Selection Report: Industrial Transformation Research Hubs for funding commencing in 2024
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Overview
The Industrial Transformation Research Hubs (Research Hubs) engage Australia's best researchers to develop collaborative solutions to the Industrial Transformation Priorities. The focus is on the creation of industry and academic partnerships working together on research and development projects to create innovative and transformative solutions for industry.
The Research Hubs objectives are to:
- support collaborative research projects between universities and organisations outside the Australian higher education sector that involve cutting-edge research on new technologies; and
- leverage national and international investment in targeted industry sectors, including from industry and other research end-users.
Selection process
Applications for funding commencing in 2024 opened on 11 October 2023, and closed on 29 November 2023. Applications were submitted through the Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Management System (RMS). This report outlines outcomes from the selection process for that round.
These recommendations are based on advice from the ARC Selection Advisory Committee (SAC) which:
- assigned independent assessors to review the applications
- assessed applications and reviewed assessments made by independent assessors
- reviewed applicants’ comments on assessors’ reports
- ranked each application relative to the others on the basis of the application, the assessors’ reports and applicants’ responses to those assessments
- assessed and recommended budgets
- provided application feedback
Advice from the ARC’s National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) Eligibility Committee which:
- considered eligibility issues identified by ARC staff, the members of the ARC College of Experts or independent assessors
- where required, sought advice from the ARC’s Medical Research Advisory Group
- made recommendations to the CEO in respect of ineligible applications.
This report reflects the outcomes approved by the Minister. Unless otherwise specified, data presented in this report exclude withdrawn applications.
Assessment criteria
Assessment criteria and corresponding weightings for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 are:
- Investigator(s)/Capability (20%)
- Describe the:
- demonstrated Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE) of the proposed team including:
- evidence of experience in managing distributed and/or collaborative industrial and end-user focussed research;
- evidence of significant outcomes on industry related projects; and
- evidence of experience in and capacity to provide effective supervision, support and mentoring for HDR candidates and postdoctoral researchers over the life of the Research Hub.
- evidence of experience in managing distributed and/or collaborative industrial and end-user focussed research;
- appropriateness of the team research track record to achieve the Research Hub’s goals; and
- time and capacity of the team to undertake and manage the proposed research in collaboration with the Partner Organisation(s).
- demonstrated Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence (ROPE) of the proposed team including:
- Project Quality and Innovation (30%)
- Describe the extent to which the:
- aims, concepts, methods and outcomes will drive growth, productivity and competitiveness within relevant sectors;
- conceptual/theoretical framework is genuinely integrated, cross-disciplinary, innovative and original; and
- project draws together high quality innovative national and international partnership(s) into an integrated Research Hub.
- aims, concepts, methods and outcomes will drive growth, productivity and competitiveness within relevant sectors;
- Feasibility and Commitment (20%)
- Describe the:
- extent to which the Research Hub represents value for money;
- appropriateness of the design of the Research Hub and the expertise of the participants to ensure the project can be completed within the proposed budget and timeframe (including identified risks and mitigation strategies);
- proposed level of collaboration to support the research project, including national and international networks and linkages;
- high-quality intellectual support provided for the Research Hub by the research environment of the participating organisations;
- availability of and access to the necessary facilities required to support the proposed research (physical, technical, access to infrastructure, etc);
- commitment by each Partner Organisation(s) to collaboration in the Research Hub;
- adequacy of the budget, including cash and in-kind Contributions pledged by participating organisations; and
- extent to which the proposed Research Hub engages, and will continue to engage, meaningfully with the relevant industry experts.
- extent to which the Research Hub represents value for money;
- If the project involves Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander research, additional criteria include:
- The project’s level of collaboration, engagement, relationship building and benefit sharing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and First Nations Organisations and Communities;
- The project’s strategy and mechanisms for Indigenous research capacity building within the project;
- The project’s level of internal leadership of Indigenous research;
- The project’s adherence to the Australian Indigenous Data Sovereignty Principles; and
- The project’s understanding of, and proposed strategies to adhere to, the AIATSIS Code of Ethics for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research and NHMRC’s guidelines on Ethical conduct in research with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities.
- The project’s level of collaboration, engagement, relationship building and benefit sharing with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and First Nations Organisations and Communities;
- Benefit (30%)
- Describe:
- the extent to which the research clearly addresses one or more of the Industrial Transformation Priorities;
- the economic, commercial, environmental, social and/or cultural benefits for relevant Australian research end-users (including relevant industry and manufacturing sectors);
- the extent to which the proposed Research Hub supports clearly identified market opportunity(ies) and intended transformation for Australian industry or other end users;
- the extent to which the proposed Research Hub will build research capacity in the Partner Organisation(s);
- the extent to which there are adequate strategies to encourage dissemination, promotion, and the commercialisation of research outcomes;
- the potential contribution of the proposed research to addressing the needs of industries and communities as articulated in Australia’s Industrial Transformation Priorities; and
- where relevant, the extent to which the applicants have identified the freedom to operate in the Intellectual Property and patent landscape to enable future benefits to industry.
