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UNSW earns lion's share in latest ARC round

Four research projects at UNSW Sydney will receive more than $1.5 million in Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage Project grants.

Published on the 11 Mar 2020 by Belinda Henwood
Image: Shutterstock

UNSW has ranked first nationally in the number of ARC Linkage Project grants awarded in this round and has outperformed other Group of Eight (Go8) universities in funding.

Education Minister Dan Tehan today announced $10.6 million funding for 27 research projects to benefit Australians, leading to new jobs and improved health outcomes.

“Our Government is investing in partnerships between universities, industry and government to drive the commercialisation of research,” the Minister said.

“We are funding universities to get better at commercialising our research; better at turning ideas into jobs, productivity gains and growth. We are encouraging greater collaboration between universities and businesses to improve how we make students workforce ready.”

UNSW’s four projects are:

  • Professor Dennis Del Favero, from UNSW Art & Design, will investigate an interactive spatial aesthetic that facilitates modelling of operatic rehearsal design to optimise and streamline design processes in the performing arts industry.
  • Dr Guy Keulemans, from UNSW Art & Design, will generate new knowledge in design-based repair and reuse of consumer products to develop a new community of craft and design practitioners, audience and clientele, in collaboration with leading Australian design and craft organisations.
  • Dr Prudence Gibson, from UNSW Art & Design, will aesthetically redefine engagement with the plant collection at Royal Botanic Gardens Herbarium (RBG) Sydney and communicate its artistic, cultural and heritage value to the public through a public program of digital media arts events.
  • Dr George Kudrna, from UNSW Business School, will support major social and economic policy development in a rapidly ageing region, in collaboration with the World Bank and the Indonesian Planning Authority. The project will break new ground by developing a cutting-edge economic policy model reflecting salient features of ageing in emerging economies, taking into account the wider implications for education, employment, formalisation, growth and retirement.

UNSW Pro Vice-Chancellor, Research, Professor Ana Deletic, congratulated the University’s researchers on their success in this ARC funding round.

“The great news is this means we currently hold nine ARC LP19 projects, which is well ahead of any other university in the country – University of Melbourne is second with seven,” she said.

The ARC Linkage Project scheme brings together higher education and industry to conduct research into pressing issues affecting Australians.

“These projects highlight the depth of our research talent and our researchers’ ability to deliver future-thinking solutions to real-world problems,” Professor Deletic said.