The Victoria University Research Fellowship program was established to support, promote and progress outstanding, innovative and strategically aligned research. A VU Research Fellowship is recognition of a researcher’s capability and contribution to research at Victoria University

VU Research allocates and approves the University's resources for research and research training through the Research Fellowship program.

Research Fellowships are open to College-based teaching, and research and teaching focused academics to undertake research that aligns with University’s priority and accreditation fields of research. For more information on the University’s strategic alignment, check VU research focus areas & expertise.

To explore funding opportunities that can support the research costs associated with your Fellowship, use the Research Professional funding database to find a range of sponsors in Australia and overseas.

Fellowships available & guidelines for applicants

There are three types of Research Fellowships available:

  • Priority Research Fellowship: for research and/or research training undertaken under the Priority and Emerging FoR codes that contribute to the University’s research focus areas
  • Accreditation Research Fellowship: for research and/or research training undertaken under Accreditation FoR codes that contribute to the University’s research focus areas
  • Research Training Supervision (only): for research training undertaken by academic staff who do not hold a Research Fellowship (Priority or Accreditation). This type includes, but is not restricted to the P18 Supervision.

Guidelines

Read the VU Research Fellowship Guidelines 2023 if you are an academic interested in having a VU Research Fellowship in 2023.

Related

Applying for a Out of Cycle VU Research Fellowship

Applicants should read the VU Research Fellowship Program Guidelines (see above) for complete details of the program.

Allocation will only be for the period 1 July 2023 to 31 December 2023.  Successful applicants will still need to apply in the 2023 main round for a VU Research Fellowship in 2024; likewise unsuccessful applicants can still apply in the main round

Key dates

  • Round opens – Monday 8 May 2023
  • Applications close – 5.00pm (AEST) Monday 22 May 2023
  • Applicants and Colleges notified of final results – June 2023

Applications

  1. Staff who commenced in the lead up to or after the main round in 2022 (and do not already have a VURF) must send to [email protected] a CV and covering email outlining:
    1. When you commenced employment at VU and current level;
    2. The FTE allocation you are seeking in 2023;
    3. A brief description of your intended research activities from July-Dec 2023 for which the application is based and a statement as to your longer term plans for your research program.
  2. Staff who were unable to submit an application in the main round in 2022 (for whom allocations will only be made in exceptional circumstances) must send an email to [email protected]:
    1. explaining the exceptional circumstance in 2022 (such as extended leave during the application period) which meant you could not submit an application in the main round
    2. A summary case for a VURF containing:
      1. Any reason your MORA does not fully capture your research achievement
      2. Leadership and capability improvement to which you contribute in VU Research
      3. Impact and engagement your research has and will generate

MORA & VU Research Fellowships

A provisional track-record selection criterion score (worth 40% of the overall score for any application) will be calculated using MORA. The Institute Panels will adjust this score in light of performance in 2020 (which is outside the MORA data collection period), and factors affecting research career opportunity.

The following table shows the provisional track record score for a number of MORA scores. (Provisional track record scores are interpolated from these MORA data points.)

MORA

Provisional track record score

0

0.00

1

0.28

2

1.18

3

2.70

4

4.58

5

6.46

6

8.03

7

9.12

8

9.72

9

9.96

10

10.00

Appeals process for VU Research Fellowship applicants

The appeals process is designed to ensure that Research Fellowship applications have been assessed in accordance with the procedures in the fellowship guidelines.

VU Research will only consider appeals against administrative process issues and not against Institute Panel recommendations, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact) decisions, any rankings or comments.

Read the research appeals guidelines and then use the appeals form to make an appeal.

Appeals are due within 14 days of applicants receiving notification by email, including details of the appeal process.

Supervision of higher degrees by research (HDR) students

Research Training Supervision allocations are calculated for 2023 based on HDR supervision data available in October 2022. Actual supervision loads in 2022 are reconciled with this data for the 2024 VU Research Fellowships supervision data downloaded 3 times per year.

Research Training Supervision (only) fellowships are allocated automatically based on HDR supervision arrangements, based on arrangements approved by the Graduate Research School.

Research Training supervision and associated allocations are available live in the University Measure of Research Activity (MORA) system.

Final VU Research Fellowship Allocations

Final VURF FTE Allocations for 2023 will be include the following components, rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.1FTE:

  • Base research allocation
  • HDR supervision time (based on data in October 2022)
  • Externally funded research time (based on data in October 2022)
  • Additional allocations for Bridging Support, Internships, Embedded Research
  • Rounding adjustment from 2022.

The final allocation is fixed for the whole of 2023, with adjustment only made for changes in externally funded research time (which is on top of any other research FTE allocation).

Externally funded research projects

Externally funded research projects are handled through the VU Research office. Externally funded research time is in addition to other research allocations.

Research time (FTE) spent on research that has been secured and financed through external funding schemes, grants or research contracts is automatically allocated to researchers, based on the VU cover sheet and costing tool used when the funding was secured.

College deans are formally notified of externally funded FTE allocations four times per year to assist in planning and organisational capacities.

For more information regarding institutional support for researchers intending to apply for external funding, please visit grants and funding.