Research updates

ARC Discovery Projects 2020 and Discovery Indigenous 2020 Applications Now Open in RMS

Applications for funding of Discovery Projects and Discovery Indigenous, commencing in 2020, are now open in the Research Management System (RMS).  The updated Grant Guidelines now include the new National Interest Test announced on 31 October 2018 by the Federal Minister for Education.

Key dates:

ARC Discovery Projects 2020

  • Applications open in RMS: 10 December 2018
  • Applications due to RIC for review: 29 January – 31 January 2019
  • Final applications due to RIC: 21 February 2019
  • Final applications due to ARC : 27 February 2019

Key dates:

ARC Discovery Indigenous 2020

  • Applications open in RMS: 10 December 2018
  • Applications due to RIC for review: 12 March 2019
  • Final applications due to RIC: 21 March 2019
  • Final applications due to ARC : 27 March 2019

Instructions to Applicants and FAQs: Now available at Grant Connect

Key dates for these schemes have been updated on the Grants Calendar available on the ARC website.

Please note RMS has new functionality preventing any participant from submitting an application where they have an overdue Final Report for any ARC-funded projects.

All documentation for this grant opportunity can be found on GrantConnect. While grant guidelines are available to view, you will need to register with GrantConnect to access all documentation. For more information, please refer to the RIC Discovery Projects.

https://research.unimelb.edu.au/support/funding/arc/discovery-projects and Discovery Indigenous https://research.unimelb.edu.au/support/funding/arc/discovery-indigenous websites.

Contact: ric-arcdiscovery@unimelb.edu.au

If you have recently changed your grant submission intentions please advise the mgse-grants@unimelb.edu.au


The Smith Family and University of Melbourne Partnership

The Smith Family and The University of Melbourne have worked together for many years. The latest three-year partnership, was launched in November this year.

The launch event included numerous representatives from both organisations, including Dr Jim Watterston, who provided a reflection of the history of the partnership and Ms Wendy Field, who is responsible for The Smith Family programs nationally. Ms Field emphasised that this partnership is based on shared values and shared beliefs; that education can change lives and that every young person deserves a chance at an education and to make the most of their education.

The Smith Family’s Learning for Life sponsorship program recognises that disadvantaged children need extra support to stay at school and go on to further studies or employment. The program provides financial assistance, support and links to mentoring programs.

One of the recipients of Learning for Life sponsorship is Jade Smith. Jade is currently studying a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Modern Languages (Russian) here at the University. She has been a scholarship recipient since year five. Jade has received financial support for school books and excursions and has participated in mentoring programs, which have provided opportunities for her to meet with mentors that she wouldn’t normally have access to. She credits the sponsorship program for changing her life and helping to achieve her dream of studying at The University of Melbourne.

The Smith Family keeps longitudinal data on its Learning for Life scholarship recipients and it is hoped that this will open a number of new research opportunities for interested academics at MGSE.

For more information on how you can get involved please contact matt.smith@unimelb.edu.au


Post-doctoral fellow recruitment

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) for The Centre for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL) is inviting applications for a Post-doctoral Fellow to join the team. Download this flyer for further details.


Research Committee seat: Seeking MGSE Alumnus

The new MGSE governance structure has been devised to ensure a broad representation of our stakeholders at all levels. There is an opportunity for an engaged MGSE graduate research alumnus to sit on the Research Committee.

The Research Committee provides advice to the MGSE Executive on research and graduate research strategy, policy and support programs and meets approximately eight times per year. If you are an MGSE graduate alumnus and interested in contributing to the strategy and governance of research at the school by sitting as a committee member, please contact the Associate Dean for Research, Jan van Driel, at j.vandriel@unimelb.edu.au or call ext. 46736.


Looking for support with grant applications at MGSE?

MERI offers a comprehensive set of grant support services for academics at MGSE. This includes a series of targeted events to support grant applicants and direct support at submission time.

Grants Support Program

ARC Discovery and DECRA Studios: a series of studios to bring together ARC applicants on series of relevant topics connecting you with peers and mentors

  • Studio 1 – Introduction to ARC Grant Writing – Where to Start?
  • Studio 2 – DP20/DE20 Budget and project plan
  • Studio 3 – Intro to DP20/DE20 and your ‘Pitch’ – Why now? Why you? Why this project?
  • Studio 4 – DP20/DE20 Research record relative to opportunity (ROPE)
  • Studio 5 – DP20/DE20 Communication of Results, Data Management and Research Environment
  • Studio 6 – DP20/DE20 Essence: summaries and keywords

MERI Grant Submission Support

During grant submission, MERI offers a wide variety of research support in developing grants including but not limited to:

  • Assistance with budgets, formatting and related preparation, eligibility checks, reviewing draft applications
  • Liaising with RIC for ARC Grant funding rule clarification and eligibility
  • Organising peer review if necessary
  • Arranging requested grant reviews from a professional external reviewer
  • Arranging signatures and authorisations by MGSE (i.e. FT or DECRA Strategic Statements and Authority to Submit form MGSE signatures)

For more information on accessing these services please contact mgse-grants@unimelb.edu.au or Matt Smith on ext. 57997.


