The Turnbull Government has backed 132 new projects to advance developments in key research areas from energy storage, robotics and advances in medical implants right through to coastal management and crop disease prevention.
Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham said the $180.4 million funding boost through ARC Future Fellowships, Australian Laureate Fellowships, Industrial Transformation Research Hubs and Training Centres, and Linkage Projects would support research that would make a difference to Australians and deliver real social and economic benefits.
“This research will improve the lives of everyday Australians, and encourage research partnerships that address real-world challenges,” Minister Birmingham said.
“This new funding will allow some of our best and brightest researchers to progress ideas that are essential to expanding Australia’s knowledge base and research capacity, and that support our economy and help create employment opportunities.”
Minister Birmingham said the latest round of the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program includes:
- 100 Fellowships, worth $84.7 million over four years, under the Future Fellowships scheme.
- 16 Fellowships, worth $46.4 million over five years, under the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme
- 7 Training Centres, worth $28.9 million over five years, under the Industrial Transformation Training Centres scheme.
- 4 Research Hubs, worth $18.0 million over five years, under the Industrial Transformation Research Hubs scheme
- 5 new research grants, worth $2.4 million, under the Linkage Projects scheme.
“Our new Future Fellowships are awarded to outstanding mid-career researchers, who will receive funding support to undertake their innovative research in Australia. This new cohort will boost Australia’s research and innovation capacity—the knowledge and discoveries that will flow from their research projects will ultimately benefit all Australians,” Minister Birmingham said.
“Similarly, the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme aims to attract and retain outstanding Australian researchers and research leaders of international repute, so they can undertake their ground-breaking research here in Australia and help build our research workforce and talent.
“In terms of building our research capacity and focus, the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hubs and Training Centres are the incubators for the next generation of researchers.
“Through strategic partnerships with key industry organisations, early-career researchers can become ‘industry-ready and actively engage with the end user in their research.
“This allows university-based researchers and industry to put their minds together to find practical solutions to a range of important challenges we face here in Australia.”
This funding boost comes off the back of the Turnbull Government’s recent $1.9 billion commitment to advancing Australia’s research infrastructure.
For more information about the funding outcomes, including full project details please visit the ARC website or view the ARC media announcement kit.