Submission to the Policy Review of the National Competitive Grants Program

ATSE’s submission makes 6 recommendations about using the NCGP to support research in Australia. ATSE argues for using the NCGP to champion underinvested in types of research, including fundamental, Interdisciplinary, null result and replication research. It calls for research funding to be moved towards 3% of GDP and calls for funding the full cost of research. It also calls for improvements to the distribution of grants by expanding two-stage grant approvals, improved diversity and allowing extensions of grants for research with impact.

ATSE makes the following recommendations:

Recommendation 1: Use the NCGP to champion fundamental, interdisciplinary, null result, and replication research by ensuring quarantined grant funding for these purposes that are not tied to government research priorities.

Recommendation 2: Initiate a broader review of the Australian R&D ecosystem with a view towards increasing overall R&D expenditure to 3% of GDP, in line with our international competitors.

Recommendation 3: Develop a funding scheme to cover the full cost of research to ensure institutions hosting NCGP awardees are not left out of pocket.

Recommendation 4: Implement a two-stage grant application process for all NCGP grants.

Recommendation 5: Embed structural and practical evidence-based measures to ensure diversity amongst grant recipients.

Recommendation 6: Increase the funding period of major grants through longer grant lengths or by allowing extension applications for world class impactful research.