QUT tells academics they can’t apply for big research grants

Researchers at QUT are unhappy with management’s process to approve research applications for 2018 ARC and NHMRC grants. Aggrieved academics suspect the university wants to improve its hit rate in the hugely competitive schemes by culling applications in advance. Some see this as an infringement of academics’ responsibility to undertake research and a bit rich, given management sets individual performance objectives for researchers. The last assessment process is said to have knocked out a third of applications. And who says, researchers ask, that QUT’s assessors know what the peak research agencies will like.

However, management is having none of it, telling CMM; “QUT is seeking to provide our academic staff with better opportunities for success through higher quality applications that receive feedback during the application development process.