Cynics suggest ministers are getting announcements out before care-taking kicks in – but what can you expect from cynics?

Curtin U will be the base for the second CRC of round 20, announced yesterday. It’s the Future Batteries Cooperative Research Centre. Industry Minister Karen Andrews says the feds will kick in $25m with another $110m in cash and kind from the centre’s 58 partners.

 UniTas has the $50m more over ten years it requested for Antarctic research. “Tasmania’s research sector is a critical part of the state’s economy and we are delighted that this funding will help us to grow that contribution over the next decade,” VC Rufus Black says.

UTas also picks up $10m for multiple sclerosis research at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research. The university states Tasmania has the “highest prevalence” of MS in Australia.

And there are  four equity grants from the Department of Education and Training.

A La Trobe U project has $300 000 to investigate how universities keep in contact with low SES students who defer their first year of study.

University of Queensland research will use $322 000 to examine the compound and/or cumulative disadvantage of people who are in multiple equity groups.

The University of Tasmania is provided $379 000 for a study of how admission practises impact on retention and completion of low SES students

And the University of Newcastle has $113 000 for a review of international studies of equity in HE.