Research updates

Contact information for MERI

General inquiries: bblaher@unimelb.edu.au
Grants: mgse-grants@unimelb.edu.au
Graduate research: mgse-research@unimelb.edu.au
Human ethics: timm@unimelb.edu.au


MGSE Human Ethics Advisory Group (HEAG) update

The HEAG is continually working to improve the ethics review process for researchers within MGSE. As presented at MGSE information sessions earlier in the year, the HEAG is currently trialing some new review processes such as a dedicated minimal risk ethics committee. They are also working on forming an 'expert' group to review the standard risk applications. The group is looking for staff with experience in reviewing ethics applications to help out with this. If you are interested please contact Professor Dianne Vella-Brorick, MGSE HEAG Chair directly via email dianne.vella-brodrick@unimelb.edu.au.


Research Development Awards Round 1

  
Alex Bacalja                
Lynda Ball
Understanding games-as-text in the English classroom
Building teacher and student capacity in mathematics education:
Online STEM system and teacher professional learning framework
Jenny Chesters            
Gosia Klatt
University for all? Or just those located in cities?
Enhancing expertise in education policy
Jeana Kriewadlt           
Lisa McKay-Brown
Strengthening Initial Teacher Education: Conceptions, Feedback, Assessment of Classroom L earning
Outcomes of the In2School project: what have we learned?
Kate O'Connor Remaking the University Curriculum: Online Learning and the Question of Knowledge
Shiralee Poed              
Gavin Slemp               
Peter Woelert            
Comparative analysis of policies regulating the management of student behaviour
Job crafting, work motivation, and employee well-being across cultures and contexts
The 'new' bureaucracy at universities: Processes, technologies, and practices

Special Studies Program – Short
Rhonda Di Base
Amy Gullickson
Mary Leahy


Update - Conference travel funding now open to professional staff

MGSE endeavours to support the maximum number of MGSE staff in communicating the breadth of our research to the widest possible audience, by making available conference funding support. The MGSE Strategic Plan 2016-2020 highlights MGSE’s focus on developing the calibre of our academic staff and ensuring that they are supported in their capacity to produce world-leading research. Accordingly, there will be a focus on providing enhanced opportunities to our talented cohorts of early and mid-career academics to showcase their research. This opportunity will also be available to professional staff (UOM7 and above) who are involved in research projects or specialist administrative support roles.

The process for allocating funding for conference travel will also be driven by academic supervisors and their discussions with academic staff focusing on quality and productivity, capacity building, and recognition in relation to research outputs and research excellence. It is expected that any conference travel and associated publications will form part of a documented publication plan for each individual academic.

For further information download the Conference Travel Policy or make a submission for funding.


Academic Promotion Round 2019 - Level B

Applications are formally invited by MGSE for academic promotion from Level A to Level B.  MGSE will convene an internal Committee to consider applications to Level B (Level B Lecturer or Level Research Grade 2)  by end August 2019.  All relevant guidelines and important resources are available on the Academic Careers @ Melbourne site.

If you intend to submit an application for promotion to Level B in 2019, please follow the steps below to register your intention:

  • Review the Academic Promotion Guidelines to ensure your eligibility
  • Discuss your intention with your Supervisor and any other relevant senior Academic in a leadership position (e.g. your Centre Director), at your earliest convenience
  • Confirm via email your intention to apply for promotion to your immediate Supervisor and MGSE P&C
  • Your immediate Supervisor will act as the Head of Department for your promotion application.

The Academic Promotion Guidelines set out how to address the argued case for promotion, CV and publications and are a good resource for staff preparing an application.  Also relevant is the Academic Career Benchmarks and Indicators which provide a general guide to the minimum expectations of a Level B academic.

Applications for promotion to Level B should comprise the following:

  1. Argued case for promotion, CV and publications list.
  2. Internal referee details.
  3. Head of Department (HoD) Report.

Academic staff applying for the Level B promotion should upload their application and documentation via the Academic Careers @ Melbourne Online. Heads of Department and internal referees will also upload their reports via this link.  The Level B Promotions Panel will meet in August 2019 to consider all Level B applications.

Should you have any queries regarding the promotion process, please contact Associate Dean (Staffing) David Gurr or a member of the MGSE People & Culture team (Terri Hanlon or Lisle Williams).

Level B promotion timeline

 Date
Call for applications Friday 26 July
Applicant to advise immediate Supervisor that they
will apply for promotion to Level B.  Copy MGSE P&C.
Monday 29 July
Applicant to send complete Level B application online
to Head of Department to prepare HoD report
Monday 12 August
Internal referee report requested online Tuesday 13 August
Head of Department to complete report online Sunday 18 August
Applicant to provide an online response to HoD report (where applicable)
and full application (including Head of Department report)    
LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
Close of Business
Friday 23 August
Level B Promotions Panel Tuesday 27 August TBC
Promotions announced Friday 30 August
Promotions effective Monday 2 September

New services for researchers: Find-A-Study

Find-A-Study is a platform to engage students and researchers on relevant studies, providing a standard platform for recruiting participants. When seeking participants for a study, post it on Find-A-Study to gain access to a large user base of applicants, with criteria-based matching and automatic notifications sent to potential candidates. Further details are available at the following Knowledge Base article.



Save the date - Creating Connections

Date: Wednesday 23 October
Time: 8.30am - 7pm
Venue: 100 Leicester Street, Level 1, Parkville

Melbourne Education Research Institute (MERI) is hosting an all day event ‘Creating Connections’.

