Opportunities for International Research Collaboration (National Competitive Grants Program)

Opportunities for International Research Collaboration (National Competitive Grants Program) is sponsored by Australian Research Council (ARC). The ARC incorporates support for international research collaboration within each of its funding schemes under the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP). This aims to maximize Australia's contribution to and benefits from international research collaborations.

**_Applications for ARC funding within the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP) are made through Eligible Organisations, primarily Australian universities, which are listed within the Grant Guidelines of each scheme of the NCGP. These organisations administer all funding awarded by the ARC. The ARC does not directly fund or accept applications from individual researchers.

_** All funding schemes of the NCGP are open to international researchers. Applications must be submitted through an Eligible Organisation and the researcher must meet the role-specific eligibility criteria for the relevant scheme, as outlined in the latest scheme-specific Grant Guidelines.

Opportunities exist within the schemes of the NCGP for Australian researchers to seek funding as part of their grant, to travel overseas to meet with international partner/s or to bring their overseas partner/s to Australia. Information on requirements and limits can be found within the latest scheme specific Grant Guidelines.

International organisations can collaborate on projects through several schemes of the NCGP including _Linkage Projects_,_ARC Centres of Excellence_,_Industrial Transformation Research Program_ schemes,_Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities_,_Discovery Projects_,_Discovery Indigenous_, and _Future Fellowships_.

Depending on the scheme, international organisations can participate on projects as a Partner Organisation, Other Organisation or Host Organisation. They must meet the eligibility criteria for the organisational role type, as outlined in the latest scheme-specific Grant Guidelines.

**_International researchers and organisations interested in funding/research collaboration opportunities should contact the Research Office of an Eligible Organisation in the first instance. Research Offices will be able to provide more detailed information on opportunities available within their institution. A list of Eligible Organisation contact details is provided on theUniversity Contacts page.

_** **_All researchers and organisations interested in ARC funding are advised to familiarise themselves with the Grant Guidelines and Grant Agreements for relevant schemes. For more information on current ARC funding rounds, visit theARC funding schemespage. An overview of international opportunities available through the schemes of the NCGP is provided below.

_** The ARC'sLinkage Programfunding schemes aim to encourage and extend cooperative approaches to research and improve the use of research outcomes by strengthening links within Australia’s innovation system and with innovation systems internationally.

The Linkage Program supports excellent collaborative research initiatives involving partnerships between higher education organisations and with other sectors in Australia and internationally. Projects funded under the Linkage Program will foster research training and career opportunities that enable researchers and research students to gain experience working in industry settings.

### **Discovery Program** The ARC'sDiscovery Programfunding schemes recognise the importance of fundamental research to the national innovation system. The national innovation system includes the people (for example, in government, higher education and business), processes and relationships involved in 'new' knowledge in a knowledge-based economy.

Discovery Program funds excellent, internationally competitive research undertaken by individuals and teams. The research funded under the Discovery Program will build Australia’s research capacity by supporting and facilitating research training and career opportunities for excellent Australian and International researchers.

### **ARC/ERC Implementing Arrangement** On 13 February 2019, the ARC announced a new Implementing Arrangementwith the European Research Council (ERC) designed to provide opportunities for ARC funded early career researchers from Australia to pursue research collaborations with European researchers supported through a relevant ERC grant.

For current ARC/ERC Implementing Arrangement opportunities, please contact your university Research Office. ### Adopting Sustainable Partnerships for an Innovative Research Ecosystem (ASPIRE) The Japanese ASPIRE program funds top-level research and promotes researcher mobility, assisting internationally leading researchers and their integration into leading international researcher networks.

The ARC is listed as a non-financial partner organisation on this program with both the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) and the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), meaning Japanese researchers may partner with ARC-supported researchers to apply for funding. Further information is available on the AMED website and on the JST website.

If you have any queries about these or other international opportunities, please contact the ARC International team at international@arc. gov.au