KEY ISSUES
- Sustainable Research Excellence (SRE) provides block grants on a calendar year basis to eligible higher education providers (HEPs).
- Indirect costs of research in Australian universities are costs that are not met by Australian competitive grant (ACG) funding or by existing research infrastructure block grant funding.
- SRE aims to:
- Close the gap in funding for indirect costs of Australian competitive grant research
- Support providers to build and maintain research excellence through best practice financial management, increased transparency of public funding and improved reporting practices.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Legislation
Higher Education Support Act 2003
Purpose
SRE augments the Research Infrastructure Block Grants scheme (RIBG). $510 million has been committed between 2009-10 and 2012-13 for this initiative.
This additional funding, when combined with existing RIBG funding, ensures that higher education providers are better placed to meet the full cost of research activities. In addition, it contributes to the long term sustainability of research strategies within these institutions.
Length of program and proposed annual budget over the program’s life
SRE was announced in the 2009-10 Budget and is an ongoing program.
| Year |
2009-2010* |
2010-2011* |
2011-2012* |
2012-2013* |
| Actual ($'000) |
$30m |
$120m |
$160m |
$200m |
*Paid on a calendar year basis. Figures were announced in the 2009/10 Budget and are subject to indexation.
The first 20 per cent of SRE funding is available to all HEPs, with access to the remaining 80 per cent contingent on them participating in transparent costing (TC) trial and Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). All 41 HEPs have agreed to participate in TC and ERA in 2010. The department is working with the sector, including through the Higher Education Research Data Advisory Committee and its technical working group to support transparent costing and incorporate its outcomes in SRE funding for 2011.
Eligibility and target audience
To be eligible for funding, HEPs must be listed in sections 16-15 and 16-20 of the Higher Education Support Act 2003.