The National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP), while only representing around 7 per cent of publicly funded research in Australia is in many ways the backbone of our research
sector. The example that the NCGP sets as best practice with respect to the processes and procedures of research grant administration (particularly with respect to peer review,
research integrity and reporting) should not be underestimated.

More broadly, the influence of the Australian Research Council (ARC) stretches beyond the research funded to set the tone for the rest of the sector in terms of the research funded and the processes it adopts. For example, most universities adopted a form of academic assessment that followed the introduction by the ARC of the concept of assessing research opportunities alongside performance, similarly the incorporation of non-traditional outputs in relevant disciplines. It is therefore critical to get the NCGP right. Not just for the sake of the research it funds, or the researchers it supports – but for our entire research ecosystem.

UA acknowledges the ARC’s efforts throughout this review thus far and that the sector has given feedback used in formulating this Discussion Paper’s vision for a new NCGP for the next 20 years. We are broadly supportive of the themes identified for this vision with reservations with respect to certain details discussed below as neither address the fundamental weaknesses arising from underfunding both direct and indirect research costs.

UA does have an overarching concern with respect to the process for reforms which relates to the broader context of the research ecosystem as currently considered in the context of the Strategic Review of Research and Development (SERD).

There are a number of good, readily implementable ideas in the Discussion Paper, however they do not exist in a vacuum and there are some which may only be appropriate and effective assuming certain other reforms are implemented as a result of the SERD. For this reason, UA recommends staged implementation of any NCGP in order to manage the impact on the sector and adjust as necessary when the outcomes of the Strategic Examination of R&D are known. This could be achieved by focusing on reforms in the current Discovery program allowing further consideration of the broader implications of changes in the Linkage program (i.e. impacts of changes to Centres of Excellence and Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities funding).