MERI Updates
MERI Updates
Research News
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MERI Contact Information
Visit the MERI contact page to learn more about the team.
General inquiries: bblaher@unimelb.edu.au
Grants: mgse-grants@unimelb.edu.au
Graduate research: mgse-research@unimelb.edu.au -
Ethics Support Contacts
The Infonetics Ethics Review Manager (ERM) is now fully operational for researchers to apply to conduct studies involving humans.
Ethics support contacts
Infonetica technical support
- ServiceNow webform (staff-only)
- Research helpline: (03) 8344 0999
General human ethics support
- General information can be found on the Human Ethics website.
- General queries can be emailed to the Human Ethics Enquiries team.
Human Research Ethics Committees (HREC)
- General information, including meeting dates and committee membership, can be found on the HREC page.
- For information regarding a specific HREC, please contact the Research Ethics Officer assigned to that committee, found under the Committee Membership of the HREC website.
- HREC queries can be emailed to the Human Ethics Enquiries team.
Apply for ethics approval
- To apply for ethics approval, please visit the step-by-step guide.
Complaints or concerns
- Any complaints or concerns about the conduct of a research project should be emailed to the Research Integrity Administrator. You can also call on (03) 8344 1376.
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Research activity in government schools and early childhood settings
All research and evaluation activity involving Victorian government schools and Victorian early childhood services requires approval through the Department of Education and Training’s (DET’s) Research in Schools and Early Childhood settings (RISEC) process.
A phased resumption of the Research in Schools and Early Childhood settings (RISEC) process will commence in early 2021, subject to public health advice and operational guidance about external visitors to education settings.
Research activity involving education settings may resume in Term 1, 2021 for research commissioned, partnered, or supported by DET or other Victorian government departments. This research must meet the following conditions:
- that data have been provided to us about the anticipated time burden on education settings (further advice will be emailed to existing RISEC approval holders)
- we have subsequently confirmed that the research may proceed
- researchers may not contact schools or early childhood sites or participants until Week 3, Term 1 (week commencing 8 February 2021).
DET will accept new RISEC applications, or requests to amend existing RISEC approvals, meeting the above requirements from the week commencing Monday 25 January 2021.
The Department will provide advice regarding the resumption of RISEC for remaining research activity in Term 1, 2021. This webpage will be updated once further information becomes available.
Any queries may be directed to the Strategic Research Team at research@education.vic.gov.au
For more information visit the Conduct research page on the Education and Training website.
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Catholic Education Melbourne (CEM): Applications to conduct research
CEM is still accepting applications to conduct research in CEM schools and these applications will be subjected to the usual review process. However, even if approved, researchers are not yet permitted to approach schools until they are given written permission by CEM. All approvals at the moment are ‘conditional’. Some projects have been exempt from this current ban on approaching schools (e.g. research that has been instigated by a school not an external researcher, or research that had already begun pre-COVID), but this is considered by CEM.
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Travel Updates
The University of Melbourne has a central Staff Travel and Off Campus Work page which is continuously updated with advice to be considered by anyone travelling on University business. Please see the following page (access requires a UoM username and password).
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Scholarly Services Updates
All students, including graduate researchers, are permitted to come on campus once they've completed the COVIDSafe training module and Health Declaration, for any of the following reasons:
- an on-campus subject they are enrolled in
- to visit the Baillieu library (note: bookings required for Reading Room for access to Archives and Special Collections)
- to attend an in-person booked appointment (eg via Stop 1 or the Health Service)
All graduate researchers and academic staff are eligible to book an appointment to browse general library collections in the Brownless Biomedical Library, Giblin Eunson Library and Southbank Library. This is in addition to walk-in access to the Baillieu Library from Monday 4 January and booked appointments to use the Archives and Special Collections in the Reading Room, located in the Baillieu Library. While in Brownless Biomedical Library, Giblin Eunson Library and Southbank Library, graduate researchers will be able to shelf browse, use informal study areas, and access self-service borrowing, printing and scanning.
Reminders for everyone
Everyone attending campus must still complete the COVIDSafe training module and Health Declaration before coming. Email essential-access@unimelb.edu.au regarding any access issues.
The University has not been notified of any new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in our community this week. In the event of a positive case of COVID-19, the ability of the University and DHHS to conduct quick and thorough contact tracing will be critical. This can only happen if we have current contact details for our staff and students recorded in the Themis HR and StudentOne.
All individuals should check their details are current, and divisions should also reinforce this message with students and staff.
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Studies in Higher Education
Associate Professor Martin Davies has co-authored a chapter in the second edition of the monumental work Studies in Higher Education.
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Survey: Facilitating Academic Promotion
Closing Date: Monday 8 March
All academic staff at MGSE are invited to complete a short online survey about your perceptions of factors that can facilitate or hinder academic promotion.
