ARC Applications: What Matters
Peter Fairbrother, Social, Behavioural and Economic
Panel, College of Experts (ARC) and Centre for
Sustainable Organisations and Work, RMIT University.
Date: Friday, 6 December 2013
Schemes
1. Discovery – DP
2. Early Career Researcher – DECRA
3. Indigenous – IN
4. Linked - LP1
5. Fellowships – different ones
RMIT University©
2012/13 Assessment
The 2012 SBE panel
processed:
1.DP – 693
2.IN – 11
3.DECRA – 257
4.Future Fellows
RMIT University©
SBE 2013:
1. Average number of readers
=3
2. Cross panel assessment
more common
3. Never moved out of the A/B
range for allocations
4. Increased recognition of
ROPE – discussed and
even voted on by panel.
Overview 1: Participants – roles and activities
1. Panel members: allocate Readers
2. Readers – specialised and detailed
3. Readers – letter assessment
4. Panel members: moderate and rank
5. Panel Meeting: April and August – allocate
6. Panel members: feedback to ARC on procedure and
process
RMIT University©
A
Outstanding: Of the highest quality and at the
Recommended
forefront of research in the field. Approximately 10% Unconditionally
of Proposals should receive ratings in this band.
B
Excellent: High quality research and a strongly
competitive Proposal. Approximately 15% of
Proposals should receive ratings in this band.
Strongly support
recommendation
of funding
Very Good: An interesting, sound and compelling
Proposal. Approximately 20% of Proposals should
receive rating in this band.
Support
recommendation
of funding with
reservation
Good: A sound research Proposal, but lacks a
compelling element. Approximately 35% of
Proposals are likely to fall into this band.
Unsupportive of
recommending for
funding
C
D
E
Uncompetitive: The Proposal is uncompetitive and Not recommended
has significant weaknesses or more fatal flaws.
for funding
Approximately 20% of Proposals are likely to fall
into this band.
RMIT University©
Discovery/DECRA/IN Projects Selection Criteria
DP
DECRA
IN
a. Investigator(s) 40%
a. 35%
a. 35%
b. Project Quality and
Innovation 25%
b. 40%
b. 40%
c. 10%
c. 10%
d. 15%
d. 15%
c. Feasibility and Benefit
20%
d. Research Environment
15%
RMIT University©
Project
Introduction
Aims and subject
Background
Significance and innovation,
Method (in the tightest and manageable way)
Timetable etc.
RMIT University©
Investigators
• DP = 40%
• DECRA = 35%
• IN = 35%
• LP = 20%
• Partners: Linkage
RMIT University©
Feasibility and Benefit
DP = 20% , DECRA = 10% , IN = 10%
Feasibility
• Plan of work
• Budget – value
• Networks
Benefit
• Outcomes
• Intellectual gain
• Policy relevance/National priorities
RMIT University©
Research Environment
DP and IN = 15%, DECRA = 10%, IN = 10%
• Centre/School: intellectual activity/support
• Faculty: research focus/support
• University – mission and objectives
• Make a case that will be read
• Have others read.
RMIT University©
Partners: Linkage
• Involve in approach and method
• History
• Evidence of actual involvement, consultation
• Outcome that is not consultancy
RMIT University©
Future Fellowships: 2013
• Distinguished and assessed according to level:
–FT1 147 applications – award 24 and 4
reserves
–FT2 109 applications – award 18 and 2
reserves
–FT3 53 applications – award 9 and 4 reserves
• ROPE explicitly taken into account in these
assessments, by the panel members although not
always by readers
RMIT University©
FF
a. Candidate 40%
b. Project Quality and Innovation 35%
c. Strategic Alignment 15%
d. Collaboration Outreach 10%
RMIT University©
Procedures
1. Divide preparation into parts:
a. Investigator
b. Research Environment
c. Project
i. Feasibility and benefit for Discovery
ii. Details of links for Linkage
2. Give time to each one..
RMIT University©