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Research Quality Framework (RQF) was a component of Backing Australia's Ability, an initiative of the Australian Government to formulate a best practice framework for assessing research quality and the impact of research, and ensure that public funding was being invested in research which would deliver real benefits to the wider community. RQF was to bring public funding of research in line with government policy for funding to be determined by outcomes achieved.
It was an assessment framework and a funding model, similar to the Research Assessment Exercise in the United Kingdom and the Performance Based Research Fund in New Zealand.[1]
On 21 December 2007, the new Australian Government announced that it would not be proceeding with the RQF project, which was an initiative of the former Government,[2] and began developing the Excellence in Research for Australia initiative.
Assessment framework
Focuses on quality and impact.
The quality of research includes its intrinsic merit and academic impact – that is recognition of the originality of research by peers and its impact on the development of the same or related disciple areas.
The broader impact is an assessment of value through use, i.e. the extent to which research is successfully applied – that is recognition by qualified end-users that quality research has been successfully applied.
Ratings
- Simple ratings scale
- Quality : 5 points
- Impact : 3 points
- Sensitive to discipline differences
- Informs funding at institutional level, with institutions distributing funds according to their own priorities
- The implementation will be assessing the five-year period prior to its commencement, e.g. 2001–2006.
Assessors
- Decided on the recommendation of the EAG
Oversight Committee
- Chairs of assessment panels and other significant Australian and international experts
- Sets eligibility, assessment and assessor guidelines as well as guidelines relating to early career research and other emerging areas of research priority
- Approves moderation (across panels) and validation (or measures) mechanisms
Funding model
Will replace the RTS block funding model, and will be at least 50% of the determinations of funding. Nelson says : all of the Institutional Grants Scheme (IGS) and at least 50% of the Research Training Scheme (RTS).
Committees
Expert Advisory Group
UK's Professor Sir Gareth Roberts was appointed as the Chair of the Expert Advisory Group,[1] having been commissioned in June 2002 to review the future of research assessment in the UK.[3]
- Members
The list of members was announced 21 December 2004 as:[4][5]
- Professor Paul Callaghan, Director of the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Professor Callaghan chaired the Moderation Panel of New Zealand's Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) in 2003
- Dr Michael Barber, executive director, Science Planning, CSIRO, and previously the Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) at University of Western Australia.
- Professor Ian Chubb, Chair of the Group of Eight from November 2003 to September 2005, and Vice-Chancellor of Australian National University since 2001
- Professor Peter Høj, CEO of the Australian Research Council since 1 October 2004
- Dr Ian O Smith, executive director, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation since May 2004.
- Dr Robin Batterham, chief technologist of Rio Tinto Group. Formerly chief scientist of Australia.
- Professor Peter Sheehan, Chair of the AVCC's RQF working group, and currently Vice-Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University.
- Philip Clark, representing the Business Council of Australia, member of the J P Morgan Advisory Council, and was the CEO of Minter Ellison.
- Professor Ross Milbourne, representing the Australian Technology Network of Universities and Vice Chancellor and President of the University of Technology, Sydney.
- Professor Anne Edwards, Convenor of the Innovative Research Universities Australia and Vice Chancellor of Flinders University.
- Professor Alan Pettigrew, CEO of the National Health and Medical Research Council since January 2001.
- Dr Evan Arthur, Group Manager of the Innovation and Research Systems Group in Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST).
Development Advisory Group
Minister Julie Bishop received the Research Quality Framework: Assessing the quality and impact of research in Australia – Final Advice on the Preferred RQF Model paper from Sir Gareth Roberts, approved its release, and announced the establishment of the RQF Development Advisory Group (RQFDAG), to be chaired by Australia's chief scientist, Dr Jim Peacock AC. [1][2]
- Members
The following members of the Expert Advisory Group continued on to the DAG:[6]
- Dr Michael Barber
- Phil Clark
- Dr Ian O Smith
The other DAG members are:[6]
- Terry Enright, Chairman of the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC) Board
- Emeritus Professor Chris Fell AM, representing the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
- Leanne Harvey, Branch Manager of Research Systems Branch in the Department of Education, Science and Training
- Dr Warren King, representing the Cooperative Research Centres' Committee
- Professor Jane Marceau, representing the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia, Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research), University of Western Sydney.
- Dr Phil McFadden, representing the Australian Academy of Science is the chief scientist, Geoscience Australia.
- Professor Ian Davey, representing the AVCC
- Professor Deryck Schreuder, representing the Australian Academy of Humanities, retired in 2004 as Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Western Australia