Government Appoints First Australian Research Council BoardGovernment Appoints First Australian Research Council Board The Australian Government has established an independent board for the Australian Research Council (ARC), led by Professor Peter Shergold as Chair and Professor Susan Dodds as Deputy Chair. The board will oversee priorities, policies, and grant approvals for ARC funding schemes. This move aligns with the recommendations of the Review of the Australian Research Council Act 2001, led by Professor Margaret Sheil AO. The board will replace the Minister in approving most National Competitive Grants Program research grants. Two advisory committees, the ARC Advisory Committee and the ARC Indigenous Forum, will provide guidance and advice. Industry leaders have praised the composition of the board, which includes: * Professor Peter Shergold AC * Professor Susan Dodds FAHA * Professor Maggie Walter * Professor Cindy Shannon AM * Professor Paul Wellings CBE * Emeritus Professor Margaret Harding * Mark Stickells AM * Sally-Ann Williams FTSE The Minister for Education retains responsibility for funding guidelines and oversight. However, the board has the authority to approve and terminate research grants. Minister Jason Clare emphasized the government’s commitment to ending ministerial interference and political influence in ARC decision-making. Despite the board’s autonomy, the Minister maintains the power to approve nationally significant research investments, such as Centres of Excellence, Industrial Transformation Research Hubs, and Industrial Transformation Training Centres. Recent funding announcements include $29.8 million for six new Industrial Transformation Training Centres and $34.7 million for seven Industrial Transformation Research Hubs. ARC Acting CEO Dr. Richard Johnson highlighted the importance of industry-university collaborations in driving innovation and training industry-focused researchers through these centers. The appointment of the first ARC board marks a significant step towards a more independent and transparent research funding system in Australia.
The Australian Government last week announced the appointment of a new, independent board for the Australian Research Council (ARC), to be chaired by Professor Peter Shergold and his deputy, Professor Susan Dodds. The board will be responsible for setting priorities, strategies and policies for the ARC, advising the Minister for Education (currently Jason Clare) and approving research grants for many ARC funding schemes.
The appointment is in line with the recommendations of the independent Review of the Australian Research Council Act 2001, led by Professor Margaret Sheil AO. The ARC Board, in place of the Minister, will be responsible for approving most research grants within the National Competitive Grants Program. The Board will be supported by two key advisory committees to provide guidance and advice on the ARC’s priorities and strategies: the ARC Advisory Committee and a new ARC Indigenous Forum.
The composition of the new ARC board has been praised by the CEO of industry body Science & Technology Australia (STA), Ryan Winn, who called it a “highly experienced board of some of the country’s best research leaders, who collectively draw on experience from government, academia, research and research infrastructure”. The board members are:
- Professor Peter Shergold AC, who has worked as a Secretary in the Australian Public Service for twenty years
- Professor Susan Dodds FAHA, who recently served as a panel member on the ARC’s independent review and the outgoing ARC Advisory Committee
- Dear Professor Maggie Walter
- Professor Cindy Shannon AM
- Professor Paul Wellings CBE
- Emeritus Professor Margaret Harding
- Mark Stickells AM
- Sally-Ann Williams FTSE
The Minister of Education is responsible for approving funding guidelines, which will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny. The Minister also has the power to instruct the board not to approve a grant, or to terminate funding for research grants, based on national security concerns. They will have to inform parliament of these decisions.
“Over the past decade, the ARC has been plagued by political interference and ministerial delays,” Clare said.
“This has made it harder for universities to recruit and retain staff, and it has damaged our international reputation.
“I promised to end the days of ministers using the ARC as a political plaything and today, with the appointment of the new independent board, that is what we are doing.”
The Minister retains the power to approve nationally significant investments that advance Australia’s research capacity, such as the ARC Centres of Excellence, Industrial Transformation Research Hubs and Industrial Transformation Training Centres. The ARC has just announced $29.8 million in funding for six new Industrial Transformation Training Centres and $34.7 million for seven Industrial Transformation Research Hubs to launch in 2024, including:
- The ARC Training Centre for Future Leaders in Quantum Computing — The University of Sydney
- The Industrial Transformation Training Centre in Digital Platforms for the Net-Zero Building Ecosystem Lifecycle (NOBEL) — Western Sydney University
- The ARC Training Centre for Smart and Sustainable Horticulture — Western Sydney University
- The ARC Training Centre in Current and Emerging Quantum Technologies (CE-QuTech) — The University of Adelaide
- The ARC Training Centre for Resource Efficient Alloys in a Circular Economy — Deakin University
- The ARC Training Centre in Electrifying Australia for a Net-zero future — RMIT University
- The ARC Research Hub for Solar Photovoltaic (PVRS) Recycling and Sustainability — UNSW Sydney
- The ARC Research Hub for human-robot collaboration for sustainable and resilient construction — University of Technology Sydney
- The ARC Research Hub in the Internet of Things for Water — Queensland University of Technology
- The ARC Research Hub for Molecular Biosensing at the Point of Use (MOBIUS) — La Trobe University
- The ARC Protected Crops Research Centre — La Trobe University
- The ARC Research Hub for Net Zero Infrastructure — Monash University
- The ARC Research Centre for Intelligent Energy Efficiency in Future Protected Crops — RMIT University
ARC Acting CEO Dr Richard Johnson said the research and training centres will support and encourage industry-university research collaborations in areas that can drive innovation in Australian industry and train industry-focused researchers.
Image Credits: iStock.com/Igor Kutyaev
