Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010 
Variation (No. 1) 2014
Australian Research Council Act 2001

I, CHRISTOPHER PYNE, Minister for Education, approve, in accordance with section 61 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001, variation of the Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010 in the manner set out in the attached Schedule.

Dated 24 March 2015

Christopher Pyne 
Minister for Education

I, AIDAN BYRNE, Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Research Council, vary in accordance with section 61 of the Australian Research Council Act 2001 the Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010 in the manner set out in the attached Schedule.

Dated 23 March 2015

Aidan Byrne 
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Research Council

Schedule
The Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008–2009 or 2009–2010 are varied in the manner set out below:

1.	Appendix 2 is deleted and replaced with the attached Appendix 2.
2.	Appendix 2 takes effect from 26 May 2009. 

Appendix 2:  Particular Special Research Initiatives undertaken under these Funding Rules
Initiative being funded
(column 1)
	Eligible Organisations
(column 2)	Applicable Investigator types
(column 3)	Specific objectives
(column 4)
	Indicative duration of funding and funding thresholds
(column 5)	Closing date 
(column 6)	Application form requirements and signed copies
(column 7)	Other requirements for submission of applications
(column 8)	
Title:  European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) – Group Leader position

An initiative arising from Australia’s Associate Membership of EMBL, to jointly fund a Group Leader position in the Faculty Development Program.  

	Organisations listed in Appendix 1 of the Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010 
	Chief Investigator  
Salary costs for CIs, in whole or in part, will be supported  in accordance with section 6.4.2(b)	•	Deliver a program of activities in collaboration with the European and Molecular Biology Laboratory
•	Undertake highly innovative and internationally competitive research;
•	Undertake significant collaboration with experts in a broad range of relevant fields, including development of national and international networks and linkages with leading researchers and institutions.
	•	Total funds of up to $2.5 million may be awarded over five years, commencing in the financial year 2008-09, subject to Parliamentary appropriations. 
	5:00pm  AEST Tuesday 2 June 2009
	•	Submission of an electronic  application by email to ARC-Cofunded@arc.gov.au  marked “Attention Executive Director, ARC SRI Scheme 
•	In addition to the above, a full paper application and one identical copy, which must, as far as possible, match the contents of the submitted electronic application, must be submitted to the address specified in section 10.4.2.4 of the Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010.
•	The full paper application must be signed by the CEO or DVC(R) of the Eligible Organisation proposing to administer the Initiative, or equivalent officer, who has the power to make and vary contracts on behalf of the Eligible Organisation.	Nil	

Initiative being funded
(column 1)
	Eligible Organisations
(column 2)	Applicable Investigator types
(column 3)	Specific objectives
(column 4)
	Indicative duration of funding and funding thresholds
(column 5)	Closing date 
(column 6)	Application form requirements and signed copies
(column 7)	Other requirements for submission of applications
(column 8)	
Title: Research in Bionic Vision Science and Technology: towards the development of a bionic eye

An initiative arising from the Australian Government’s 2020 Summit, to fund a proposal to develop a functional bionic eye. The successful project will:
a.	undertake highly innovative and internationally competitive research that produces outcomes of economic and social benefit to Australia;
b.	be characterised by significant collaboration involving the research resources of Australian and overseas institutions;
c.	pursue engagement with, and seek to secure financial contributions from government and business entities, publicly funded research institutes and other appropriate organisations; and
d.	offer a robust commercialisation strategy for the expected research outcomes.