All staff and graduate researchers are invited to attend.  The event aims to showcase the diverse and high calibre research being undertaken within the School, facilitate opportunities for academic debate and dialogue, create professional development opportunities and to continue to build on a strong research culture.

Participants will gain insight into ethics, grants, publications and various other workshops that are planned for the day.There will be opportunities for graduates to undertake confirmation and completion seminars.

Further details and program to follow.


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



Sidney Myer Fund and the Myer Foundation

The Myer Foundation invites expressions of interest for the Myer innovation fellowships. These support breakthrough solutions to Australia’s pressing social and environmental challenges and bring new talent to the social sector. The fellowships allow the recipients to take 12 months away from their current role to pursue a big idea that has the potential to achieve positive outcomes in the areas of:

  • Education
  • Poverty and disadvantage
  • Sustainability and the environment
  • Human, civil and legal rights.

Individual Australian citizens or permanent residents residing in Australia for the majority of the fellowship period may apply. The proposed project must be based in Australia and have been in development for no longer than three years.
Fellowships are worth AUD 120,000 for one year with an additional AUD 30,000 for expenses such as work space, rent, travel and contracting of external expertise. The fellowships will commence in May 2020.

Closing date Sunday 18 August visit the Myer Innovation Fellowships page for further information or contact:

admin@myerfoundation.org.au or call 03 8672 5555


Special Alert Call for EOIs: MacArthur Foundation 100&Change $100 million grant

100&Change is the MacArthur Foundation’s global competition for a $100 million grant to fund a single proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time. They are seeking proposals that articulate both a problem and its solution. Competitive proposals will address a significant problem and provide a solution that is impactful, evidence-based, feasible, and durable. The University is convening an internal selection process to identify potential projects and choose the most competitive one for submission. We are currently calling for Expressions of Interest from academics who have projects with potential for funding at a $100 million scale. To receive the EOI form and for further information, please contact Georgina Luck.


Funding Items



Seed Funding Round 1, 2019: Call for Proposals

The Creativity and Wellbeing Hallmark Research Initiative is offering a seed funding scheme for grants up to $13,000 to support inter-Faculty research projects that explore the relationship between creativity and wellbeing. The primary purpose of the scheme is to build capacity and support new and emerging research collaborations which explore the intersection of creativity and wellbeing, and how creativity may foster wellbeing.

The round is open from 24 June and closes Wednesday 15 August.

Contact mgse-research@unimelb.edu.au for more information.



Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine, AU

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine invites applications for its education research grants. These enable regional training organisations to establish and develop research partnerships with academic institutions in the training region. The overarching objective is to develop evidence-based education initiatives that increase training capacity and improve educational outcomes, specifically:

  • exploration of innovative education models with a view to building sustainable training capacity;
  • identification, implementation and evaluation of new and existing education improvement initiatives suitable for regionalised primary care settings;
  • building the knowledge base for education improvement through increased research activities and publications;
  • promoting collaboration and engagement of regional training organisation in research and development initiatives directly relating to education improvement.

Two grants worth up to AUD 150,000 are available, for projects running from January to December 2020.

Closing date Friday 23 August visit the Australian College of Rural & Remote Medicine's page or for more information contact:

Sandra Johnson
Training Manager
07 3105 8231


Call for applications- Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia's 2020-21 Workshop Program

Applications are due by Friday 4 October

This grant is for workshops to be held between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021.

ASSA’s Workshop Program provides grants to researchers in the social sciences for the purpose of funding two-day research workshops on issues of national concern. The program provides an arena for intellectual exchange, a forum for developing connections between research and policy, and a platform for supporting Early Career Researchers.

Workshops will be funded to a maximum of $9,000. This sum includes provision of $1,500 towards the cost of preparing a digested analysis paper. This paper should be an analytical summary of the workshop content, and is intended to be accessible to people with no special knowledge in the topic of inquiry. At least one of the workshop convenors must be an ASSA fellow, and at least two of the participants must be Early Career Researchers based in Australia. Workshops with an emphasis on policy often include government officials and policy analysts.

Please go to ASSA's website for information about the Workshop Program, and to download the guidelines and application form.

Please contact Dylan Clements for more information, or with any inquiries you might have.


Forrest Research Foundation

The Forrest Research Foundation is offering 4 post-doctoral fellowships in any subject area to outstanding early career researchers who wish to undertake their pioneering research at one of the five Western Australian universities. The fellowships are open to candidates who have completed their PhD since 1 January 2017, or who will complete their PhD before 31 December 2019.

Contact mgse-grants@unimelb.edu.au for further information.


Australian-American Fulbright Commission, AU

The Australian-American Fulbright Commission invites applications for its professional scholarship in vocational education and training. This enables employees within the vocational education and training sector or training leaders in business and industry to undertake a short course or research programme in this field at a US institution. The scholarship may also be used for other forms of professional development, including visits to relevant organisations. The outcomes must benefit the wider vocational and training sector in Australia.

Teachers, managers, administrators and other employees of private and public registered training organisations may apply. People who are leading vocational education and training strategies within their business, and staff within universities that teach within the training and skills sector, are also eligible. Applicants must hold at least an undergraduate degree or equivalent, and be Australian citizens residing in Australia at the time of application. Applicants may not hold dual US-Australia citizenship or US permanent residency, and must be prepared to return to Australia for the two years following the programme.

Scholarships include living, travel and dependent allowances, and health insurance worth up to AUD 100,000, for up to four months.

Applications re-open February 2020 visit the Fulbright Australia page for further information.


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


Publications Launchpad

Minerva Elements

Have you been entering your publications into Minerva Elements? If so, please also send your supporting evidence to MERI
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.