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 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 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 2022 if you are an academic interested in having a VU Research Fellowship in 2022.

Related

Applying for a 2022 VU Research Fellowship

Applications for VU Research Fellowships in 2022 will open on Monday 20 September 2021 at 11am.

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

All academics wishing to apply for a VU Research Fellowship in 2022 must apply through this round. Note that the Out-of-Cycle round in 2022 will not be open to academics who were not on Extended Leave in the two weeks from September 2021.

Key dates

  • Standard round opens – Monday 20 September 2021 at 11am
  • Applications close – Wednesday 13 October 2021 (midnight AEST)
  • Applicants and Colleges notified of final results – Tuesday 16 November 2021.

Applications

Applications must be made using the online application form

Information session

All information sessions will be held for interested applicants at 2pm Thursday 23 September.

This session will focus on key elements of completing an application for a VU Research Fellowship in 2022. Speakers are experienced in the deliberations of Institute Panels. To take advantage of the Q&A, we suggest you start your online application form (which is not a prerequisite for attending). Speakers will be:

  • Dr Andrew Gaff, Deputy-Director, Research Partnerships
  • Associate Professor Dianne Hall, Deputy-Director, ISILC
  • Professor John Price, Deputy Director, IHES.

Use VU Develop to register for the information session.

Changes in 2022

Extra research allocations (on top of the basic research allocation) will be now available for:

  • A report on activity in 2020 for those who held a VU Research Fellowship (Priority and Accreditation) in 2020, which will count 20% toward the Track Record Selection Criterion.
  • VURFs who are embedded in or host an researcher from a community or industry partner for at least 1 day per week for 6 months (or equivalent) (0.05FTE extra available)
  • VURFs who are Principal Supervisor of a PhD student who has an internship with a community, industry or government organisation for at least 60 equivalent full-time days within 18 months of their enrolment (0.05FTE per internship up to 0.1FTE available)

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, Associate Provost, Research Institutes and Centres, 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 2022 based on HDR supervision data available in October 2021. Actual supervision loads in 2022 are reconciled with this data for the 2023 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 Office for Research Training, Quality and Integrity.  

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 2022 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 2021)
  • Externally funded research time (based on data in October 2021)
  • Additional allocations for Bridging Support, Internships, Embedded Research
  • Rounding adjustment from 2021.

The final allocation is fixed for the whole of 2022, 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.