Survival Skills Workshop UWA 8 September 2015 Presented by Professor Marian Simms ARC Executive Director

Survival Skills—Overview Web: arc.gov.au I 1.DECRA Scheme Updates 2.Early career and DECRA data 3.Discovery Schemes data 4.Assessment and selection processes 5.Questions? Discussion

Changes to align statement with selection criteria: Web: arc.gov.au I The Administering Organisation must provide a statement in relation to the Research Environment within the Proposal which: a.indicates that this area is a core or emerging research strength and describes the level of resources to be provided to support the successful DECRA candidate (for example, project costs, PhD students, or salary top-up) b.details opportunities for the DECRA Candidate to demonstrate the level of independence required to be competitive for research and/or research and teaching pathways at the Administering Organisation during and after the Project c.is signed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) or equivalent (D.5.1)

Web: arc.gov.au I A process has been introduced for recognition of research experience equivalent to having been awarded a PhD and timing of PhD outside eligible period Note that DECRA Candidates who do not have a PhD or are outside the timing requirements must submit an Eligibility Exemption Request. The ARC will determine whether an Eligibility Exemption is to be granted (D7.3 and D7.4) Eligibility Exemption Request

Carer’s responsibility: New FAQ (1) Web: arc.gov.au I “Carer's responsibility for a child and maternity or partner/parental leave can have an effect on a person's research opportunity and performance evidence above and beyond any actual time taken as leave. In recognition of this, under subsection D7.4.4 of the Funding Rules, the ARC will allow a DECRA Candidate in the DE16 round to claim an Eligibility Exemption of two years per dependent child (inclusive of carer's responsibility and any maternity or partner/parental leave), up to a maximum of four years.” (Without providing justification)

Carer’s responsibility: New FAQ (2) Web: arc.gov.au I “A person who has taken more than two years off to care for a dependent child, or who otherwise believes they are entitled to a greater than two year extension, would need to justify their claim when submitting an eligibility exemption request. FAQ 1.25 above does not cap career interruptions for carers of dependent children to two years per child. It does however allow carers of dependent children to claim up to a two year career interruption without justification.”

DECRA commitments Web: arc.gov.au I The DECRA Recipient is expected to spend a minimum of 20% of her/his time on activities at the Administering Organisation, and 80% of her/his time on research activities related to the proposed DECRA(D7.2.2 and D7.2.3) The DECRA Recipient may not engage in other professional employment for the duration of the DECRA without prior approval from the ARC under subsection D7.2.6 (D7.2.4) The DECRA Recipient may spend up to 0.2 (20 per cent of Full Time Equivalent (FTE)) of her/his time annually on teaching activities. The DECRA will not be extended to accommodate any periods of teaching. Supervision of honours or postgraduate students is not included in this limit (D7.2.9)

Number of ECR researchers on proposals received (DP and DECRA) Web: arc.gov.au I

Proportion of ECR researchers on proposals received (DP and DECRA) Web: arc.gov.au I

Gender—DE2015 Web: arc.gov.au I PanelNumber of female candidates Number of approved female candidates Female success rate Number of male candidates Number of approved male candidates Male success rate BSB % % EMI54917% % HCA921617%83911% PCE641016% % SBE % % Total % %

Citizenship and residency—DE2015 Web: arc.gov.au I Citizenship/ residency status Proposals considered % of proposals considered Proposals approved Success rate Foreign Nationals %8317.8% Resident Australians % % Returning Australians654.7%1116.9% Total % %

Years since PhD—DE2015 Web: arc.gov.au I Years since award of PhD No. of considered proposals % of considered proposals No. of approved proposals % of approved proposals %199.50% %189.00% % % % % % % % % %10.50% %00.00% %10.50% Total

Average age of Project Leaders in DP grants (DECRA 2012–2014) Web: arc.gov.au I

First-time awardees by scheme 2008–14 Web: arc.gov.au I

DP—Success and return rates Web: arc.gov.au I

DECRA—Success rates Web: arc.gov.au I

Future Fellowships—Success rate Web: arc.gov.au I

DECRA 2015 Dot-plot Web: arc.gov.au I

NCGP Lifecycle Web: arc.gov.au I Arial 28pt—black Note that font sizes can be altered to fit requirements

ARC NCGP funding by scheme 2006–2014

National Competitive Grants Programme Discovery ProgrammesLinkage Programmes Area of box represents $$ awarded over the period 2009 – N.B. - Centres of Excellence, SRIs, not awarded in every year. - ITRP and DECRA only funding since 2012

Assessment Process Web: arc.gov.au I ARC staff and Executive Directors assess eligibility etc., but do not decide which proposals should be funded All proposals are assessed against the selection criteria, and in accordance with the weightings for that scheme Proposals are generally assigned to two College of Experts members by EDs and at least two external assessors by the College College of Experts meets to moderate judgments and to make final recommendations about fundable proposals and budgets Under the ARC Act all recommendations are just that, and must be approved by the Minister

ROPE Web: arc.gov.au I “Research Opportunity is designed to provide assessors with an accurate appreciation of career history against a timeline of years since graduation from highest educational qualification. Assessors will recognise research opportunities and experience in the context of employment situations including those outside academia and the research component of employment conditions. Periods of unemployment, or any career interruptions for child birth, carers’ responsibilities, misadventure, or debilitating illness will be taken into account. Access to research mentoring and other research support facilities and any other relevant aspects of career experience or opportunities for research will complete the considerations.”

ARC College of Experts Web: arc.gov.au I plays a key role in identifying research excellence, moderating external assessments and recommending fundable proposals. assists the ARC in recruiting and assigning assessors and in implementing peer review reforms in established and emerging disciplines as well as interdisciplinary areas. experts of international standing drawn from the Australian research community: from higher education, industry and public sector research organisations ARC College nominations are approved by the ARC CEO for appointments of one to three years.

FoR Network mapping… All disciplines

What are assessors seeking in a DECRA application? Compelling Project Description Sound Methodology Strong performance evidence, highly appropriate to the Project Increasingly a robust Budget Justification Web: arc.gov.au I

ARC Assignment Information Web: arc.gov.au I The ARC has completely redesigned the way that potential assessors are matched to a proposal for assessment purposes Multiple areas of the proposal are mined for a set of keywords and presented to the person completing the assignments as a word cloud

ARC Assignment Information Web: arc.gov.au I This information is then matched to information stored against a potential assessor’s profile and presented in a similar word cloud The most appropriate person is then selected and assigned to the proposal to assess

Thank You