annual research & research training report to academic …dvc (research, development &...

DVC (Research, Development & Industry) | Annual Research and Research Training Report to Academic Senate

Annual Research & Research Training Report

to Academic Senate

for the period 1 September 2017 – 31 August 2018

Professor Mary T Kelly

Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Development & Industry)


Contents

Contents .................................................................................................................................................................. 2

5 Year Research Strategy from the University Strategy 2017-2022 ........................................................................ 4

Workforce ................................................................................................................................................................ 5

1. Research Focussed .................................................................................................................................. 5

Academic (Research) Staffing Profile .............................................................................................................. 5

Research Active Status .................................................................................................................................... 6

Research Fellowships ...................................................................................................................................... 9

2. Leadership and Progression Opportunities ............................................................................................. 10

Professional development: Vitae .................................................................................................................... 10

‘Granted’ program .......................................................................................................................................... 10

Professional development events .................................................................................................................. 11

The Conversation ........................................................................................................................................... 12

3. Gender balanced (SAGE) ....................................................................................................................... 12

4. High achieving and internationally recognised (ERA 2018 submission) ................................................. 12

Observations on the CSU ERA 2018 submission data .................................................................................. 13

Submission data ............................................................................................................................................ 13

Count of eligible outputs submitted for ERA 2012/2015/2018 ........................................................................ 14

Ineligible outputs ERA 2018 ........................................................................................................................... 15

Explanatory Statements ................................................................................................................................. 16

Culture .................................................................................................................................................................. 16

5. Ethical and of high integrity ..................................................................................................................... 16

Ethics and Compliance Unit ........................................................................................................................... 16

New model for Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)......................................................................... 17

Compliance Improvement Project (CIP) Update ............................................................................................ 17

New 2018 Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research .......................................................... 18

6. Innovative and partnership driven ........................................................................................................... 18

Continuum between research and innovation ................................................................................................ 18

Boosting Business Innovation Program (BBIP) .............................................................................................. 19

Discovery Translation Fund (DTF) ................................................................................................................. 20

AgriSciences Research and Business Park - AgriPark .................................................................................. 20

Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) ......................................................................................................... 21

7. Outcomes and impact driven: EI 2018 submission ................................................................................. 22

Impact Case studies ...................................................................................................................................... 22

Engagement indicators .................................................................................................................................. 22


8. Collaborative with common goals ........................................................................................................... 23

Indigenous Research Strategy ....................................................................................................................... 23

University Research Centres ......................................................................................................................... 24

Students ................................................................................................................................................................ 25

9. Unique HDR programs linked to industry & community .......................................................................... 25

2017/8 Review of HDR Programs at CSU ..................................................................................................... 25

10. CSU cohorts prioritised incl. part-time..................................................................................................... 26

HDR Scholarships .......................................................................................................................................... 26

HDR Student Profile ....................................................................................................................................... 27

11. Sector distinction in supervision .............................................................................................................. 27

Fields of Education ........................................................................................................................................ 27

12. Internationalisation of student cohort ...................................................................................................... 29

HDR Student Load ......................................................................................................................................... 29

HDR Completions .......................................................................................................................................... 30

Environment .......................................................................................................................................................... 32

13. Sustainable first class infrastructure ....................................................................................................... 32

GRDC-funded infrastructure .......................................................................................................................... 32

Research Infrastructure Support Scheme (RISS) .......................................................................................... 32

Research Committee Working Groups .......................................................................................................... 33

14. Revised funding models.......................................................................................................................... 33

2018 Research funding .................................................................................................................................. 33

HERDC Income ............................................................................................................................................. 34

15. New KPIs and shared performance metrics ............................................................................................ 34

Strategy KPIs ................................................................................................................................................. 34

Consultation on Principles of Research Performance .................................................................................... 35

Research Office Review ................................................................................................................................ 35

16. Greater internationalisation through partnerships ................................................................................... 36

Appendix 1: Summary of Research Office Professional Development sessions in 2017 ...................................... 38

Appendix 2: Articles Published in The Conversation: 12 months to 20 August 2018 ............................................ 39

Appendix 3: ERA Data Analysis ............................................................................................................................ 42

