MEMORANDUM

TO:Deans

Directors of Research Centres

Heads of Schools/Departments

Chairs of Faculty Research Committees

cc:Professor Vaughan Beck, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development)

Ms Palmina Fichera, Grants Administration Officer

Ms Zana Stefanovski, Administration Officer

FROM:Dr John McDougall

Director, Office for Research & Development

SUBJECT:NHMRC Project Grants and Fellowships - 2004

DATE:18 December 2002

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has announced an invitation for applications for the following Grant and Fellowship Schemes:

  • Project Grants
  • Standard Project Grants
  • New Investigator Grant
  • Development Grants
  • Research Fellowships
  • Senior Research Fellowship (Level A)
  • Senior Research Fellowship (Level B)
  • Principal Research Fellowship
  • Senior Principal Research Fellowship
  • Practitioner Fellowships
  • Burnet Fellowships
  • Career Development Awards
  • Training Awards
  • C J Martin Fellowships
  • Neil Hamilton Fairley Fellowships
  • Sidney Sax Fellowship
  • R G Menzies Fellowship
  • Peter Doherty Fellowships
  • Australian Clinical Research Fellowships
  • Public Health Postdoctoral (Australian) Fellowships
  • INSERM Exchange Fellowship
  • Howard Florey Centenary Fellowships
  • Health Professional Fellowship
  • Industry Research Fellowships
  • Australian Part Time Research Fellowship
  • General Practice Fellowship
  • Training Fellowship
  • Career Awards
  • R Douglas Wright Biomedical Career Development Award
  • Clinical Career Development Award
  • Population Health Career Development Award
  • Partnership Career Development Award
  • Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)
  • DVA supports research into veterans’ health issues.

APPLICATION PROCESS

There are some key elements of the application process that we strongly suggest all applications should progress through to be developed to an appropriate high level:

  • An early start to the process. Adequate time is essential to produce a quality application. Last minute rushed applications rarely achieve the quality required.
  • Rigorous discussion of initial ideas, and later of the developing application, in groups with peers within the academic unit. A team development effort will invariably produce a better result than an individual working alone.
  • Applications must have a strong conceptual base and must be seen to be providing a significant step forward in the fundamental understanding of the discipline area.
  • Arrange technical reviews with peers or mentors in other Universities and Research Institutes. Use your contacts to develop and firm up ideas. Chairs of Faculty Research Committees will be required to certify that the research proposal has been through a process of peer review.
  • Discuss budget issues with the Office to ensure that the correct salaries and on-costs are used.
  • Ensure that you read the Guidelines and Instructions when developing your application.

The University retains the right to withhold submission of grant proposals if, in its opinion, the grant is considered to be uncompetitive at a national level.

Note that for this round of applications there is a requirement that the Chair of the Faculty Research Committee certifies that the application has been through a ‘peer review’ process prior to submission.

CLOSING DATE

The closing date for final applications are:

Type of Funding

/

OFRD Closing Date

/

NHMRC Closing Date

Project Grants all type / 14 February, 2003 / 28 February, 2003
Research Fellowships / 31 January, 2003 / 14 February, 2003
Practitioner Fellowships / 31 January, 2003 / 14 February, 2003
Career Development Awards / 31 March, 2003 / 14 April, 2003
Industry Research Fellowships / 13 June, 2003 / 27 June, 2003
Industry Research Fellowships / 13 June, 2003 / 27 June, 2003
Training Award all type / 20 June, 2003 / 4 July, 2003

CERTIFICATION PAGE

All signatures, except that of the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development), must be obtained by the applicant on the Certification Page (available only from the Office for Research & Development website address: ) prior to the submission of the final application to the Office for Research & Development. The Certification Page must be submitted to the Office with the Application Form.

Note that for this round of applications there is a requirement that the Chair of the Faculty Research Committee certifies that the application has been through a ‘peer review’ process prior to submission.

No applications will be processed by the Office for Research & Development, or signed by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research & Development) in the absence of the Certification Page.

TO APPLY FOR AN NHMRC PROJECT GRANT YOU WILL NEED TO UNDERTAKE THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES

Step 1

Download:

  • Informed Filler Software
  • Application Form
  • Advice and Instructions to Applicants
  • Software Users Manual

A copy of the above forms, which you are required to download, are available, for downloading from the NHMRC website at the following address:

Step 2

  • Obtain an Application ID from the Office for Research & Development by contacting Palmina on ext. 4707 or Zana on ext. 4710

Step 3

  • Fill-in the application form in Informed Filler

Step 4

  • Attach an electronic copy of your Project Synopsis file attachment to your application in Informed Filler

Step 5

Once final application is completed send your application electronically using Informed Filler to the Office for Research & Development by 14 February 2003.

Step 6

  • Print your application form from Informed Filler

Step 7

  • Print all your file attachments, including the Project Synopsis, and create the PDF file.

Step 8

  • Send two hard copies of your application, three hard copies of all attachments, and the PDF file to the Office for Research & Development by 14 February 2003.

Applicants should note that all proposals lodged to the NHMRC must have the appropriate approval through the relevant University Human Research or Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee prior to August 2003.

PLEASE NOTE: The 2003 meeting dates of the Human or Animal Ethics Committee are:

Committee / Date of Meetings / Papers Due
University Human Research Ethics Committee / 13 February 2003
13 March 2003
15 May 2003
12 June 2003
17 July 2003 / 30 January 2003
27 February 2003
1 May 2003
29 May 2003
3 July 2003
Animal Experimentation Ethics Committee / January 2003 to be confirmed
6 May 2003
5 August 2003 / To be confirmed
21 April 2003
21 July 2003

If you require further assistance please do not hesitate to contact Ms Palmina Fichera on ext. 4707 or Ms Zana Stefanovski on ext. 4710.

Good luck with your application.

Dr John McDougall

Director

Office for Research & Development

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