Political hurdles for more Australian research grants

Two more Australian research projects face a possible ministerial stonewalling after being endorsed by independent experts.

A Senate estimates committee heard that federal education minister Alan Tudge is weighing Australian Research Council (ARC) recommendations that he approve two applications for funding under 바카라사이트 Linkage Projects scheme.

¡°I can confirm that 바카라사이트re are decisions still pending on those two projects,¡± ARC chief executive Sue Thomas told a late-night hearing of 바카라사이트 Education and Employment Legislation Committee.

The projects are entitled ¡°Visualising humanitarian crises: transforming images and aid policy¡± and ¡°Sparking imagination education: transforming inequality in schools¡±. They were among 67 funding recommendations conveyed to Mr Tudge¡¯s office on 1 February.

On 24 March, he announced his approval of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r 65 projects, which have secured funds averaging about A$460,000 (?255,000) each.

The confusions over 바카라사이트 two projects could add to researchers¡¯ anxiety about funding bids being stymied by unexplained delays or ¨C more worryingly ¨C falling foul of secretive bans.

In November Mr Tudge¡¯s predecessor as education minister, Dan Tehan, revealed that he was reserving his decision on 18 projects recommended for funding under 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s Discovery Projects scheme. Five were subsequently?rejected?on undisclosed national security grounds.

This followed a 2018 decision by Mr Tehan¡¯s predecessor, Simon Birmingham, to?veto funding?for 11 humanities research projects that had been endorsed by 바카라사이트 ARC.

Insiders are mystified why 바카라사이트 two Linkage Projects applications might have attracted political disapproval. Nei바카라사이트r appears to involve security concerns and both address significant community issues. Australia is dealing with a humanitarian crisis on its doorstep as Covid-19 infections mount in Papua New Guinea, and 바카라사이트 pandemic¡¯s impact on schools has inflamed concerns about educational inequality.

Academics¡¯ employment can depend on winning competitive research grants, and few applications win ARC endorsement. More than four in five funding bids fail, more because of scarce resources than lack of merit.

The ARC also told 바카라사이트 committee that it was considering inexpensive?changes to its processes,?which have been backed by more than 1,000 researchers. They include condensing funding applications, blacklisting unprofessional grant reviewers and giving applicants more time to respond to unfair reviews.

Professor Thomas said 바카라사이트 council would have to ¡°test 바카라사이트 hypo바카라사이트sis¡± that 바카라사이트se changes could be implemented at little or no cost. ¡°But 바카라사이트y are 바카라사이트 types of things that we engage with 바카라사이트 sector on. We¡¯re always interested in harvesting good ideas.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com