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A new ERA
Scroll down for coverage of Excellence in Research in Australia 2018 and tomorrow in CMM look for ERA reaction (well, more promotion) from universities and lobbies, plus commentary from a learned reader and leading metrics maven
Virtual hot-stuff
“Students bond with new ‘augmented reality’ welding technology,” Naval Shipbuilding College, via Twitter, yesterday. Presumably they felt a spark.
Medical researchers’ election ask
The medical research institute lobby’s election election statement calls on all parties, “to show their commitment for Australia’s future health and wellbeing,” presumably by giving its members a bucket of money.
The Association of Australian Medical Research Institutes calls for:
* full $20bn capitalisation of the Medical Research Future Fund by 2020-21, as originally planned
* grant funding above inflation
* Investment in mid-career opportunities for researchers.
The statement is in-line with AAMRI’s budget submission (CMM February 11).
Every ERA way in every ERA way …
ARC reports quality Australian research outputs are getting better
The Australian Research Council’s audit, Excellence in Research for Australia 2018 demonstrates increasing quality of outputs, building on a strong 2016 result (CMM December 4 2016).
The new ERA reports five or more universities scored “well above world” standard in eleven of 22 broad discipline groups. Universities were “well above” in 36 per cent of the 2600 “units of evaluation” assessed and “above” world standard for a further 30 per cent.
Recording stress levels
Helen Christensen (UNSW and the Black Dog Institute) and colleagues are surveying students for a study on stress
The comprehensive survey will be used, to “optimise” the student experience, “through the development of programmes that may help students.” De-identified data will be provided to university managements, which will be useful for those with enough participants to identify problem areas. The survey appears in TAFE, university coursework and PhD versions.
More research metrics to come
Research reputation isn’t the only performance measure now
ERA used to be the ARC’s only system-wide register of review and as such what universities pointed at. But it is not, never has been, the whole story and for years a coalition of institutions and interest groups advocated for a second measure of research impact and community engagement. There was even talk of a new model replacing ERA. Advocates got some of their wish a couple of years back when the government commissioned the ARC to develop a second set of metrics.
The first resulting engagement and impact report is expected soon-ish.
Auditors asking about ARC
If you think the research funder is doing a terrific job you can tell the auditors.
The Australian National Audit Office yesterday announced an extension for submissions to its examination of the Australian Research Council’s administration of the national competitive grants programme. The due date is now April 5.
La Trobe law school head preparing for court
The university has suspended Professor Keyzer, who is preparing legal action
La Trobe University has suspended the head of its law school, Patrick Keyzer, who is charged with serious misconduct. Professor Keyzer is said to reject the allegations and to be preparing to go to the Federal Court to seek reinstatement.
High Fives: the universities and disciplines that really rate
Just about every DVC R wins a prize in Excellence in Research for Australia
The Australian Research Council assembles university research output by four digit research areas, grouped into two-digit discipline codes.
This gives universities a choice of what to spin – those who have not had the time and money to build vast research portfolios focus on four-digit results, detailing achievements in specific subject areas. And two performance levels, “above” and “well above” “world standard” mean it is easy to turn the spin-cycle to flat-out.
But the swathes of science covered by the two digit-fields and “well above world standard” ratings (five) present the big research-picture.
Universities with scores of five by broad research area are below, (apologies for errors and omissions), with the number of institutions submitting performance data in the field.
Mathematical Sciences: CQU, QUT, Swinburne U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNE, UNSW , Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, UWA, Uni SA. That’s 12 out of 27 universities researching in the field scoring a five.
Physical Sciences: Charles Sturt U, Griffith U, La Trobe U, Macquarie U, Monash U, RMIT, Swinburne U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Newcastle, Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, UWA , Uni Southern Queensland , UTS, Uni Wollongong, 18 fives out 25.
Chemical Sciences: Curtin U, Edith Cowan U, Griffith U, La Trobe U, Monash U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, Uni Southern Queensland, Uni Wollongong. 13 fives out of 30.
Earth Sciences: Southern Cross U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, U Tas, six scored five out of 23 rated.
Environmental Sciences: Deakin U, Edith Cowan U, Federation U, Griffith U, James Cook U, Macquarie U, QUT, ANU, Uni Melbourne, UNE, UNSW, Uni Newcastle, Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, UWA, Uni Canberra, Uni SA, U Tas, UTS, Uni Sunshine Coast, Western Sydney U 21 rate five out of 34.
Biological Sciences: James Cook U, La Trobe U, Macquarie U, Monash U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Newcastle, Uni Queensland, UWA, UTas, Western Sydney U 13 rated five out of 36.
Agriculture and Vet Sciences: Deakin U, La Trobe U, Macquarie U, Southern Cross U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, UNE, Uni Queensland, U Tas, UTS, U Sunshine Coast, Western Sydney U. 12 rated five out of 25.
Information and Computing Sciences: ANU, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Sydney. Four rated five out of 34.
Engineering: Monash U, Swinburne U, ANU, Uni Adelaide, UNSW, Uni Sydney, Uni SA, Victoria U. Eight rated five out 34.
Technology: Deakin U, Griffith U, Monash U, Murdoch U, QUT, ANU, UNSW, Uni Sunshine Coast. Eight rated five out of 16.
Medical and Health Sciences: Australian Catholic U, Charles Darwin U, Deakin U, Monash U, QUT, Uni Adelaide, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Queensland, Uni Sydney, UWA, Uni Southern Queensland, Twelve rated five out of 39.
Built environment and design: None of 19 rated five.
Education: Uni Melbourne, UNSW. Two of 39 rated five.
Economics: Monash U, Uni Melbourne, UNSW. Three rated five out of 31.
Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services: Uni Melbourne, UNSW. Two rated five out of 39.
Studies in Human Society: ANU, UNSW, Uni Queensland, Three rated five out of 39.
Psychology and Cognitive Sciences: Australian Catholic U, CQU, Deakin U, La Trobe U, Monash U, Swinburne U, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Newcastle, Uni Queensland, UWA, Uni SA. Twelve rated five out of 36.
Law and legal studies: ANU, Uni Melbourne, UNSW, Uni Sydney, Four rated five out of 33.
Studies in Creative Arts and Writing: UNSW. One rated five out of 35.
Language, Communication and Culture: ANU, Uni Melbourne, Uni Sydney. Three rated five out of 33.
History and Archaeology: Monash U, ANU, Uni Sydney, UWA. Four rated five out of 28.
Philosophy and Religious Studies: Monash U, ANU, Uni Sydney. Three rated five out of 22.