A major goal for Macquarie University, as stated in its Research Strategic Plan, is 'to be nationally and internationally recognised as leaders in selected areas of research, and to encourage all staff to engage actively in research'. As part of this process, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) and the University's Research Policy and Management Committee (RPMC), supported by the Research Office, utilise the University's research budget strategically to support several targeted competitive internal grants schemes. These schemes are constantly under review, and refinements are made as appropriate to meet the changing external challenges in the highly competitive higher education external funding environment.

The University's internal grants schemes are intended to achieve the following objectives:

1. To maintain and improve the University's performance under competitive national research grants schemes, especially Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery grants.

2. To improve the University's performance in collaborative research ventures with 'industry' partners (for example, ARC Linkage grants).

3. To support new members of staff, particularly those at the beginning of their academic research careers.

4. To encourage the formation of new research groupings that pursue innovative, cooperative research directions in fields of recognised significance (with one aim of enhancing future bids for major external competitive funding).

5. To support a broad range of relatively low-cost research, to assist staff to embark upon curiosity-based research and to help maintain those areas that find support from external sources difficult.

6. To provide postdoctoral research fellowships within the University's established areas of excellence.

7. To provide support for high-quality research among postgraduate research students in all areas of the University.

8. To attract high-quality postgraduate research students to the University's established areas of excellence.

To achieve these objectives, the RPMC manages the following schemes (the numbers correspond to those in the previous section). All the schemes require the submission of formal written applications.

1. University Research Development Grants (Safety Net) Scheme. Provides up to $20 000 to staff who were unsuccessful in the current ARC Discovery (and National Health & Medical Research Council Project) grant rounds, but who can demonstrate that they can, with continued modest support, mount a better application to the next round of that scheme.

2. University External Collaborative Research Grants Scheme. Operates on a dollar-for-dollar cash contribution from the industry partner. Maximum allocation from each partner is $50 000. The grant is for 12 months. Applications may be submitted at any time of year, with a six-week turnaround.

3. University Early Career Research Grants. Provides grants of up to $20 000 for staff at the beginning of their research careers (i.e. within two years of the date of their first academic appointment). They may apply at any time during the year (and may apply immediately upon receipt of their letter of appointment); the Research Committee and the Research Office aim for a six-week turnaround time.

4. University Research Innovation Fund. Provides grants of up to $250 000. Operates twice-yearly. Short-listed applicants must make a presentation to the RPMC.

5. University Research Development Grants Scheme. Operates mid-year and provides up to $20 000 upon submission of a competitive research project application (the committee may interview applicants).

6. University Research Fellowships Scheme. Up to six new fellowships (Academic Salary Level A) are offered each year. Criteria include the track record of the researcher, the significance of the project, the approach (conceptual framework, design, methods, and so on), anticipated national benefit, and resource issues.

7. University Postgraduate Research Fund Grants Scheme. Operates twice-yearly. Funds are awarded to assist individual research degree students via submission of a competitive research project application. Every applicant is interviewed. Each student is eligible to hold one grant during his/her period of candidature. Expenditure may include conference attendance.

8. Research Areas and Centres of Excellence Scholarships (domestic students) and International Macquarie University Research Scholarships. Staff may apply on a competitive basis for the support of a scholarship in an established area of excellence. This scheme allows the committee to direct scholarship funds strategically.

The web site address for the Research Office is www.ro.mq.edu.au and specific information about these internal research grants schemes is available at www.ro.mq.edu.au/fund/internal/

All schemes are continually monitored to determine if strategic goals are being met. Examples are set out below (the numbers correspond to those in the previous two sections).

1. Measured by a continuing healthy number of applications to external competitive schemes and corresponding success rates. Macquarie has averaged 99 applications for ARC grants per year (over the past five years). In 2003 the success rate was 25.7% compared with a national average of 20.6%. For ARC Linkage grants, the 2003 success rate was 70% compared with a national average of 49.7%.

2. This scheme now brings to the University as much industry partner funding as the ARC Linkage Scheme. In addition, these pilot projects frequently go on to be the subject of successful ARC Linkage grants.

3. Early-career researchers, having been awarded seed funding under the scheme, are able to compete more easily for external funds. For the 2004 ARC Discovery Projects round, the University had a higher-than-average success rate for early-career researchers (25%); this is compared with a national average of 20.4%.

4. Groups supported under this scheme have had notably successful outcomes. Two resulted in new University research centres; one led to participation in an ARC Centre of Excellence. Several resulted in significant research collaborations. Two led to Discovery Projects grants funding, and one contributed to the establishment of a spin-off company.

5. Feedback from Divisions indicates that this broad maintenance is essential to maintain researchers between support from external sources, and for those areas where external funding is difficult or non-existent.

6. The scheme is very competitive - the University receives 50 to 60 applications each year. Successful short-listed applicants are often also offered ARC or similar fellowships. In addition, fellowship holders are encouraged to apply for ARC fellowships in the first two years of their award (this process is monitored for success).

7. Feedback from students regarding the level of satisfaction is very positive. In addition, the committee panels receive valuable feedback at interviews. Commendations are given for exceptional students.

8. These scholarships allow significant flexibility in attracting research students to particular projects/areas, and assist with the University's strategies on postgraduate research candidature.

The University's annual Research Budget is approximately $4.5 million (excluding external Block Grants such as Research Infrastructure Block Grants). Of this sum, approximately $4 million is allocated to the competitive grants schemes described.

Operation of this diverse range of schemes is administratively costly (in time and staff) for the RPMC (and its Research Grants Sub-committee) and the Research Office. At least two of the schemes involve external assessors, and two are open for applications all year, thereby increasing the administrative commitment. However, the investment is deemed worth the outcomes. The schemes are continually monitored and their performance is checked. Where desired outcomes are not being achieved to a sufficient degree, the scheme guidelines are amended. The University has evidence that all of its specifically targeted schemes achieve their aims.

The system works well, partly because the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research), who is Chair of the RPMC, works closely with the Research Office. For the schemes with short turnaround times (for example, External Collaborative Grants or Early Career Grants), executive action (and therefore this close relationship) is essential. It is also significant that the committee charged with strategic management of research has control of the resources to guide the strategy.

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