ORCID How to video resource

MERI has just completed a campaign to register and all ongoing academic staff for ORCID. For academics who we have not been able to contact, the library has developed an MGSE specific ORCID how-to video.

If you would like personal assistance with registering for ORCID, please contact Yana on yana.canteloupe@unimelb.edu.au or 03 9035 3157.


ORCID support for MGSE academic staff and graduate research students

If you are a MGSE staff member or graduate research student with a publishing track record and need help with building your ORCID profile, help is at hand. You can visit Fransie Naude on level 3, 100 Leicester Street, Wednesdays 12.30pm-2.30pm.

Contact Fransie
Date: Drop in on Wednesdays
Time: 12:30pm to 2:30pm
Venue: Level 3, 100 Leicester Street

Have you got an ORCID?

If not, please contact Andria Karageorgopoulos at MERI to access one-on-one support to register and build your ORCID profile, and assistance including your ORCID in your email signature.

MGSE Research Assistants Available

Many MGSE staff have indicated their desire and availability to work as Research Assistants on larger projects, to build capability within MGSE, we ask that you consider internal hires as priority where possible. Please contact MERI for further details.

MGSE Submission Policy

Please note that MGSE submission policy requires all proposals (internal and external) to be endorsed by the Dean, as Head of Department.

MERI close dates are set in advance of the close dates of the funding body (for submissions direct to sponsor) or the research innovation and commercialisation closing date (usually about a week).

If you are in a situation where you think you will be unable to make the MERI close date, please contact MERI and let us know that you are intending to apply, noting that the level of service MERI can provide in relation to feedback and assistance with proposals will be determined by the amount of lead time available.

MERI close dates are available on all funding opportunities found in the funding opportunities section below.

MGSE Grants Notice of Intent (NOI) Policy

If you are interested in making an application to any opportunity, please notify MERI at your earliest convenience. This applies to both lead (submitted through UoM) and non-lead proposals (those submitted through other institutions). This feeds in to the MGSE Submission Policy, and additionally allows MERI to provide the appropriate support for your application.


Key opportunities

ARC Special Research Initiatives: Per- and Poly-Fluroalkyl Substances (PVAS) Remediation

This Special Research Initiative aims to facilitate the development of innovative technologies to investigate and remediate PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) contaminated media including soil and other solid contaminated debris, groundwater, waterways and marine systems. Up to $13 million in total funding is available to support a range of research projects.

Draft applications to RIC: 5:00pm, Wednesday 23 January 2019
Request Not to Assess to RIC: 5:00pm, Tuesday 29 Jan 2019 (due at ARC 31 January 2019)
Final certified application to RIC: 5:00pm, Thursday 7 February 2019 (due at ARC 14 February 2019)

RIC Contact: Mel Horder, 90358379, ric-majorinitiatives@unimelb.edu.au


Now Open: 2020 ARC Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA)

Applications are now open for ARC DECRA for funding commencing in 2020.

Key dates:

Applications open on RMS: 15 October 2018

Application drafts due to MERI: 11 February 2019
Applications due to RIC for review: 18 February – 20 February 2019

Final applications due to MERI: 1 March 2019
Final applications due to RIC: 7 March 2019

A detailed timeline and submission information is available on the RIC DECRA website.

Instructions to Applicants and FAQs: Now available at Grant Connect or RIC Future Fellowships website
More information here
Contact: ric-arcdecra@unimelb.edu.au


Academic Documentary Development & Pitch Training Workshop

The University of Melbourne is collaborating with the Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC) on an exciting new initiative designed to provide select researchers increased media engagement opportunities with the non-fiction screen sector.

The initiative will provide ten University of Melbourne researchers the opportunity to participate in a two-day training workshop to help develop their projects into non-fiction screen content (including television, film and web production). The workshop will take place in Melbourne on Saturday 19 January to Sunday 20 January, 2019 and will include a combination of seminars and mentoring from top film and television industry professionals.

