In March 2025, the Australian Research Council (ARC) and the Department of Education called for feedback on a policy review of the National Competitive Grants Program. This is the second stage of consultation following initial consultation in April 2024.
DASSH welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback in this review.
The Discussion Paper: A New Plan for ARC-Funded Research sets a vision for funding bold and innovative research. We welcome the emphasis on meaningful end-user and partner involvement in research. DASSH strongly supports the trend towards funding these types of initiatives, programs and projects. We also welcome the encouragement of risk taking and adventurous or curiosity led research.
DASSH Members’ primary recommendations include:
- Addressing the precarity of support for early-career researchers,
- Reassessing the ratio of specific grant programs to expand access to collaborative projects and address short-term funding implications for ECRs,
- Addressing the potential unintended consequences of aligning research funding with priorities of government and the National Science and Research Priorities and maintaining a clear focus on fundamental research.
- Members also posed several questions about specific features of the grant model and considerations during implementation.
Members also posed several questions about specific features of the grant model and considerations during implementation.
Members welcomed the broad adoption of several recommendations following the first stage of consultation in 2024 including:
- Providing funding across pure and applied research
- Implementing grants with shorter and longer timeframes
- Greater recognition of broader research impact beyond commercialisation
- Expanding the largely STEM-based research priorities with industrial transformation schemes
- Increasing opportunities for early and mid-career researchers
- Importance of ensuring eligibility and assessment criteria for funding schemes properly aligns with different stages of academic careers.
- More systematic incorporation of Indigenous Knowledges within all aspects of the academic enterprise.