Contact Marian Mahat for any queries.
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Survey: Academic resilience in times of adversity
Closing Date: Friday 30 April
You are invited to participate in a short online survey to identify one strategy that has helped you manage your academic work during COVID-19.
Contact Marian Mahat for any queries.
Research Events
ARC Grant Camp Series
The ARC Grant Camp series offers ARC applicants the opportunity to work on the background section of their application in a supportive environment. Led by Veronica Loew (MGSE) and Jonathan O’Donnell (Faculty of Science), each session provides concentrated time to draft a small part of your application and ask questions about specific parts of the application. The aim is not to produce polished prose, but to get words on paper that can be discussed with a mentor. It is designed to get people started on each section of the application in a timely manner.
Each session is run the same way, with a single overhead encapsulating the key points:
- 5 minutes of instructions
- 20 minutes of writing
- 5 minutes for questions
- another 20 minutes of writing.
Although designed for Discovery Project and Discovery Indigenous applicants, it is open to any ARC applicants. Each session in the series is detailed in the table below. Please note the zoom join link is the same for each session.
Additional join details:
- Join by phone: Dial (Australia): +61 3 7018 2005 or +61 2 8015 6011
- Meeting ID: 849 0720 6318
- Password: 184648
Seminar | Date and Time | Synopsis |
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Detailing your methods | Thursday 4 February | What are you actually going to do? What are the tasks? And the framework? What is your timeline? |
Talking about impact and the National Interest Test | Wednesday 10 February | Who benefits from your project? And how? How will you make it happen? How will you know if it has worked? How will your research specifically benefit Australia? |
Writing a stronger budget justification | Tuesday 16 February | Who much will each task cost? How have you priced each item? Have you explained why the task is essential to the research project? An effective budget justification is essential to your application. |
Facilitating Online Learning Program
Facilitating Online Learning (FOL) is a professional development program for University of Melbourne staff with teaching-related responsibilities. It provides an introduction to the guiding principles of effective teaching for learning in blended and online environments. The program is based around forming a Community of Inquiry exploring the Scholarship of Technology Enhanced Learning to inform online learning design using a Design-Based Research methodology. It is a semester-long program offered only in Semester 1.
Register or find out more on the FOL page.
Funding opportunities
MGSE funding submission essentials
This process is in response to both the MGSE Submissions Policy and the MGSE Grants Notice of Intent (NOI) Policy. It applies to both lead proposals (submitted via University) and non-lead proposals (submitted through other institutions).
It's essential to notify the MERI Grants team of your intent to apply for any funding opportunity, as all funding proposals (internal and external) need to be endorsed by the Dean, as Head of Department.
As all applications require several internal approvals, MERI sets its own close dates in advance of both the funding body (for submissions direct to sponsor), as well as the Research, Innovation, and Commercialisation (RIC) closing dates. This allows time to process your application before it is formally submitted.
If you're not sure you can make the MERI close date, email the Grants team with your intent to apply.
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Reminders
ARC Discovery Projects 2022: Applications now open
Deadline to contact the Grants team: Wednesday 10 February
The ARC Discovery Projects support fundamental research conducted by both individuals and teams. The scheme provides $30,000-$500,000 funding per annum for projects of two to five years duration. Project costs can be used for a variety of purposes. As indicated in the key dates below, applications open on Wednesday 11 November.
Key dates for Discovery Projects 2022
- Release of Grant Guidelines: 8 October 2019
- Applications Open: 11 November 2020
- Request Not to Assess Close: 10 February 2021
- Applications Close: 24 February 2021
- Rejoinders: 8 June 2021 to 22 June 2021
- Anticipated announcement: Fourth Quarter 2021
Email the Grants team to apply
ARC Discovery Indigenous 2022: Applications now open
Deadline to contact the Grants team: Wednesday 3 March 2021
The Discovery Indigenous scheme provides funding to Administering Organisations to support research programs led by an Indigenous Australian researcher and to build the research capacity of higher degree research and early career researchers. The scheme provides $30,000-$500,000 funding per annum for three years. Project costs can be used for a variety of purposes. As indicated in the key dates below, applications are now open.
Key dates for Discovery Indigenous 2022
- Release of Grant Guidelines: 8 October 2019
- Applications Open: 25 November 2020
- Request Not to Assess Close: 3 March 2021
- Applications Close: 17 March 2021
- Rejoinders: 17 June 2021 to 30 June 2021
- Anticipated announcement: Fourth Quarter 2021
Email the Grants team to apply
2021 Key Dates: Multiple Schemes
The below dates represent proposed key dates only and are subject to change. If you intend to apply for any of these grants, please ensure you communicate with the MGSE Grants team for a smoother application process.
An update confirming the exact dates will be made once the NHMRC makes an announcement.