- the extent to which the research clearly addresses one or more of the Industrial Transformation Priorities;
Assessment process
The ARC assessment process for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 involved 13 Selection Advisory Committee members comprising of members from the ARC College of Experts and experts from industry on one multi-disciplinary panel. The process was managed in RMS. In addition, independent assessors’ submitted a total of 46 reports to the ARC to support the assessment process.
Funding levels and duration
Funding of between $500,000 and $1 million per annum for between 3 to 5 consecutive years may be awarded for each Industrial Transformation Research Hub.
Summary of outcomes
The ARC received a total of 16 applications for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024.
7 Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 are approved, shown in Table 1. The overall success rate for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 is 43.8%.
Of the Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 applications, none were found to breach eligibility requirements.
A comparison of success rates and funding amounts is shown in Table 2.
Table 1. Industrial Transformation Research Hubs approved for funding commencing in 2024
| Industrial Transformation Research Hubs Title | Administering Organisation | Industrial Transformation Research Hubs Director | Approved funds over project life ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ARC Research Hub for Protected Cropping | La Trobe University | Professor Tony Bacic | 5,000,000 |
| ARC Research Hub for Infrastructure Net Zero | Monash University | Professor Wenhui Duan | 5,000,000 |
| ARC Research Hub for Molecular Biosensors at Point-of-Use (MOBIUS) | La Trobe University | Professor Conor Hogan | 4,731,325 |
| ARC Research Hub for Human-Robot Teaming for Sustainable and Resilient Construction | University of Technology Sydney | Professor Dikai Liu | 5,000,000 |
| ARC Research Hub in the Internet of Things for Water | Queensland University of Technology | Professor Yang Liu | 5,000,000 |
| ARC Research Hub for Intelligent Energy Efficiency in Future Protected Cropping | RMIT University | Professor Tianyi Ma | 5,000,000 |
| ARC Research Hub for Photovoltaic Solar Panel Recycling and Sustainability (PVRS) | The University of New South Wales | Professor Yansong Shen | 5,000,000 |
Table 2. Comparison of application numbers, success rates, requested and allocated funds for approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs applications from 2023 to 2024
| Funding year | Applications considered | Applications approved | Success rate (%) | Requested funds over project life for all applications considered ($) | Requested funds over project life approved applications ($) | Funds allocated over project life for approved applications ($) | Return rate for approved applications (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 7 | 5 | 71.4 | 33,418,809 | 24,889,184 | 24,889,184 | 100.0 |
| 2024 | 16 | 7 | 43.8 | 79,005,349 | 34,731,325 | 34,731,325 | 100.0 |
Outcomes by discipline
A summary of outcomes by discipline panel is shown in Table 3.
Table 3. Number of applications, success rates and requested and allocated funds for approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 applications by discipline
| Discipline * | Applications considered | Applications approved | Success rate (%) | Requested funds over project life for all applications considered ($) | Requested funds over project life for approved applications ($) | Funds over project life for approved applications ($) | Return rate for approved applications (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSB | 2 | 1 | 50.0 | 9,274,025 | 5,000,000 | 5,000,000 | 100.0 |
| EIC | 12 | 5 | 41.7 | 59,999,999 | 25,000,000 | 25,000,000 | 100.0 |
| HSE | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5,000,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MPCE | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 4,731,325 | 4,731,325 | 4,731,325 | 100.0 |
| Total | 16 | 7 | 43.8 | 79,005,349 | 34,731,325 | 34,731,325 | 100.0 |
* BSB – Biological Sciences and Biotechnology; EIC – Engineering, Information and Computing Sciences; HCA – Humanities and Creative Arts; MPCE – Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences; SBE – Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences
Leverage of ARC Funding
Of the 16 applications considered, 7 were approved with a total approved funding of $34.7 million over the life of these projects. There are 115 unique Partner Organisations involved with these projects, and they have pledged a total (cash and in-kind) of $79.2 million. This represents $2.28 from Partner Organisations for every dollar funded by the ARC.
Outcomes by Administering Organisation
A summary of outcomes by Administering Organisation is shown in Table 4.
