Federation Fellowship Scheme
- Scheme Summary including Eligibility
- Funding Available for Federation Fellowships
- Application Material
- Advice and Assistance
- Critical Dates and Lodgement Instructions
Scheme Summary
The Federation Fellowships are highly prestigious awards. Applications are invited from outstanding individuals with exceptional, internationally renowned research careers.
The Federation Fellowships aim to:
- Attract and retain outstanding researchers of international renown
- Build and strengthen world-class research capability in Australia
- Expand Australia’s knowledge base by supporting ground-breaking, internationally competitive research
- Forge strong links between researchers, industry and the international research community
- Support research that will result in economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits for Australia
The Federation Fellowships provide opportunities for outstanding Australian researchers to return to, or remain in key positions in Australia. Outstanding international researchers may also be attracted to undertake and lead ground-breaking research of national benefit to Australia.
Applicants will be distinguished researchers at the forefront of international research with leadership skills and experience in building research capacity and should propose ground-breaking research programs likely to deliver significant economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits to Australia. They will also develop stronger links between researchers, industry and the international research community. Preference will be given to early to mid-career researchers who will play a leadership role in building Australia's internationally competitive research capacity.
Up to 25 Federation Fellowships will be awarded for funding commencing in 2008. Up to 5 of these will be awarded to support researchers who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, but who can demonstrate that a Federation Fellowship would be of national benefit to Australia.
The Minister for Education, Science and Training has designated the following as priority areas of research for this funding round:
- An Environmentally Sustainable Australia
- Promoting and Maintaining Good Health
- Frontier Technologies for Building and Transforming Australian Industries
- Safeguarding Australia
Eligibility
Applicants must have an outstanding track record and be at the forefront of international research and either:
- Australia–based Australian researchers who have a research record of high international standing; or expatriate Australian researchers, with research records of high international standing, who wish to return to pursue research in Australia; or
- Extremely high profile non-Australian researchers who wish to pursue research which would provide major benefit to Australia, within Australia, (up to five may be awarded in 2008).
Federation Fellows are expected to work full-time on research and research-related activities. While a Fellow’s principal duty is to undertake research, it is also important to specify the role he/she would be expected to play within the host department or institution.
Federation Fellows are required to reside predominantly in Australia for the full term of the grant, but it is expected that the holders of the Fellowships will pursue research that is at the leading edge, internationally, in their field, and therefore may undertake periods of research overseas. Federation Fellows who wish to undertake research overseas will require the approval of the ARC to do so. Approval may be given for periods of up to two years in total, providing the administering institution clearly demonstrates that this is in the best interests of the research and its outcomes, and of national benefit to Australia.
The weightings of the selection criteria for Fellowships are: Investigator (50%), Research Program (50%).
Funding
The support available under Federation Fellowships is a salary of $A256,052 per annum (2007 dollars) and on-costs at 28%. The Federation Fellowships have a standard tenure of five years.
The ARC will provide funding for 100% salary plus on-costs for the first and second Federation Fellowship held by a person. However, if desired a 50% salary plus pro rata on-costs funding option is available for the second Federation Fellowship. In the latter case, the ARC will provide salary support of 50% of the notional Federation Fellowship salary plus pro rata on-costs. This funding must at least be matched by the fellows administering organisation and the proposal must detail how the fellow's research will be supported.
The institution will be required to show a commitment to the Fellow by providing a detailed submission of its contributions towards the Fellowship in cash and in kind – the level of guaranteed support must match, at least dollar for dollar, the financial assistance (in salary) provided by the Commonwealth over the life of the Fellowship.
Successful applicants who did not hold an ARC Discovery-Projects or Linkage-Projects grant at the time of application or who were not eligible to be a chief investigator in the most recent ARC Discovery-Projects or Linkage-Projects rounds may apply for a project start-up grant of up to $500,000.
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:
-
Federation Fellowships Instructions to Applicants
Linkage projects Scheme sample application form 2008 - 2009 to come
-
- 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.
Advice and Assistance
Advice and assistance is available from Swinburne Research – please contact Gwyn Morgan, ext 8069 or email gmorgan@swin.edu.au
Critical Dates and Lodgement Instructions
| Dates | Action Required |
|---|---|
Friday, 5 October 2007 |
Completed draft application due at Office of Research for checking and comment. Applications will be returned to applicants within one week of submission. |
Friday, 19 October 2007 |
Final date for submission of reviewed application. Completed and validated form lodged (on GAMS) plus the original plus two copies, (single sided and bulldog clipped - not stapled) to the Office of Research for lodgment with the ARC |
Friday, 19 October 2007 |
Final date for lodgement of letters requesting non-use of an assessor (if applicable) to the Office of Research for lodgement with the ARC. |