Scheme
Application Open
Minimum Data
Application Close
2021 Investigator Grants
3 February 2021
3 March 2021
29 March 2021
2021 Synergy Grants
24 February 2021
24 March 2021
21 April 2021
2021 Ideas Grants
10 March 2021
7 April 2021
5 May 2021
2021 Postgraduate Scholarships
14 April 2021
12 May 2021
9 June 2021
2021 CTCS Grants
30 June 2021
28 July 2021
25 August 2021
Email the Grants team to apply
ARC Linkage Projects
Linkage Projects 2021 Assessment Round 1
- Submit review ready application to MERI: 22 February 2021
Submit review ready application to RIC: 15 March 2021
Request not to Assess due to RIC: 7 April 2021
Final Application due to RIC: 7 April 2021
Final Applications due to ARC: 13 April 2021
Linkage Projects 2021 Assessment Round 2
- Submit review ready application to MERI: 28 June 2021
Submit review ready application to RIC: 19 July 2021
Request not to Assess due to RIC: 9 Augustl 2021
Final Application due to RIC: 9 August 2021
Final Applications due to ARC: 16 August 2021
Linkage Projects 2021 Assessment Round 1
- Submit review ready application to MERI: 25 October 2021
Submit review ready application to RIC: 17 November 2021
Request not to Assess due to RIC: 9 December 2021
Final Application due to RIC: 9 December 2021
Final Applications due to ARC: 16 December 2021
If you are contemplating submitting an application in Round 1, you must email the Grants team as soon as possible.
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New Opportunities
Call for Nominations: 2021 Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize
Closing Sunday 14 March
The Jacobs Foundation is seeking nominations for the 2021 Klaus J. Jacobs Research Prize. The prize awards outstanding scientific contributions of individuals from all scholarly disciplines aiming at improving learning, development, and living conditions of children and youth. This includes, but is not limited to, educational sciences, psychology, economics, sociology, family studies, media studies, political sciences, linguistics, neurosciences, computer sciences, and medical sciences.
The prize is endowed with 1 Mio. Swiss Francs, of which 900'000 Swiss Francs are for use in a research project and 100'000 Swiss Francs are for related costs, such as travel, networking, and dissemination. The prize has a global scope. It addresses scholars who have achieved major breakthroughs in understanding child development and learning, embrace learning variability and individual differences, and have the potential to advance the field by actively conducting research. Self-nominations cannot be accepted.All documents pertaining to the nomination should be submitted online by 14 March 2021. To begin the online submission process, please visit Research Prize Nomination Form
Applications for the inaugural 2021 Murray-Lopez Award are now open
Closing Monday 29 March
The Murray-Lopez Award was created in 2020 by Professor Christopher Murray, Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, and University of Melbourne Laureate Professor Alan Lopez. The Award seeks to recognise early-career professionals (defined as no more than five years post terminal degree) who are carrying out Global Burden of Disease (GBD) research focused on either methods improvement or the application of GBD methods in low and middle income countries. Nominations are not limited to these universities nor any research organisation. Applications close 29 March 2021.
For more information and nominations visit the Murray-Lopez Award page.
For further enquiries contact Jane Inall.
Learning and Teaching Initiative Grants round 2 for 2021
Closing Wednesday 17 February
The Learning and Teaching Initiative Grants round 2 for 2021 will open for application on Monday 18 January. This round seeks applications in the 'open book exam' category. This category will support subject coordinators in the transition from a closed book to an open book exam, or in significantly improving an existing open book exam. Subjects must have an exam delivered between June and October 2021. Closing date for applications is 17 February.
Enquiries: landt-grants@unimelb.edu.au
Nominations open for the 2021 Arts Alumni Awards
Closing Sunday 28 February
Do you know an outstanding Arts alum making a difference locally or internationally? Our Faculty of Arts Alumni Awards recognise alumni who have achieved excellence in their field, and who have contributed to the Faculty, the University and their communities. Nominations close 28 February.
For more information visit the Arts Alumi Awards page.
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Ongoing opportunities
The Ford Foundation - Challenging Inequality
Expressions of Interest are open on an ongoing basis
The Ford Foundation is a prestigious United States funder that has fellowship and project opportunities available in the broad thematic area of Challenging Inequality. Having a United States partner would improve the competitiveness of your application.
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation
Applications are open on an ongoing basis
The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has a grants database with fellowship and project opportunities that includes Higher Education in the Humanities, Arts and Cultural Heritage, Diversity, Scholarly Communications, and International Higher Education. Having a United States partner would improve the competitiveness of your application.
The Economic and Research Council
Applications are open on an ongoing basis
The Economic and Social Research Council has called for proposals for a range of project ideas and specific grant opportunities. Having a United Kingdom partner would improve the competitiveness of your application.