The Proposal may offer an integrated research program which draws on the expertise of researchers at a number of geographically separated research sites or nodes. The successful Project must have a prominent physical presence at all nodes.	Organisations listed in Appendix 1 of the Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010
	•	Chief Investigator
•	Partner Investigator
•	Each proposal must have at least one CI.
•	The first-named CI on the Proposal will be considered the ‘Project Leader’ and must be an employee, or holder of an adjunct appointment, or equivalent, at the proponent Eligible Organisation.	•	To deliver a program of activities that will support the development of a functional bionic eye in Australia:
•	Undertake highly innovative and internationally competitive research through a pioneering and feasible research and development program;
•	Undertake significant collaboration with experts in a broad range of relevant fields, including development of national and international networks and linkages with leading researchers and institutions;
•	Develop outcomes with significant health and economic benefit for the Australian community in the short and longer term;
•	Provide for potential spin-off innovation, with commercial applications to be pursued through a robust commercialisation strategy; and
•	Build Australia’s human capacity in this area by attracting, from within Australia and overseas, researchers of high international standing as well as the most promising research students.	•	Total funds of up to $50 million may be awarded over four years, commencing in the financial year 2009-10, subject to Parliamentary appropriations. 
•	Minimum funding will be $1 million per year over the four year period.
•	Subject to exceptional performance demonstrated through regular reporting and scheduled review, and availability of funding, the ARC may recommend an additional period of funding of up to four years.
•	The Proposal is expected to seek additional financial contributions from other sources, such as participating organisations, publicly funded research institutes, government agencies and the private sector.	5:00pm  AEST Wednesday 29 July 2009
	•	Submission of electronic copy of SRI application form by email to sri@arc.gov.au, marked “Attention Executive Director, ARC SRI Scheme (Bionic Vision Science and Technology)”.
•	In addition to the above, a full paper application and one identical copy, which must, as far as possible, match the contents of the submitted electronic application form, must be submitted to the address specified in section 10.4.2.4 of the Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010.
•	The paper copies above must be signed by the CEO or DVC(R) of the Eligible Organisation proposing to administer the Project, or equivalent officer, who has the power to make and vary contracts on behalf of the Eligible Organisation.	•	The Eligible Organisation submitting the application is to obtain and retain signatures of all participants named on the application form indicating their agreement to participate in the Proposal and providing all necessary consents to allow the ARC to deal with information contained in the application form.
•	Each Eligible Organisation may be the Administering Organisation on one application only.
•	Each Proposal must identify at least one Partner Organisation which will be involved in the proposed project.	

Initiative being funded
(column 1)	Eligible Organisations
(column 2	Applicable Investigator types
(column 3)	Specific objectives
(column 4)	Indicative duration of funding and funding thresholds
(column 5)	Closing date
(column 6)	Application form requirements and signed copies
(column 7)	Other requirements for submission of applications
(column 8)	
Title: ARC/NWC Co-Funded Centre for Groundwater Research and Training

A joint ARC/National Water Commission (NWC) funding initiative addressing the National Research Priority goal for An Environmentally Sustainable Australia (Water – a critical resource), which will:
a.	undertake highly innovative and internationally competitive research that addresses challenging and significant problems and produces outcomes of economic, social and cultural benefit to Australia;
b.	be characterised by significant collaboration involving research resources of universities; and
c.	pursue engagement with, and seek to secure financial contributions from, publicly funded research institutes and government and business entities.

The Centre may consist of a number of geographically separated research sites or nodes which are integrated into the research program of the Centre. The Centre must have a prominent identity and physical presence at all nodes, as well as high visibility on the World Wide Web.	Organisations listed in Appendix 2  of the Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010
	•	Chief Investigator
•	Partner Investigator
•	Each proposal must have at least one CI.
•	The first-named CI on the Proposal will be considered the ‘Project Leader’ and must be an employee, or holder of an adjunct appointment, or equivalent, at the proponent Eligible Organisation. This person will be considered the Interim Director of the Centre.	•	Establish an ARC/National Water Commission (NWC) Co-Funded Centre for Groundwater Research and Training which supports novel, innovative and cross-disciplinary research and relevant training in the field of groundwater, specifically:
-	3D aquifer characterisation
-	Groundwater monitoring
-	Groundwater assessment and modelling
-	3D digital groundwater resource database development
-	Development of decision support systems and public access to data and information
-	Training a new generation of hydrogeologists, groundwater engineers and managers
-	Assessment of community, social and economic factors.		Total funds of up to $30 million (to be contributed by the ARC and NWC) may be awarded over 5 years, commencing in the financial year 2008-09, subject to Parliamentary appropriations.
	Notwithstanding the above, in the case of exceptional performance by the Centre and subject to the availability of funding, the Minister may extend financial assistance for an additional period of up to 5 years.
	The new ARC/NWC Centre is expected to seek additional financial contributions from other sources, such as State Governments, participating institutions and the private sector.	5:00pm  AEST Friday 30 May 2008	•	Submission of electronic copy of SRI Co-funded Centre application form by email to ncgp@arc.gov.au, marked “Attention Executive Director, ARC Centres Scheme”.
•	In addition to the above, a full paper application and one identical copy, which must, as far as possible, identically match the contents of the submitted electronic application form, must be submitted to the address specified in section 10.4.2.4 of the Special Research Initiatives Funding Rules for funding commencing in 2008-2009 or 2009-2010.
•	The paper copies above must be signed by the CEO or DVC(R) of the Eligible Organisation proposing to administer the project, or equivalent officer, who has the power to make and vary contracts on behalf of the Eligible Organisation.	•	The Eligible Organisation submitting the application is to obtain and retain signatures of all participants named on the application form indicating their  agreement to participate in the Centre as outlined in the Proposal and providing all necessary consents to allow the ARC to deal with information contained in the application form.

•	Each Eligible Organisation may be the administering organisation on one application only.