[csaa-forum] Major changes to ARC funding

Tue Dec 21 16:17:10 ACST 2021

The government has been trying to do this for decades. Their animosity to universities is visceral, and the HASS sector is particularly in their sights. The slim policy justification is the fantasy that commercialising research outcomes will make a significant contribution to university budgets. Then they wouldn’t have to fund us at all.
This is a serious shot across the bows of the whole sector, capitalising on a weakened ARC and COVID-shocked University management. It requires a strong response, something that is difficult to achieve over a holiday period. So, write to your deans, your associate deans research, your VC, your local member, and the Opposition spokesperson for research, insisting this proposal be withdrawn. The government expects this to only upset the university sector and they couldn’t care less about that. There has to be some significant pushback if there is to be any chance of stopping this.
Cheers
Graeme

Sent from my iPad

On 20 Dec 2021, at 4:54 pm, Anna Hickey-Moody <anna.hickey-moody at rmit.edu.au> wrote:

RMIT Classification: Trusted

Anna Hickey-Moody
Mon 20/12/2021 16:50
[https://eu.knowbe4.com/pab_uploads_prefix/pab_icon/ED3971EC6F9992498A898F1E967B07DB/icon_64x64.png]
[https://agave.myanalytics.cdn.office.net/images/logos/Insights_System_Mono_5A92FE_64_1x.png]
Viva Insights

Like

Reply

Reply all

Forward

To:

  *
 csaa-forum at lists.cdu.edu.au

Dear CSAA community,

Most of us are on our annual leave. I wanted to email the list in case some people do not yet know about the major changes made to ARC funding last week by Stuart Robert (who is the acting minister for education and youth). These changes see 70% of all ARC funding focused on manufacturing. Sounds unbelievable? You can read about it here:

https://tinyurl.com/2p9ydmrv

Letter of Expectations from Minister to ARC | Australian Research Council<https://tinyurl.com/2p9ydmrv>
Original signed PDF copy also available.[[{"fid":"256","view_mode":"full","fields":{"format":"full","alignment":"center","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"Commonwealth of Australia government enblem","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":"Commonwealth of Australia government
tinyurl.com

I think that the way the funding research schemes work probably need to be explained to the voting public, as do the implications for this huge change, which extend well beyond stopping 'pure' research into changing children's educational futures.  I think we all need to begin discussions about this issue with politicians, family members, friends.

Would be great to see mainstream media cover this change, which has strategically occurred when Parliament has finished sitting and everyone is on annual leave, trying not to catch COVID while xmas shopping.

The government are taking $75 million away from of 'pure' research (DPs) to invest in LPs through research on:

-Resources technology
-Critical minerals processing
-Food and beverages
- Medical products
- Recyling and clean energy
-Defence

These research areas already have other specific schemes allocated to them, and money its being taken away from inventive research (including all arts, humanities and social sciences funding) to focus on these areas only. I think ALL LPs need to be in manufacturing now, including CoEs, but need my RO to confirm this.

This is about more than the culture wars - the implications for society and education are huge, and I think we all need to rally against these changes. I have included links to some industry specific reportage below but more mainstream discussion would be good.

I hope we can change this,
 Anna

https://socialsciences.org.au/news/academy-statement-on-changes-to-arc/?fbclid=IwAR10bdbIekEL8FJZSp0efA3XOlAcPKzd3ypzhgU_kpvCPQ0gjobvKitIqGw

https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2021/nava-raises-alarm-over-changes-australian-research-council/?fbclid=IwAR2Db1SkjZL8DgBXvgNZS813ddzSHcbZcd06N8Wn7109Bim1ThNHmULpOVg
[https://visualarts.net.au/media/promo/MEDIA_RELEASE_vGnneAW.png.800x0_q85_1.jpg]<https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2021/nava-raises-alarm-over-changes-australian-research-council/?fbclid=IwAR2Db1SkjZL8DgBXvgNZS813ddzSHcbZcd06N8Wn7109Bim1ThNHmULpOVg>
NAVA raises alarm over changes to Australian Research Council :: NAVA<https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2021/nava-raises-alarm-over-changes-australian-research-council/?fbclid=IwAR2Db1SkjZL8DgBXvgNZS813ddzSHcbZcd06N8Wn7109Bim1ThNHmULpOVg>
The National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) acknowledges the Gadigal peoples of the Eora Nation where our office is located and all Custodians of Country throughout all lands, waters and territories.
visualarts.net.au

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/arc-chief-steps-down-industry-given-say-research-funding?fbclid=IwAR1gTjlzICLXY0YBbbmbuEGpveLgwDjGs47MhzfIVSVRHTObSIZYX7NsJ2U

[https://www.timeshighereducation.com/sites/default/files/road_under_reconstruction.jpg]<https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/arc-chief-steps-down-industry-given-say-research-funding?fbclid=IwAR1gTjlzICLXY0YBbbmbuEGpveLgwDjGs47MhzfIVSVRHTObSIZYX7NsJ2U>
ARC chief steps down as industry given say in research funding | Times Higher Education (THE)<https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/arc-chief-steps-down-industry-given-say-research-funding?fbclid=IwAR1gTjlzICLXY0YBbbmbuEGpveLgwDjGs47MhzfIVSVRHTObSIZYX7NsJ2U>
The council has also been slow to reform the widely criticised research assessment exercises, and its work has been subject to political interference including ministerial grant vetoes and the revelation that it was “keeping files” on academics. Meanwhile ARC funding has flatlined, with the real value of its grants declining some 19 per cent over the past seven years.
www.timeshighereducation.com

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7554903/how-this-government-is-destroying-the-bright-arc-of-our-future/?fbclid=IwAR1zyZ6wBjPeQ4ZOxJXqwZMDN4aGa0g6EEKlfZTNmI3Bw4AYfM3NuByLOVM

------------------------------------------------------------

Professor Anna Hickey-Moody

ARC Future Fellow 2017-2021
Vice Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow 2017-2021
Digital Ethnography Research Centre
Media and Communication
hickeymoody.wixsite.com/website<https://aus01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fhickeymoody.wixsite.com%2Fwebsite&data=02%7C01%7Canna.hickey-moody%40rmit.edu.au%7C0f4afca59ea94636389708d80e989e3a%7Cd1323671cdbe4417b4d4bdb24b51316b%7C0%7C0%7C637275395936583002&sdata=tiNZcpKX%2F4GDsOqBHfOmNQjAtqbryxOCRt1Fj91vBN0%3D&reserved=0>
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8141-1359
Email:  anna.hickey-moody at rmit.edu.au
Twitter: @annahm
NEW BOOK: https://www.palgrave.com/gp/book/9783030680596

Please note that I do not expect an immediate response to emails sent outside working hours.

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present.

RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

_______________________________________

csaa-forum
discussion list of the cultural studies association of australasia

www.csaa.asn.au

change your subscription details at http://lists.cdu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/csaa-forum
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.cdu.edu.au/pipermail/csaa-forum/attachments/20211221/712077d7/attachment-0001.htm>