Appendix 4: EI 2018 Impact case studies ............................................................................................................. 67

Appendix 5: NWGIC Director’s Report .................................................................................................................. 71

Appendix 6: PACT Director’s Report ..................................................................................................................... 74

Appendix 7: Graham Centre Director’s Report ...................................................................................................... 76

Appendix 8: ILWS Directors’ Report ...................................................................................................................... 78

Appendix 9: HDR Review ...................................................................................................................................... 80

Appendix 10: Principles of Research Performance ............................................................................................... 82


5 Year Research Strategy from the University

Strategy 2017-2022

Within Our Communities, the outcomes and pathways to delivery have been strategically determined as outlined

below:

To be an agent of change through impactful, solution-driven research the Our Communities component of

the University Strategy is inclusive of a five year research strategy, designed against the CSU Values, to

deliver a sustainable research portfolio.

Workforce

Research focussed

Leadership & progression opportunities

Gender balanced (SAGE)

High achieving & internationally recognised

Culture

Ethical and of high integrity

Innovative & partnership driven

Outcomes & impact driven

Collaborative with common goals

Students

Unique HDR programs linked to industry &

community

CSU cohorts prioritised incl. part-time

Sector distinction in supervision

Internationalisation of student cohort

Environment

Sustainable first-class infrastructure

Revised funding models

New KPIs and shared performance metrics

Greater internationalisation

through partnerships


The Annual Research and Research Training Report for the period 1 September 2017 – 31 August 2018 is

presented within the structure of the proposed 5 Year Research Strategy. While the Research Strategy as

outlined above has only been recently introduced, it is hoped that presentation of the last 12 months of research

and research training performance within this structure will provide context and be the first step in informing the

development of the Research Strategy more comprehensively.

The report highlights the themes in research and research training that have been pursued in the reference

period and the metrics and performance measures that have been monitored. The structure of the 5 year

strategy and the new intiiatives that it will introduce will increase the ability of the university to undertake longer

term planning and assessment. The report does not go into greater detail on matters that have been reported to

Academic senate during the reference period through the Research Committee Mminutes or at Academic

Senate.

Workforce

1. Research Focussed

Academic (Research) Staffing Profile

The following charts provide FTE data at 31 March for the period 2014-2018. Of particular note:

Total FTE of research focussed staff has increased by 33% 2017 to 2018, and notably at the Levels A-C

Total FTE of teaching and research staff has remained stable since 2016

In combining both research focussed and teaching and research FTE, over the period 2014 to 2018,

proportionally, the numbers of

o Levels A and E have remained steady;

o Level B has declined;

o Levels C and D have increased.

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Level E 12.93 16.8 14.55 10.35 9.45

Level D 2.81 1.6 2.7 3.2 4

Level C 6.55 4.12 2 4.02 7.22

Level B 13.26 10.51 10.1 9.36 12.98

Level A 17.17 18.35 16.8 15.13 22.16

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Research Focussed

Level A Level B Level C Level D Level E


Research Active Status

Research Active Status has been assessed for the period 1 January 2015 – 31 December 2017 and is based on

the information contained within the corporate record systems including ResearchMaster, CRO, Banner Finance

system and Ascender Pay. The data has been provided for the purposed of this report at the institutional level

and by Faculty. Individual staff data will be released to staff, Heads of School and Executive Deans during

September 2018 ahead of the 2018 EDRS cycle. Staff included in the report are those with

- A work function of Research or Research and Teaching; and

- A position reported as being FTE of 0.5 or higher as at August 2018.

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Level E 47.46 33.74 32.8 33.55 29.85

Level D 55 47.1 46.2 52.16 59.6

Level C 121.79 119.7 123.9 127.75 132.66

Level B 376.02 257.65 245.85 227.15 214.03

Level A 24.2 17.2 12.6 14.53 14.4

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Teaching and Research


2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Level E 9% 10% 9% 9% 8%

Level D 9% 9% 10% 11% 13%

Level C 19% 24% 25% 27% 28%

Level B 57% 51% 50% 48% 45%

Level A 6% 7% 6% 6% 7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Research Focussed + Teaching and Research



