Background
The SRE initiative was announced by the Australian Government in the 2009-10 Budget as part of a suite of measures to enhance university research. Over the four years 2009-10 to 2012-13, $510 million will be provided under the SRE program to support universities in meeting the indirect costs of their Australian Competitive Grant (ACG) research activities. A commitment was made to implement the SRE program in consultation with the higher education sector.
The SRE program responds to key recommendations made in Powering Ideas: An Innovation Agenda for the 21st Century, the Government's policy for the reform of the Australian Innovation System.
Program Objectives
The dual objectives of the SRE program are to:
help address an identified shortfall in the funding available to meet the indirect costs associated with ACG research; and
support universities to build and maintain research excellence through the implementation of best practice financial management, performance and reporting frameworks.
The first of these objectives reflects a need for additional support to universities to meet the project related infrastructure costs associated with ACG research and enhance the development and support of university research infrastructure more broadly.
The second objective, which distinguishes SRE from the Research Infrastructure Block Grants (RIBG) and other research block grant programs, recognises that achieving research excellence on a sustainable basis is dependent on universities' capacity to strategically manage their resources to meet costs associated with research activities. It also recognises a need for mechanisms and incentives to support universities to stretch their research performance over time.
Transparent Costing (TC)
All 41 eligible Higher Education Providers have agreed to participate in Transparent Costing (TC) and Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA). Participation in a trial of TC in 2010 is an eligibility requirement for accessing 80% of SRE funding.
The results of the 2010 trial will inform the design of the final TC framework to be adopted under the SRE program and form the basis of allocation under theThreshold 2 element of SRE in 2011. The Department is working cooperatively with the sector in a trial of the 2010 TC framework.
Sustainable Research Excellence (SRE) in Universities 2010 Guidance Paper 
(pdf 300 KB)
Sustainable Research Excellence (SRE) in Universities 2010 Guidance Paper 
(rtf 8.68 MB)
Process for determining 2010 SRE grant amounts
2010 SRE process calculations 
(pdf 36 kb)
2010 SRE process calculations (rtf 44 kb)
Frequently Asked Questions
SRE Financial Return Frequently Asked Questions (pdf 216 KB)
SRE Financial Return Frequently Asked Questions (rtf 4444 KB)
SRE Staff Survey 1 Frequently Asked Questions (pdf 176 KB)
SRE Staff Survey 1 Frequently Asked Questions (rtf 94 KB)
SRE UniPay Payment Arrangements (pdf 16 KB)
Presentations
Sustainable Research Excellence in Universities 
(ppt 786 KB)
Mr Mark Thomas, Ag General Manager - Research Funding and Policy Branch - 26/02/2010
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
Chief Finance Officers Conference
Sydney, NAB House
Sustainable Research Excellence in Universities (pdf 280 KB)
Mr Mark Thomas, Ag General Manager - Research Funding and Policy Branch - 17/02/2010
Department of Innovation, Industry Science and Research
Presentation to the SRE National Forum
Stamford Plaza, Sydney Airport Hotel
Sustainable Research Excellence in Universities - Presentation to university Chief Financial Officers (pdf 318 KB)
Dr Anne Byrne, General Manager - Research Funding and Policy Branch - 29/10/2009
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
Presentation to a meeting of NSW and ACT University Chief Financial Officers
University of Technology, Sydney
Key Policy Challenges in Australia's University Research System (pdf 64 KB)
http://asia.elsevier.com/asiamailings/ANZ/Research_Trends_and_Innovation_09/Program.htm
Dr Anne Byrne, General Manager - Research Funding and Policy Branch - 14/09/2009
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
Research Trends and Innovation Conference
RAVC City Club, Melbourne
Exploring Best Practice in Research Finances - Sustainable Research Excellence in Universities -
An Overview of Opportunities (pdf 59 KB)
http://www.hes.edu.au/page/conferences---events/exploring-best-practice-in-research-finances/
Dr Anne Byrne, General Manager - Research Funding and Policy Branch - 01/09/2009
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research
Presentation given at the Melbourne Business School
Guidelines
The SRE guidelines applying to 2010 are available for download from the Australian Government's Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
Conditions
SRE Grant Amounts for 2010 have been provided to HEPs on the basis of the conditions outlined in the following document
2010 SRE Conditions of Grant 
(pdf 108 kb)
2010 SRE Conditions of Grant (rtf 300 kb)
SRE Program Historical Information
2009 SRE Issues Paper web page
Full Cost of University Research web page