ARC Linkage for College of Health Sciences researchers

Researchers in the health sciences have traditionally tended not to apply to the ARC thinking that their research, being clinical, is only appropriate to NHMRC funding. However recent rounds of the ARC Linkage Scheme have shown that if the application is prepared correctly, it is possible for health sciences researchers to be successful. For example, the ARC has funded projects relating to diagnostics, therapeutics, interventions intended to maintain and improve health, studies on health services and their delivery and the social determinants of health and disease.

Linkage is an attractive scheme. Nationally the success rate for the scheme is 54%, for USYD it is better than 70%, and if successful you will get virtually full funding. Linkage represents a great way to leverage funds that are available from Collaborating Organisations.

List of funded ARC Linkage Projects 2002-2004.

• Applying for ARC Linkage Grants
• Applying to the ARC
• Selection criteria
• The Collaborating organisation
• What must the partner provide?
• Eligibility criteria for Chief Investigators
• Eligibility criteria for Partner Investigators

Applying for ARC Linkage Grants

ARC Linkage Grants can provide a minimum of $20,000 pa and a maximum of $500,000 pa, for one to five years. The average is about $100,000 per year and the usual duration is three years.

In particular you can apply for:

• Australian Postgraduate Award Industry (APAI ) – studentships of $24,650 pa (tax free) for Masters or PhD students. These can be applied for as part of a LP Grant or on their own. If they are applied for separately, they require $5000 cash and $5000 in-kind contribution from a Collaborating Organisation. The success rate for these nationally is 49%.
• Australian Postdoctoral Fellowships Industry (APDI ) – identical to APDs. They are for researchers with less than three years postdoc experience. The success rate for these nationally is 46%.
• Linking Industry Fellowships (LIF ) – funds exchanges of researchers between the University and the Collaborating Organisation for periods between 3 and 12 months. The success rate for these nationally is 60%.

Applying to the ARC

Applying to the ARC is very different to applying to the NHMRC. The best advice is to forget everything you have learned about NHMRC applications.

Your application may not go before experts in your field. Depending on the field of the research, it may be better to frame the application to go to one of the ARC panels other than Biological Sciences (e.g. Social Sciences, Physics, Chemistry and Geosciences or Engineering and Environment). The Research Office will advise you and assist with this.

You should include much less background and methodology than you would in an NHMRC application and much more on innovation, significance and national benefit. The main thing you need to show is that the research is addressing a real problem faced by the partner and that your research team and methodology are sufficient to provide an innovative and effective solution that the partner can use.

Proof of concept data and detailed descriptions of the experimental plan which are often required for successful NHMRC applications are not essential for ARC applications. Your application should be in general terms so its merit can be appreciated by a non-specialist reader.

The ARC will not fund a project that is looking at the efficacy and safety of an intervention on individuals but will fund intervention studies at the population level. Similarly the ARC is unlikely to fund trials of existing drugs unless for a new use. So you need to frame your application to show its innovation, significance for fundamental knowledge and national benefit, rather than its potential impacts in improving the health of an individual. Be creative.

Applications are 10-pages long and you should use 12 pt text. The ARC does not want to read long detailed proposals. They are interested in snappy, creative and imaginative proposals.

Selection criteria

• Track record (20%) (relative to opportunities; so if there are reasons why you have been less productive than you would have hoped, such as illness, parental leave, or periods in teaching only or non-academic positions, then you should mention them in the appropriate section of the application. The committee will take note of them and adjust your track record assessment appropriately).
• Collaborating Organisation(s) Commitment (25%) – cash, in-kind and involvement in project formulation and research.
• Significance and innovation (25%)
  - Does the research address an important problem?
  - How will the anticipated outcomes advance the knowledge base
  of the discipline?
  - Is the research focussed on a topic that falls within one of the
  National Research Priorities?
  - Emphasise how the project aims and concepts are novel and
  innovative.
  - Emphasise how new methodologies or technologies will be
  developed.
  - Emphasise your record of innovation and significant research. Why
  are you the best placed in the world to do this research?
• Approach and Training (20%)
  - Are the conceptual framework, design, methods and analyses
  adequately developed, well integrated and appropriate to the aims
  of the project (i.e. can you provide a solution for the partner’s
  problem)?
  - Here you should emphasise how your team brings a unique skill
  set to the project.
• National benefit (10%)
  - What is the potential of the research project to result in economic
  and/or social benefits for Australia? (don't forget training research
  students, maintenance of international links, maintenance of
  Australia's leadership in the field…)
  - What is the potential for the research to contribute to National
  Research Priorities?

The Collaborating organisation

The Collaborating Organisation (formerly Industry Partner) can be any organisation other than another higher education institution or government funded research body.

What must the partner provide?

The combined cash and in-kind contribution of the Collaborating Organisations must match that requested from the ARC. The combined cash contribution must be 20% of the total Collaborating Organisation contribution.

If the project is seeking more than $500k pa the cash requirement is 50%. The in-kind contribution will normally be time committed by staff of the Collaborating Organisation or the use of the Collaborating Organisation’s facilities or specialised resources.

Linkage is about collaboration, so the ARC must be convinced that the partner has been involved in the formulation of the research problem, will be actively involved in the project and most importantly, will use the results of the project. If the partner is only putting up cash, you will need to include further partners or dress up your application appropriately.

Eligibility criteria for Chief Investigators

Chief investigators must meet one of the following two criteria:

• Must derive at least 50% of his/her salary from the university; or
• Hold an adjunct appointment at the university and not have a substantive position or paid appointment elsewhere.

Chief investigators and Partner investigators:

• Must not have any direct or indirect financial interest in any of the proposed Collaborating Organisation(s) for the project.
• Must not hold a position of Director, Board member, or other paid or unpaid senior management or advisory position in any of the proposed Collaborating Organisation(s) for the project. Exemptions may be obtained.
• He/she must not receive any salary from the ARC for the project (except from Linkage Industry Fellowship, see above).

Eligibility criteria for Partner Investigators

To be eligible to apply as a Partner Investigator, a researcher must meet the following criteria:

• Secure an appropriate contribution of time and operating costs from his/her organisation for the proposed project; and
• Not receive any salary from the ARC for the project, unless approved to undertake a Linkage Industry Fellowship.

For more information contact:
(USyd Director of Research and Development)
(Director, USyd Research Office)