Expressions of Interest Close: Wednesday 19 December 11:59PM


Funding Items

MGSE Research Professional Magazine

Curated Opportunities for MGSE Academics

Your funding opportunities can be found through Melbourne Graduate school of Education Research Professional Magazine, this curated fortnightly e-publication is updated simultaneously with the MGSE News release.


SCIP (Social & Cultural Informatics Platform) research data consultations

To arrange a booking to meet with a SCIP socio-informatician to discuss research data management and any informatics questions and needs (including help with arc applications), please contact SCIP to request a time, and provide a brief description of your requirements.

Important Publications Affiliations

It is important to ensure that all of your publications affiliations reference your position at MGSE, as this affects internal funding distribution. Please see example below:

Professor John Smith, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, the University of Melbourne


Capacity building in the field of youth

Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, EU

This aims to increase the capacity of organisations through the implementation of transnational capacity-building and mobility activities. Each grant is worth up to €150,000 and covers up to 80 per cent of the total costs.

Maximum award: €150,000

MERI close date Friday 16 January 2019 ahead of submission date of 24 January 2019. Please contact MERI if you intend to apply.


Evaluation exchange

Creative Victoria, AU

This aims to provide existing social impact projects with free access to evaluation experts who will provide guidance and hands on support to improve the evaluation and measurement and build the capacity of the project team. A maximum of five projects may receive grants, worth up to AUD 20,000 each for up to one year.

Maximum award: €20,000

MERI close date Thursday 28 February 2019 ahead of submission date of 07 March 2019. Please contact MERI if you intend to apply.


Visionary grants

American Psychological Association, US

These support research, education and intervention projects and programmes that use psychology to solve social problems. Grants are each worth up to USD 20,000 for one year.

Maximum award: USD 20,000

MERI close date Monday 25 March 2019 ahead of submission date of 01 April 2019. Please contact MERI if you intend to apply.


Call for submission of your 2017 and 2018 publications to MERI for Annual Collection (previously HERDC)

What do I need to send?
  • For books – we need the physical book or a copy of the entire front matter up to the first chapter and a copy of your full chapter
  • For journal articles – we need a citation or a copy of the full article
  • For reports – we need a link or copy of the full report, including proof it was made publicly available
  • For conference papers – we need a link to the full proceedings or a copy of your paper and the front pages of proceedings documents up to the first paper

To note on conference papers:

  1. papers can only be included where the full paper (not abstract only) was published in a conference proceedings
  2. if you are claiming as peer reviewed, you will need to provide proof - either as a statement in the proceedings or an email from the conference organiser

Send publications via email only to MERI


Publications Launchpad

Minerva Elements

Have you been entering your publications into Minerva Elements? If so, please also send your supporting evidence to Jacinta Ridge, Grants and Publications, jridge@unimelb.edu.au
This way, we can also include your recent publications in ‘Publications Launchpad’.

Below is a summary of publication and Minerva updates:

How To Add Publications To Minerva: Minerva Elements is the system used to add and update publications. A Minerva User Guide is available. It is also important to check against the University Publications Collections Guidelines on evidence needed for each publication category. Please contact MERI for further advice on publications collection.

Training: additional MGSE specific training sessions will be held in the coming months or contact MERI to organise a one-on-one session.


Recent Publications

Lo Bianco, J. (2018). Provision, Policy and Reasoning: The Pluralisation of the Language Education Endeavour. In J. Choi & S. Ollerhead, Plurilingualism in Teaching and Learning (pp. 21-36). New York: Routledge.

Lo Bianco, J. (2018). Reinvigorating Language Policy and Planning for Intergenerational Language Revitalization. In L. Hilton, L. Huss & G. Roche, The Routledge Handbook of Language Revitalization (pp. 36-48). New York: Routledge.

Lo Bianco, J. (2018). Talking to the Pollies: Academic Researchers and Public Officials. In C. Roever & G. Wigglesworth, Social Perspectives on Applied Linguistics and Language Testing: Studies in honour of Tim McNamara.

Cahill, H. (2018). Evaluation and the Theory of Change. In K. Freebody, M. Balfour, M. Finneran & M. Anderson (Eds.), Applied Theatre: Understanding Change. (pp. 173-186). The Netherlands: Springer.

