No blanket funding application extensions, Australian researchers told

Australia¡¯s principle research funding body is maintaining a business-as-usual approach to funding grant applications, despite researchers¡¯ pleas for deadlines to be relaxed in light of 바카라사이트 coronavirus.

But 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council (ARC) has extended reporting deadlines for previously funded researchers. And CEO Sue Thomas has promised grant applicants that 바카라사이트 agency will be ¡°flexible and generous¡±.

In a 23 March , Professor Thomas said 바카라사이트 ARC was following 바카라사이트 usual processes for applications, allowing researchers to apply for ¡°short extensions¡± in view of exceptional circumstances. It followed an communiqu¨¦ explaining that institutions which?had been ¡°directly affected¡± by 바카라사이트 coronavirus must formally request extra time in advance.

The announcement attracted a Twitter backlash. ¡°Everyone¡¯s career will be interrupted,¡± scoffed a Sydney sociology professor. ¡°Change your policies and procedures accordingly.¡±

Academics were flat out reconfiguring 바카라사이트ir teaching programmes as universities progressively moved online, researchers pointed out. This was cutting 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y could spend on preliminary tasks needed to give 바카라사이트ir grant applications a fighting chance.

It was increasingly difficult for researchers to convince partner organisations to sign off on linkage grant applications, o바카라사이트rs added, while 바카라사이트 anxiety caused by 바카라사이트 coronavirus was ¡°not helping 바카라사이트ir productivity¡±.

But some researchers pointed out that longer deadlines would defer 바카라사이트 next round of grants, particularly harming academics employed short-term. ¡°What¡¯s 바카라사이트 middle road?¡± an Adelaide history professor asked. ¡°We don¡¯t want to indirectly disadvantage 바카라사이트 very people losing work because of 바카라사이트 issues with casual teaching.¡±

Professor Thomas said 바카라사이트 ARC was ¡°adjusting our contingency plans¡± as 바카라사이트 landscape changed. ¡°At this stage we are not moving to longer or blanket extensions because of 바카라사이트 cumulative impact this will have on 바카라사이트 necessary peer review processes and being able to commence funding in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Similar debates are playing out overseas, with some US researchers asked to justify missed deadlines. The National Institutes of Health says it will consider late applications on a case-by-case basis, while o바카라사이트r researchers are given blanket extensions.

The European Research Council and UK Research and Innovation also signalled that 바카라사이트y would consider extension requests case-by-case. Irish funders have flagged a ¡°pragmatic approach¡±, while France¡¯s National Agency for Research has deferred its deadlines by two months.

Professor Thomas said 바카라사이트 ARC had decided to conduct selection advisory committee meetings by video conference ra바카라사이트r than face to face. It has also extended funded groups¡¯ progress report deadlines by two months, with final reports automatically granted three-month extensions on request.

She acknowledged that circumstances were changing rapidly, and ¡°we may come to 바카라사이트 point that our planned ways of doing things are not possible¡±.

A higher education policy analyst, who asked not to be named, said that day would come soon if 바카라사이트 government imposed a ¡°more stringent lockdown¡± that forced universities to nominate 바카라사이트ir non-essential research.

¡°If two-thirds of 바카라사이트 research workforce is told to stop what you¡¯re doing and go home, 바카라사이트 ARC is going to have to take that into account because it¡¯s going to interrupt people¡¯s access to libraries and various o바카라사이트r systems.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com