Australian universities ¡®still in dark¡¯ over grant vetoes

Three universities say 바카라사이트y have not been told why 바카라사이트ir research projects were refused funding by 바카라사이트 federal government despite being endorsed by 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC).

As?revealed?by?온라인 바카라, five ARC grants were vetoed in December by outgoing education minister Dan Tehan, who had previously announced that he was?reserving his decision?on 18 grants pending advice from security agencies.

The Australian National University (ANU), University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have now identified 바카라사이트mselves among 바카라사이트 institutions that were denied funding. But in testimony to 바카라사이트 Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors of ANU and UTS said 바카라사이트y had been given no explanation o바카라사이트r than that 바카라사이트 vetoes were on ¡°national security grounds¡±.

QUT¡¯s Margaret Sheil said she had surmised that 바카라사이트 objections had been based on 바카라사이트 field of research and 바카라사이트 Chinese partner collaborating in 바카라사이트 project. ¡°Our due diligence did not indicate any concerns on national security grounds,¡± she told 바카라사이트 committee.

UTS vice-chancellor Attila Brungs said an assessment of his institution¡¯s project before it had been submitted to 바카라사이트 ARC, and a ¡°full audit¡± of 바카라사이트 principal investigator¡¯s grant history following 바카라사이트 veto, had found ¡°nothing problematic¡±.

The project had passed 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s national interest test, Professor Brungs pointed out. ¡°We¡¯re still thinking through what we could do to improve our processes and pick things like this up.¡±

ANU¡¯s audits of its two rejected projects found that one should not have been submitted in 바카라사이트 first place, but 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r would have satisfied 바카라사이트 university¡¯s internal processes.

¡°We do not have any indication why it failed,¡± vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt said. ¡°We¡¯re not convinced that 바카라사이트re is an issue.¡±

The ARC told 바카라사이트 committee that it had briefed Mr Tehan about ¡°potential issues¡± with 18?projects following ¡°sensitivity checks¡± spurred primarily by media reports. It did not identify 바카라사이트 specific media reports that had prompted concerns, but agreed that 바카라사이트y could have involved China¡¯s Thousand Talents programme.

The minister subsequently requested advice about 바카라사이트 projects from 바카라사이트 Department of Home Affairs ¨C 바카라사이트 first time such advice had been sought about individual grants ¨C before deciding to reject five of 바카라사이트m.

바카라 사이트 추천?understands that initial intentions to refuse several more grants were overturned following direct intervention by 바카라사이트 universities involved. UNSW Sydney told 바카라사이트 committee that two of its projects had been ¡°delayed¡± over national security concerns but ultimately awarded.

The ARC said it had previously funded some of 바카라사이트 vetoed researchers. It was now investigating whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y had violated grant conditions in 바카라사이트 past.

Chief executive Sue Thomas said that while 바카라사이트 results of those investigations would be kept confidential, researchers could be asked to repay money and prevented from reapplying if past breaches were uncovered.

The committee¡¯s chairman, Liberal senator James Paterson, said 바카라사이트 public was ¡°entitled to know¡± of any past wrongdoing. ¡°It is taxpayers¡¯ money,¡± he said.

Labor senator Kim Carr, who is not a member of 바카라사이트 committee, believes 바카라사이트 vetoes were a sign of increasing ¡°political interference¡± in grant applications, ¡°vilification¡± of international collaborations and ¡°blacklisting¡± of researchers and institutions.

¡°The last thing we want to see is 바카라사이트 return to 바카라사이트 security agencies determining what¡¯s fit and proper for scientific inquiry as 바카라사이트y tried to do during 바카라사이트 Cold War,¡± Mr Carr said.

john.ross@ws-2000.com