Table 4. Numbers of applications and success rates, ARC approved funding and Partner Organisation contributions for approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 by Administering Organisation
| Administering Organisation | Applications considered | Applications approved | Success rate (%) | Funds over project life for approved applications ($) | Participating organisation* contributions (cash & in-kind for funded applications) ($) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | 8 | 2 | 25.0 | 10,000,000 | 45,208,749 |
| The University of New South Wales | 4 | 1 | 25.0 | 5,000,000 | 27,039,390 |
| The University of Sydney | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| University of Technology Sydney | 2 | 1 | 50.0 | 5,000,000 | 18,169,359 |
| University of Wollongong | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Queensland | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 5,000,000 | 20,574,058 |
| Queensland University of Technology | 1 | 1 | 100.0 | 5,000,000 | 20,574,058 |
| South Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| The University of Adelaide | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Victoria | 6 | 4 | 66.7 | 19,731,325 | 78,377,773 |
| La Trobe University | 2 | 2 | 100.0 | 9,731,325 | 43,381,640 |
| Monash University | 2 | 1 | 50.0 | 5,000,000 | 14,915,708 |
| RMIT University | 2 | 1 | 50.0 | 5,000,000 | 20,080,425 |
| Total | 16 | 7 | 43.8 | 34,731,325 | 144,160,580 |
* Includes Administering Organisations and Partner Organisations
Outcomes by Industrial Transformation Priorities
A summary of outcomes by Industrial Transformation Priorities is shown in Table 5.
Table 5. Approved funding and success rate for Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 by Industrial Transformation Priorities
| Industrial Transformation Priorities | Instances in applications considered | Instances in applications approved |
|---|---|---|
| Defence capability | 3 | 0 |
| Enabling capabilities | 11 | 6 |
| Medical science | 1 | 0 |
| Renewables and low emissions technologies | 7 | 3 |
| Transport | 4 | 1 |
| Value-add in resources | 5 | 3 |
| Value-add in the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors | 4 | 3 |
| Total | 35 | 16 |
*A single application may select multiple Industrial Transformation Priorities
Industry Partners
Partner Organisations were identified as Australian, international, government, non-profit, industry or overseas higher education organisations. The Partner Organisation contributions in these categories for the approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 are shown below in Table 6.
Table 6. Partner Organisation contributions by sector for approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 applications
| Type | Cash | In-Kind | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $ | % | $ | % | $ | % | |
| Government | ||||||
| Australian Federal | 0 | 0 | 430,757 | 1.0 | 430,757 | 0.5 |
| Australian state, territory and local | 3,830,000 | 10.2 | 4,190,065 | 10.1 | 8,020,065 | 10.1 |
| Sub-total | 3,830,000 | 10.2 | 4,620,822 | 11.1 | 8,450,822 | 10.7 |
| Industry Body | ||||||
| Australian | 25,430,458 | 67.7 | 23,223,399 | 55.8 | 48,653,857 | 61.4 |
| International | 5,174,494 | 13.8 | 6,548,347 | 15.7 | 11,722,841 | 14.8 |
| Sub-total | 30,604,952 | 81.5 | 29,771,746 | 71.5 | 60,376,698 | 76.2 |
| Non-profit | ||||||
| Australian | 1,500,000 | 4.0 | 3,552,500 | 8.5 | 5,052,500 | 6.4 |
| International | 77,000 | 0.2 | 246,600 | 0.6 | 323,600 | 0.4 |
| Sub-total | 1,577,000 | 4.2 | 3,799,100 | 9.1 | 5,376,100 | 6.8 |
| Other | ||||||
| Other | 1,560,000 | 4.2 | 3,439,000 | 8.3 | 4,999,000 | 6.3 |
| Sub-total | 1,560,000 | 4.2 | 3,439,000 | 8.3 | 4,999,000 | 6.3 |
| Total | 37,571,952 | 100.0 | 41,630,668 | 100.0 | 79,202,620 | 100.0 |
All percentages are shown using rounded figures, and as such may not sum to 100%.
Career age and gender
Of the 81 Industrial Transformation Research Hubs Key Personnel in this round, 19 were females and 62 were male, with success rates of 13.6 per cent and 29.6 per cent respectively.
Success rates of Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 Key Personnel by career age and gender are presented in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Participation and success rate of Key Personnel in Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024 by gender and career age*
* Career age is calculated as years since PhD based on the earliest PhD Award Date provided by the participant
^ Calculated career age does not take career interruptions into consideration
International Collaboration
For Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024, among 16 of the applications considered, applicants foreshadowed 57 instances of collaboration with researchers in 20 overseas locations. Of the applications approved for funding, 7 foreshadowed 29 instances of collaboration with researchers in 18 overseas locations (Figure 2).
Figure 2. International collaborations by location in approved Industrial Transformation Research Hubs 2024*
*The top 5 international collaboration locations are listed in Figure 2 and the remaining are grouped in the ‘Other’ category