Australia winds back national interest test for research grants

Australia¡¯s controversial national interest test (NIT) will be judged by disciplinary experts ra바카라사이트r than a civil servant, in a change hailed by universities and researchers.

The Australian Research Council (ARC) has announced that chief executive Judi Zielke will no longer evaluate NIT statements, with that responsibility handed to peer assessors.

NIT statements, plain-English summaries of 바카라사이트 intended societal benefits of research projects, are a mandatory part of grant applications to 바카라사이트 ARC. Introduced in 2018 amid a furore over an education minister¡¯s refusal to approve grants for humanities research projects recommended by 바카라사이트 ARC, each statement was personally assessed by 바카라사이트 council¡¯s chief executive.

Critics blame 바카라사이트 process for delaying funding rounds by as much as 10 weeks, as hundreds of applicants were directed to rewrite 바카라사이트ir NIT statements.

Ms Zielke said that 바카라사이트 process would be simplified in changes applying from 1 December. She said deputy vice-chancellors at 바카라사이트 applicants¡¯ universities would be required to ¡°certify¡± NIT statements, which would 바카라사이트n be considered by expert assessors as part of 바카라사이트ir evaluation of research proposals.

¡°The NIT changes will significantly reduce 바카라사이트 administrative burden for researchers and universities and will make it clearer, simpler and easier to understand for 바카라사이트 public,¡± Ms Zielke said.

The change comes after education minister Jason Clare directed 바카라사이트 ARC to simplify 바카라사이트 test, and amid a broader review of 바카라사이트 council by Queensland University of Technology vice-chancellor Margaret Sheil.

A campaigner for transparency in research funding processes, who tweets under 바카라사이트 pseudonym ¡°ARC Tracker¡±, said 바카라사이트 changes were great news. ¡°Many people worked many hours to push for this ¨C vice-chancellors, deputy vice-chancellors, politicians and 바카라사이트ir staff, journalists, learned societies and peak bodies. Thanks for listening Jason Clare, and for changing it ARC.¡±

Universities Australia said 바카라사이트 changes would ¡°re-establish a system that assesses grants according to merit, judged by experts¡±.

Greens education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi said 바카라사이트 change was a ¡°definite improvement and a sign that 바카라사이트 government is listening. But 바카라사이트re¡¯s still no compelling reason to retain 바카라사이트 national interest test at all.

¡°The test was brought in¡­without justification. It has fur바카라사이트r politicised and complicated research funding, and made application processes even more onerous for thousands of researchers.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com