Chin, T. C., Coutinho, E., Scherer, K. R., & Rickard, N. S. (2018). MUSEBAQ: A Modular Tool for Music Research to Assess Musicianship, Musical Capacity, Music Preferences, and Motivations for Music Use. Music Perception 35(3), 376-399. doi:10.1525/MP.2018.35.3.376

Dunn, R., Hattie, J. & Bowles, T. (2018). Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to explore teacher’s intentions to engage in ongoing teacher professional learning. Studies in Educational Evaluation 59: 288-294. doi: 10.1016/j.stueduc.2018.10.001

Elliott, K. (2018). Can you really google your way through a medical degree? Pursuit. Australia: University of Melbourne. URL: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/can-you-really-google-your-way-through-a-medical-degree

Gowing, A. & Jackson, A.C. (2018). Student and Staff Perspectives on School Connectedness. In K.A. Allen & C. Boyle (Eds.) Pathways to Belonging – Contemporary Perspectives of School Belonging (pp. 27-44). The Netherlands: Brill – Sense.

Kropáčová, S., Slezáčková, A. & Jarden, A. (2018). Grit Scale: Psychometric analysis of the Czech adaptation for adult population. E-psychologie: Elektronický Časopis ČMPS 12(2): 27-40.

Mulcahy, M.D. & Witcomb, A. (2018). Affective practices of learning at the museum: Children’s critical encounters with the past. In L. Smith, M. Wetherell & G. Campbell (Eds.), Emotion, Affective Practices, and the Past in the Present (pp. 213-229). United Kingdom: Routledge.

Newman, T. (2018). Policy and practicality in Timorese higher education: Lessons from lectures in development-related disciplines. In J. Crandall & K.M. Bailey (Eds.), Global Perspectives on Language Education Policies (pp. 119-129). USA: Taylor & Francis.

Quay, J. (2018). Beyond modernism and postmodernism in educational theory and practice: A marriage of grounds. Educational Philosophy and Theory 50(14): 1566-1567. doi: 10.1080/00131857.2018.1461406

Sallis, R. (2018). Exploring the Landscape of Research-based theatre: Playwright, Researcher, Educator. Journal of Artistic and Creative Education 12(1): 51-60.

Barry, D. & Goedegeburre, L. (2018). Good Governance and Higher Education. In: P. Teixera & J. Shin (Eds.) Encyclopedia of international Higher Education Systems and Institutions. The Netherlands: Springer Science & Business Media. doi: 10.1007/978-94-017-9553-1

Chan, M., Wan, M.E. & Clarke, D. (2018). Entangled modes of social interaction in student collaborative problem solving in mathematics: Connect process and product. In E. Bergqvist, M. Österholm, C. Granberg & L. Sumpter (Eds.) Proceedings of the 42nd Annual Meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (pp. 225-232). Umeå, Sweden: Psychology of Mathematics Education

Christensen, D.R. (2018). A review of opioid-based treatments for gambling disorder: an examination of treatment outcomes, cravings, and individual differences. International Gambling Studies 18(2), 286-309. doi: 10.1080/14459795.2018.1470662

Francis, M. & De Blasio, H. (2018). Case study: Wilderness School Adelaide, South Australian. In: P. Griffith (Ed.) Assessment for Teaching, 2nd Edition (pp. 266-280). United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press.

Harding, S., Nibali, N., English, N., Griffin, P., Graham, L. , Alom, B.M., & Zhang, Z. (2018). Self-regulated learning in the classroom: Realising the potential for Australia’s high capacity students. Melbourne, Australia: Assessment Research Centre, Melbourne Graduate School of Education. URL: https://education.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/2811706/Self-regulated-learning-in-the-classroom.pdf

Henderson, M., Phillips, M., & Ryan, T. (2018). Designing for technology-enabled dialogic feedback. In: D. Boud, R. Ajjawi, P. Dawson, & J. Tai. (Eds.), Developing Evaluative Judgement in Higher Education: Assessment for Knowing and Producing Quality Work (pp. 117-126) United Kingdom: Taylor & Francis.

Patston, T.J., Cropley, D.H., Marrone, R.L. & Kaufman, J.C. (2018). Teacher implicit beliefs of creativity: Is there an arts bias? Teaching and Techer Education 75, 366-374. doi: 10.1016/j.tate.2018.08.001

Poed, S. (2018). Student voice and educational adjustments. In K. Trimmer, R. Dixon & Y.S. Findlay (Eds.) The Palgrave Handbook of Education Law for Schools (pp. 335-351). Switzerland: Palgrave Macmillan. doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-77751-1_15

Tang, H., Seah, W.T. & Weizhong, Z. (2018). A Study on Values in Mathematics Learning of Elementary School Students. Curriculum, Teaching Material & Method 38(10): 82-85.

Vass, G., Maxwell, J., Rudolph, S. & Gulson, K. (Eds.) The Relationality of Race in Education Research. United Kingdom & USA: Routledge – Taylor & Francis.