Summary heading

The ARC has been an integral part of the Australian research landscape since its establishment in 2001. The ARC administers funding of excellent pure basic research, strategic basic research and applied research, as well as research training and research collaboration and infrastructure. The ARC also provides research policy advice to the Australian Government, oversees the Australian research ethics and integrity framework, and evaluates the excellence, impact and depth of Australian research.

Abolition

Creation

The Australian Research Council has a long history – created as part of the National Board of Employment, Education and Training (NBEET) in 1988 which was then abolished in March 2000. The ARC continued as an independent body, founded in 2001 under the Australian Research Council Act 2001 it is directly descended from the 1965 Australian Research Grants Committee (ARGC). ARC has functions which date to the 1946 Commonwealth Universities Research Grants Committee. 

Functions and activities

The ARC’s purpose is to "grow knowledge and innovation for the benefit of the Australian community through funding the highest quality research, assessing the quality, engagement and impact of research, and providing advice on research matters".

The ARC supports the highest-quality pure basic, strategic basic and applied research and research training. We encourage national competition across all disciplines outside of clinical and other medical research. We advise the Government on research matters and administer the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP).

Our grants are competitively awarded to individuals, research teams and large-scale centres through 2 broad arms: the Discovery Program, which supports individuals and small teams, and the Linkage Program, which creates links between universities, industry and other partners.

Clinical and other medical research is primarily supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Sourced from the ARC Website.

Legislation administered

The Australian Research Council (ARC) is a non-corporate Commonwealth entity established under Section 5 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001 (ARC Act). 

Administrative structure

The Australian Research Council (ARC) Board is the accountable authority of the ARC, and its functions include:

·       Determining priorities, strategies and policies for the ARC and advising the Minister of those priorities, strategies and policies

·       Assisting the Minister in the performance of the Minister’s functions under the Australian Research Council Act 2001

·       Providing advice to the Minister on research matters.

The Board is responsible for the approval of most grants within the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP). The ARC Board is also supported by two key advisory bodies:

·       ARC Advisory Committee.

·       ARC Indigenous Forum.

Sourced from the Australian Government Directory Website.

Historical agency address

The Australian Research Council (ARC) is located at Canberra Airport, Canberra, ACT.

State/regional structure

Records created by the agency

Additional information

End notes

Sources

About the ARC | Australian Research Council ARC History (Pre Australian Research Council Act 2001) Australian Research Council | Directory