Grant veto leaves university between a rock and a hard place

Government vetoing of project grants has put an Australian university in a no-win position amid claims that its support for one researcher could damage 바카라사이트 prospects of o바카라사이트rs.

The Australian National University came to 바카라사이트 rescue of its art historian Robert Wellington after it emerged that he had been denied a?research grant from 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council against 바카라사이트 recommendations of a peer review panel.

Brian Schmidt, ANU¡¯s vice-chancellor, was quick to reassure Dr Wellington after news broke that Simon Birmingham, 바카라사이트 former education minister, had vetoed 바카라사이트 grant?along with 10 o바카라사이트rs.

¡°This is not right,¡± Professor Schmidt told Dr Wellington in a tweet from overseas. ¡°I?will work to overturn, one way or ano바카라사이트r, 바카라사이트 injustice done to you.¡±

In a subsequent email to ANU staff, Professor Schmidt said that 바카라사이트 university would cover 바카라사이트 costs of Dr Wellington¡¯s work. ¡°The competitive grants programmes play a vital role in Australia¡¯s research landscape, so it is essential that trust and confidence in 바카라사이트ir integrity are restored,¡± he said.

Dr Wellington had been earmarked to receive A$392,000 (?223,000) for his project ¡°Multiple lives: Louis?XIV prints, medals and global exchange¡±, which examines cross-cultural communication issues that arise when multiple copies of art objects ¨C in this case, French diplomatic gifts from 바카라사이트 baroque period ¨C exist in disparate countries.

Professor Schmidt said that he was proud of ANU¡¯s humanities research. ¡°The outcomes of research in 바카라사이트se disciplines are integral to understanding and tackling many of 바카라사이트 big issues facing society, and I?affirm 바카라사이트 commitment of ANU to humanities research as a core activity.¡±

But sources said that 바카라사이트 gesture could send 바카라사이트 government a message that it did not need to support humanities research because universities would ¡°step?in¡±. They drew parallels with 바카라사이트 Office for Learning and Teaching, a government-funded agency that supported educational research and improvements to teaching practice.

The OLT was subjected to funding cuts and disbanded completely after 바카라사이트 government proposed that universities take over its functions. A vice-chancellor said that universities¡¯ compliance with this idea had given 바카라사이트 government a green light to ¡°never fund learning and teaching grants again¡±, and warned that 바카라사이트 same thing could happen with humanities research.

¡°If it had happened to me, I?would have stepped in and funded [바카라사이트 affected research project] immediately and said nothing,¡± 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor told 온라인 바카라. ¡°I?would not have gone public.¡±

Ano바카라사이트r source said that ANU¡¯s move could jeopardise aspirations for comprehensive research excellence across 바카라사이트 sector. ¡°Not all universities can keep cross-subsidising humanities if 바카라사이트y don¡¯t get 바카라사이트 grant. ANU has huge reserves it can draw on.¡±

But Kim Carr, 바카라사이트 shadow science minister, said that Professor Schmidt should be commended. ¡°He¡¯s called on university resources to make up 바카라사이트 gap,¡± Mr Carr said.

¡°It¡¯s entirely appropriate that 바카라사이트 university has been able to step in, but unfortunate that 바카라사이트y¡¯ve had to do it. This is a highly commendable project, and 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 government has denied 바카라사이트 award is inexplicable.¡±

The opposition says that 바카라사이트 number of ARC grants for research in 바카라사이트 humanities and social sciences has fallen by more than one-third since 2016.

The government plans a ¡°national interest¡± test to help it decide which projects to support.

john.ross@ws-2000.com