A panel of experts has been established to review the 2015 Science and Research Priorities as they apply to the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP). The panel will consider
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how the existing priorities are used in the NCGP process;
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whether the structure of the existing priorities appropriately supports the NCGP process;
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areas in which Australia exhibits research strength, or which present opportunities to establish Australia as a world leader in research as identified by the ARC’s Excellence in Research for Australia report;
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areas of strategic priority that have been identified by Australia’s Learned Academies;
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how the ARC’s use of the priorities relates to government science, research and innovation strategies, for example, as outlined in the 2017 National Science Statement and Innovation and Science Australia’s Australia 2030: Prosperity Through Innovation;
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how the ARC’s use of the priorities compares to other Commonwealth research funding programs.
The panel which includes members of the current ARC Advisory Council includes:
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Professor Sue Thomas – Chief Executive Officer, ARC (Chair)
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Professor Deborah Terry AO – Vice-Chancellor, Curtin University
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Professor David Lloyd – Vice-Chancellor, University of South Australia
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Professor Kevin Hall – Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice President, Global Engagement and Partnerships, University of Newcastle
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Professor Duncan Ivison – Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research, University of Sydney
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Ms Lynley Marshall – Chief Executive Officer, Museums Victoria
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Mr Mark McKenzie – Director and Chair, Council of Small Business Australia
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Professor Cindy Shannon – Professor of Indigenous Health, Queensland University of Technology.
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Dr Michele Bruniges AM (Secretary, Department of Education and Training) or delegate
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Dr Alan Finkel AO (Australia’s Chief Scientist)
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Professor Anne Kelso AO (Chief Executive Officer, National Health and Medical Research Council).
The panel will also consider other reviews of the priorities as well as stakeholder consultation and feedback and will report back by the end of July 2019.