Industrial Transformation Research
Hubs
Selection Report
For Funding Commencing in 2014
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs
Selection Report for Funding Commencing in 2014
Overview
The Industrial Transformation Research Hubs is a scheme that engages Australia's best
researchers in issues facing the new industrial economies and training the future workforce.
This scheme supports collaborative research activity between the Australian higher education
sector and industry designed to focus on strategic outcomes not independently realisable.
The objectives of the Industrial Transformation Research Hubs scheme are to:
a. encourage collaborative Research and Development projects between universities and
organisations outside the Australian higher education sector that will solve
challenging industry issues through innovative research relevant to the Industrial
Transformation Priorities;
b. attract investment from the local and international business community by supporting
the internationally-recognised excellence of Australian universities and their industry
partners; and
c. leverage national and international investment in targeted industry sectors.
Selection process
Proposals for projects commencing in 2014 opened on 17 September 2014 and closed on
10 December 2014. This report outlines recommendations from the selection process for that
round.
ARC Executive Directors, assisted by relevant ARC staff, prepared funding recommendations
for submission to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The recommendations were based on
advice from the Industry Advisory Panel 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; and

recommended proposal feedback.
and, on advice from the ARC Eligibility Committee which:



considered eligibility issues identified by ARC staff;
where required, sought advice from institutions with respect to issues raised; and
made recommendations to the CEO in respect of ineligible proposals.
This report reflects the recommendations of the ARC CEO to the Minister for Education and
Training, and the ministerially approved funding outcomes.
.
Page 2 of 8
Selection criteria
Selection criteria and corresponding weights for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs
proposals are:




