The Australian Research Council announces the next ERA and yes there will be a second EI exercise

Now is a good time for universities interested in improving research rankings by hiring talent to start making calls. And institutions should get cracking if they want to upgrade the hypeboltron to promote applied research projects.

The ARC says the next Excellence for Research in Australia will run in 2023, five years after the previous exercise, a longer gap than the two, then three years between the first four. The second Engagement and Impact Assessment will run in 2024.

According to the ARC, the government “is committed to the on-going assessment” of research and so it will conduct “a comprehensive review” of both programmes in 2019 – 2020. Objectives are to, “simplify” both programmes, “take advantage” of tech and big data developments, “ensure” both are world best practice and “respond” to sector needs.

Any questions? Sorry, there are no answers. The ARC says information about the review and future reporting requirements “will be made available … in due course.”