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Information for Researchers

2009 Discovery Projects Scheme


Scheme Summary

The Discovery Projects Scheme is part of the National Competitive Grants Program introduced in 2001.

The Scheme aims to support excellent research by individuals and teams, for a continuum of activities from pure basic research through to applied research.  The Scheme also aims to enhance the scale and focus of research in the National Research Priorities (listed below), and encourage research training in high-quality research environments. The Scheme allows for single projects to be undertaken on an individual basis but also emphasises the need for collaboration, and the development of capacity-building partnerships to work on a cohesive research program that will make a major contribution to generating knowledge. Research Grants and Research Fellowships are available. Research Fellowships available under the Discovery Projects Scheme include Australian Postdoctoral Fellowships (APDs), Australian Research Fellowship/Queen Elizabeth II Fellowships (ARF/QE II), and Australian Professorial Fellowships (APFs).

Grants may be awarded for one to five years, the normal duration being three years. APD awards are for 3 years, but a four-year research and teaching option is available. APF, QE II and ARF awards have a standard duration of five years.

The minimum grant size is $20,000 per calendar year and the maximum is $500,000 per calendar year.

The primary assessment criteria for the projects are: Investigators (40%), Project Significance and Innovation (30%), Project Approach (20%) and Project National Benefit (10%).

The Minister for Education, Science and Training has designated the following areas of research as continuing national research priorities for the 2009 funding round:

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Eligibility

Applicants

There are various applicant roles - Chief Investigator (CI), Partner Investigator (PI), ARC Professorial Fellow (APF), ARC Research Fellow/Queen Elizabeth II Fellow (ARF/QE11), ARC Postdoctoral Fellow (APD).

Applicants must consult the Guidelines - particularly section 8 to determine their eligibility for the various applicant roles. Note that a researcher who is eligible to be a Chief Investigator is not eligible to be a Partner Investigator.

Early Career Researchers (see definition in the Guidelines item 8.2) will be considered separately from mainstream applications where they apply as a single investigator or in collaboration with other ECR’s.

Proposals

A Proposal may not be submitted if it is essentially the same as an eligible Proposal submitted in the DP funding round conducted in 2008 and that latter Proposal was ranked in group E (remainder of unsuccessful proposals) in that earlier round.

Number of Grants and Applications

The following limits apply to grants awarded under the Discovery Projects Scheme:

  • Only one application to Discovery Projects may be submitted in respect of a single project in the same year regardless of any variation in the applicants and/or proposed administering organisation.
  • Every project application must have at least one Chief Investigator or Fellowship applicant.
  • Applicants may apply for multiple Discovery Project grants only to the extent that, if all were successful, they would not exceed the maximum number of grants they may hold in 2009 (refer section 6.6 of the Guidelines).
  • A researcher may not hold more than two Discovery Projects grants on which he/she is a CI or ARC Fellow;
  • A researcher may not hold more than one Discovery Projects grant on which he/she is the sole CI or sole ARC Fellow regardless of the number of PIs involved;
  • A researcher may not be named as a Partner Investigator on more than four Discovery Projects grants;
  • A Federation Fellow may apply for and hold up to 2 Discovery Projects grants (one may be as a sole CI), in addition to the Federation Fellowship;
  • Researchers who are Specified Personnel for an ARC Centre (excluding PIs) may not hold more than one Discovery Projects grant;
  • A researcher who holds an ARC Fellowship, or is nominated for an ARC fellowship, which will be hosted at a Commonwealth-funded Research Centre may be involved in one Discovery Projects grant, in addition to his/her ARC Fellowship;
  • A limit of one ARC Fellowship nomination has been introduced for persons who are being nominated for an ARC Fellowship in this 2009 DP funding round.

Submitting applications that contravene the above limits will result in the exclusion of all applications involving that applicant as a CI, PI or Fellow.

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Application Material

Applicants for the Linkage Projects should firstly:

  • Read the GAMS information (note that applications must be submitted using the GAMS system)

And, download the following documents:

  • For information on research clasification codes and specifically, Field of Research (FOR) codes, please view our codes webpage.
  • A Certification Page must be signed by ALL applicants and the Dean of Faculty. Visit the Certification Proforma page on the ARC website to download the appropiate form.

Note that a number of significant clarifications and revisions have been made to last years Funding Rules (refer section 5 of the Funding Rules) and applicants are advised to read the Rules carefully.

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Advice and Assistance

Copies of successful applications are available - please contact Asha Rawlings, ext 8251, or email arawlings@swin.edu.au

Advice and assistance is available from Swinburne Research - please contact Gwyn Morgan, ext 8069, or email gmorgan@swin.edu.au

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Critical Dates and Lodgement Instructions

Date Action Required
14 January, 2008 Eligibility Ruling Requests including Fellowship Eligibility and ARC NHMRC Overlap due with Swinburne Research.
4 February, 2008 Completed and validated application lodged for review (electronically on GAMS plus one hard copy) due with Swinburne Research. More detailed instructions on how to lodge your application is available above under "GAMS Information".
29 February, 2008 Final date for submission of reviewed applications only. Completed and validated form lodged (electronically on GAMS plus the original and two copies), single sided and bulldog clipped - not stapled, to Swinburne Research for lodgment with the ARC.
29 February, 2008 Final date for any letters to the ARC regarding assessors that you do not want to assess your application (as per item 11.2.3 of the Funding Rules). These must be submitted through Swinburne Research.

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Looking for Funding? The Swinburne Research Bulletin
Looking for Funding? The Swinburne Research Bulletin