Proposed project
Feasibility and benefit
Capacity and commitment from partner organisation(s)
Investigator(s)
(30%)
(30%)
(20%)
(20%)
The ARC assessment and subsequent reporting process for Industrial Transformation
Research Hubs 2014 was managed in the Research Management System (RMS), and used a
total of 10 Industry Advisory Panel members. A total of 54 independent assessor reports were
submitted to the ARC for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2014.
Summary of Outcomes
The ARC received a total of 15 proposals for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for
funding in 2014. There were no withdrawn proposals. The overall success rate was
26.7 per cent, lower than the success rate for the previous round of 46.7 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 Research
Hubs for funding in 2013 (Round 2) and 2014
Funding Proposals
year
considered
2013
Round 2
2014
Proposals
approved
Success Requested funds
rate
over project life
(all proposals)
Requested funds
Funds
Allocation as a
over project life allocated over percentage of
(approved
project life
request
proposals)
15
7
46.7%
$54,199,966
$24,741,067 $23,985,451
96.9%
15
4
26.7%
$57,602,990
$19,675,022 $18,681,869
95.0%
Approved Research Hubs for Funding
Table 2.
Details of approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding
in 2014
Administering
Organisation
The University of
Sydney
Hub
Director
A/Prof Brent
Kaiser
Approved funds
over project life
$3,972,614
ARC Research Hub for a World-class
Future Fibre Industry
Deakin University
Prof Xungai
Wang
$4,711,583
ARC Research Hub for Offshore Floating
Facilities
The University of
Western Australia
Prof David
White
$4,997,672
ARC Research Hub for Computational
Particle Technology
Monash
University
Prof Aibing
Yu
$5,000,000
Research Hub Title
ARC Research Hub for Legumes for
Sustainable Agriculture
Page 3 of 8
Selection outcomes by Administering Organisation
Table 3.
Numbers of proposals, success rates and ARC approved funding for
approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2014
proposals by Administering Organisation
Administering
Organisation
Proposals
considered
Proposals
approved
Success
rate
ARC approved funding over
project life (approved proposals)
New South Wales
1
1
100.0%
$3,972,614
The University of
Sydney
1
1
100.0%
$3,972,614
Queensland
1
0
0%
-
The University of
Queensland
1
0
0%
-
South Australia
1
0
0%
-
The University of
Adelaide
1
0
0%
-
Victoria
8
2
25.0%
$9,711,583
Deakin University
1
1
100.0%
$4,711,583
Monash University
6
1
16.7%
$5,000,000
RMIT University
1
0
0%
Western Australia
4
1
25.0%
Curtin University
of Technology
1
0
0%
The University of
Western Australia
3
1
33.3%
$4,997,672
Total
15
4
26.7%
$18,681,869
$4,997,672
-
Page 4 of 8
Participating organisation contributions by organisation type
Table 4.
Participating organisation contributions by organisation type for
approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2014
proposals
Organisation type
Organisation contributions (cash & in-kind)
over project life (approved proposals)
Administering Organisation
$15,172,510
Other Eligible Organisation
$4,732,092
Partner Organisation
Other Organisation
Total
$27,494,305
$2,083,375
$49,482,282
Partner Organisation contributions by sector
Partner Organisations were identified by the applicants as either international or Australiabased, government, non-profit, private companies or overseas higher education organisations.
The Partner Organisation contributions in these categories for proposals approved for funding
in 2014 are shown below in Table 5.
Page 5 of 8
Table 5.
Partner Organisation contributions by sector for approved Industrial
Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2014 proposals
Type
Cash
$
In-kind
%
Total
$
%
99,867
1.0
$
%
Government
Australian
Federal
Government
Australian
state,
territory &
local
governments
4,986,438
0
Subtotal
28.0
0
0
0
5,086,305
0
18.5
0
4,986,438
28.0
99,867
1.0
5,086,305
18.5
Australian
9,550,000
53.7
7,350,000
75.7
16,900,000
61.5
International
3,000,000
16.9
2,000,000
20.6
5,000,000
18.2
12,550,000
70.6
9,350,000
96.3
21,900,000
79.7
250,000
1.4
258,000
2.7
508,000
1.9
Industry
Body
Subtotal
Non-profit
Australian
International
0
Subtotal
250,000
0
1.4
0
258,000
0
2.7
0
508,000
0
1.9
Education
Australian
0
0
0
0
0
0
International
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Subtotal
0
0
0
0
0
0
Total
17,786,438
Subtotal
Other
Other
100.0
9,707,867
100.0
27,494,305
100.0
Note: All totals and percentages are shown using rounded figures, and as such may not sum.
Page 6 of 8
Leverage of ARC funding
Of the 15 proposals considered, four were approved with a total approved funding, over the
life of these projects, of $18.7 million. There are 14 Partner Organisations involved with these
proposals, committing a total of $27.5 million in cash and in-kind funding. This represents
$1.47 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 Research Hubs proposals approved for funding
commencing in 2014
Industrial Transformation Priorities
Instances in proposals
considered*
3
Instances in proposals
approved*
1
Manufacturing
5
1
Medical devices and biotechnology
4
0
Mining and mining services
6
1
Oil and gas, including petroleum
6
1
Total
24
4
Food and agriculture
* A single proposal may select multiple Industrial Transformation Priorities
Strategic Research Priorities
Table 7.
Approved funding for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for
funding in 2014 by Strategic Research Priority
Priority Area
Lifting productivity and economic
growth
Managing our food and water assets
Proposals
considered
Proposals
funded
Success
rate
Approved
funds (over
project life)
11
3
27.3%
$14,709,255
2
1
50.0%
$3,972,614
Promoting population health and
wellbeing
Total
2
0
-
15
4
26.7%
$18,681,869
Total within Strategic Research
Priorities
15
4
26.7%
$18,681,869
100.0%
100.0%
Percentage within Strategic
Research Priorities (%)
-
100.0%
Page 7 of 8
Table 8.
Proposal data by Field of Research category for Industrial Transformation
Research Hubs for funding in 2014
Field of Research
category
Chemical Sciences
Agricultural and
Veterinary Sciences
Engineering
Technology
Commerce,
Management, Tourism
and Services
Total
Proposals
considered
Proposals
approved
ARC approved funding over project
life (approved proposals)
1
0
-
2
1
$3,972,614
9
2
3
0
$14,709,255
-
1
0
-
15
4
$18,681,869
Gender
A total of 276 participants were named as Hub Director, Chief Investigator or Partner
Investigator on all proposals considered in this round. Of these, 232 are male and 44 are
female. The success rates for male and female participants in this round are 32.3% per cent
and 43.2% per cent respectively. The four Hub Directors are male.
International collaboration
Figure 1.
Instances of International Collaboration on approved Industrial
Transformation Research Hubs for funding in 2014 proposals
Switzerland, 1
Netherlands, 1
England, 3
Singapore, 1
China, 1
United States
of America, 4
Page 8 of 8