3 $230,583 University of Southern Queensland 9 1 11.1 $116,265 University of the Sunshine Coast 13 0 0 $0 South Australia 59 7 11.9 $1,681,322 Flinders University 27 4 14.8 $975,535 The University of Adelaide 24 2 8.3 $458,729 University of South Australia 8 1 12.5 $247,058 Tasmania 10 1 10 $289,479 University of Tasmania 10 1 10 $289,479 Victoria 164 14 8.5 $3,646,211 Deakin University 19 1 5.3 $271,235 Federation University Australia 2 0 0 $0 La Trobe University 16 3 18.8 $810,398 Monash University 40 4 10 $1,085,083 RMIT University 17 0 0 $0 Swinburne University of Technology 10 0 0 $0 The University of Melbourne 57 4 7 $941,000 Victoria University 3 2 66.7 $538,495 Western Australia 47 1 2.1 $241,704 Curtin University 17 0 0 $0 Edith Cowan University 4 0 0 $0 Murdoch University 4 0 0 $0 The University of Notre Dame Australia 1 0 0 $0 The University of Western Australia 21 1 4.8 $241,704 Total 692 49 7.1 $11,759,398 Career Age and Gender A total of 2157 participants were named as a Chief Investigator or Partner Investigator on considered applications. Of the 1849 Chief Investigators (CIs) in this round, 1059 were female and 772 were male, one applicant was indeterminate/intersex and 17 participants chose not to specify their gender. The success rate for female and male CIs is 9.8 per cent and 7.3 per cent respectively, and for both indeterminate/intersex and unspecified CIs is zero per cent. Success rates by gender and career age are presented in Figure 1 below. CIs who did not specify the date of completion of their PhD or who do not hold a PhD are not represented in Figure 1. Figure 1. Participation and success rate of CIs in Australian Society, History and Culture applications by gender and career age* * Career age is calculated as years since PhD. The earliest PhD award date was used where there was more than one PhD International Collaboration Among the 692 applications considered, 254 foreshadowed 526 instances of collaboration with researchers in 68 overseas locations. Of the applications approved for funding, 15 foreshadowed 30 instances of collaboration with researchers in 14 overseas locations (Figure 2). Figure 2. Instances of international collaboration by location on approved Australian Society, History and Culture applications