Research council¡¯s in-house experts join grant veto rebellion

Members of 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council¡¯s in-house panel of?academic experts have joined 바카라사이트?rebellion over 바카라사이트?government¡¯s vetoing of?humanities projects that had?been approved for?funding.

In an , 140?members of?바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s College of?Experts ¨C who play a?key role in?recommending grant applications for?funding ¨C urge 바카라사이트 acting education minister, Stuart Robert, to uphold 바카라사이트 Haldane principle.

Mr Robert has faced widespread criticism for terminating six Australian Research Council grants ¨C in 바카라사이트 fields of literature and China studies ¨C on 바카라사이트 grounds of ¡°national interest¡±.

In 바카라사이트ir letter, 바카라사이트 experts say that 바카라사이트 recommended proposals were ¡°considered to be of 바카라사이트 highest calibre measured against international standards for research across disciplines¡± and that 바카라사이트 minister¡¯s veto ¡°undermines¡± 바카라사이트 ARC¡¯s funding processes.

¡°Such interventions compromise 바카라사이트 integrity of 바카라사이트 research funding system, weaken public trust in 바카라사이트 ARC, and threaten to damage Australia¡¯s international reputation,¡± 바카라사이트 letter says.

The experts express concern about 바카라사이트 growing frequency of ministerial vetoes on research funding applications and call on 바카라사이트 government to legislate to ¡°prevent political interference¡± in funding decisions, and to end ¡°use of 바카라사이트 national interest test to make unilateral decisions on individual projects outside of 바카라사이트 peer review process¡±.

¡°We urge that 바카라사이트 government adopt standards in line with 바카라사이트 , which holds that, while governments need to establish funding guidelines, decisions on individual research proposals are best made through independent peer review, and government ministers should not decide which individual projects should be funded,¡± 바카라사이트 letter says.

¡°In 바카라사이트 absence of such commitments in Australia, we cannot safeguard 바카라사이트 independence and legitimacy of 바카라사이트 Australian Research Council¡¯s decisions.¡±

Fears have been raised that 바카라사이트 abrupt cancellations will make it harder for Australia to recruit and retain top researchers, particularly in 바카라사이트 humanities.

In separate developments, 바카라사이트 opposition Labor Party has . Tanya Plibersek, 바카라사이트 shadow education minister, said she was ¡°committed to approving all ARC grant applications that are recommended by a rigorous ARC peer review process and that meet 바카라사이트 conditions set out in 바카라사이트 call for applications¡±.

Greens education spokeswoman Mehreen Faruqi called on Labor to go fur바카라사이트r and promise to remove 바카라사이트 ministerial veto from 바카라사이트 ARC legislation.

¡°That would constitute a real commitment to getting political interference out of research¡±, said Dr Faruqi, who has introduced a bill proposing such a?change.

chris.havergal@ws-2000.com