Minister to review federal veto power over research grants

The Sydney Morning Herald 08 July 2022

The controversial power of the federal education minister to veto Australian Research Council (ARC) grants will be scrutinised as part of an independent inquiry into the agency, as the Albanese government vows to reset the relationship with universities, writes Lisa Visentin for The Sydney Morning Herald.

The decision by the former Morrison government to veto AU$1.4 million (US$955,000) in funding for six humanities projects last year triggered widespread outrage from university leaders and academics, with some calling for the ministerial right-of-veto to be scrapped and for a root-and-branch review of the ARC system.

New Federal Education Minister Jason Clare has gone some way to acting on these concerns, using his first speech to the university sector to declare that the “delays and the political interference in the way competitive grants operate need to end”, as he announced a review into the role and governance of the main grants body. “It damages our international reputation. It also makes it harder for you to recruit and retain staff,” Clare told the annual Universities Australia conference on Wednesday 6 July.
Full report on the Sydney Morning Herald site

Receive email updates from UWN

Global newsletters    Africa newsletters    Other
    (other includes related events and webinars)

Data will be processed according to our standard terms & conditions.

Sponsored Article

Apply for Wege Prize – Change the world and earn cash rewards

Ferris State University staff

Around the globe, university students with big ideas for making their communities and the world better and helping solve some of today’s biggest problems – pollution, hunger, waste, and more – are applying for Wege Prize, an international design competition with a prize pool of US$65,000.

Promoted by Ferris State University.

Sponsored Article

Sustainability-centred Impact Hub at Stellenbosch University

Stellenbosch University staff

Stellenbosch University’s vision to be a systemically sustainable institution addressing continental and global sustainable development challenges is beginning to bear fruit. Not only is it educating future leaders, policy-makers and professionals in this space, but it is also finding solutions through research, training and development.

Promoted by Stellenbosch University.

Sponsored Article

Supporting Pride is about commitment to campus diversity

University of Victoria staff

ABET, the global accreditor of science, computing, engineering and technology programmes, is supporting Pride Month and prioritising equality, diversity and inclusion. It believes collaboration between a diverse pool of talent is a vital contributor to finding the best solutions to the world’s problems.

Promoted by ABET.

Sponsored Article

Ground-breaking research on seawater biodesalination

UAE University staff

As water scarcity reaches critical levels globally, a research team at the United Arab Emirates University seeks to revolutionise seawater desalination practices, offering a path to mitigate water scarcity while championing environmental preservation.

Promoted by United Arab Emirates University.