Research Active Status by Tier as at August 2018 for the period 2015-2017

(Academic Research Focussed and Teaching and Research only with an FTE of 0.5 or over)

Research Active Status by Tier as at August 2018 for the period 2015-2017

By Faculty

(Academic Research Focussed and Teaching and Research only with an FTE of 0.5 or over)

22

110

81

100

135

HDR STUDENT INACTIVE TIER1(D) TIER 1 TIER 2

0.00%

20.00%

40.00%

60.00%

80.00%

100.00%

120.00%

Faculty of Arts andEducation

Faculty of Business,Justice & Behavioural

Science

Faculty of Science

TIER 2

TIER 1

TIER1(D)

INACTIVE

HDR STUDENT


Staff who were assessed in the reference period 2014-2016 as Tier 1(D) (as reported in the 2017 Annual Report

to Academic Senate) were followed in their progress into the new reference period 2015-2017. As shown below,

29 of the staff progressed to Tier 1 or 2; 40 remained at Tier 1(D) status, 22 became inactive and 2 commenced

HDR studies. The remaining 40 which are shown below as not reported are those that have left the university,

changed work function to teaching only or other, or their FTE is now below 0.5 FTE. It should be noted that the

assessment of Research Active Status for staff above 0.5 FTE only is a direct result of consultation following the

release of the previous data in September 2017.

When the institutional profile is compared to the two previous reference periods, there is growth at Tier 1 and 2, a

reduction in the Tier 1(D) group but an increase in the Inactive group. This may be due in part to the improved

reporting mechanisms, but requires further analysis on a case by case basis, noting that the reference periods do

not each contain the same staffing lists year on year.

2018 data – reference period of January 2015 – December 2017



2

22

40

22

7

40

HDR STUDENT INACTIVE TIER1(D) TIER 1 TIER 2 NOT REPORTED

Staff Reported in 2017 with a Research Active Status of Tier1(D) - Status in 2018

4.91% 6.47% 4.02%

24.55% 18.75% 19.42%

18.08% 23.44% 21.88%

22.32% 17.41%13.62%

30.13%26.56%

23.88%

0.00%

7.37%17.19%

2018 2017 2016

2018 Reported Staff Compared to Previous Years

Not Reported

TIER 2

TIER 1

TIER1(D)

INACTIVE

HDR STUDENT


Research Fellowships

In June 2018, the recipients of the Senior Research Fellowships and Research Fellowships were announced.

Over a two year period, these Fellowships represent an investment of more than $4M in our research capacity.

The Research Fellowships and Senior Research Fellowships are intended to boost research capacity within the

University by supporting dedicated research time and providing additional research resources for a number of

high-performing individuals. The Fellowships are specifically focused on achieving growth and increased

performance towards securing the future strength of research at CSU.

Built on the Research Narrative (introduced in April 2017), the Fellowships also seek to better enable cross-

collaboration and multi-disciplinary projects that lie within the research spheres and/or at the intersections of the

research spheres. All Fellowships must be in a research area which aligns to the Research Narrative and can

identify strongly with at least one research sphere.

For reference, the details of the call are available here, noting this call is now closed.

CSU Research Fellowships provide funding to support an increased research-focussed workload up to a

maximum of 60% FTE which is inclusive of the current research-focussed workload of the eligible staff member

as at time of application. Nine Research Fellowships were awarded in 2018.

CSU Senior Research Fellowships provide funding to support an increased research-focussed workload up to a

maximum of 100% FTE which is inclusive of the current research-focussed workload of the eligible staff member

as at time of application and is inclusive of a 30% FTE commitment to research leadership in the designated

research sphere. Two Senior Research Fellowships were awarded per research sphere within the Research

Narrative.

Resilient People research sphere entitled Walanbang mayiny which means very strong people:

Senior Research Fellowships

Prof. Sharynne McLeod, Faculty of Arts and Education

Prof. Jade Forwood, Faculty of Science


A/Prof. Karen Bell, Faculty of Arts & Education

Dr. Tamara Cumming, Faculty of Arts & Education

A/Prof. Peter Denyer-Simmons, Faculty of Arts and Education

Dr. Danielle Ryan, Faculty of Science

http://www.csu.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/2999949/CSU-Research-and-Senior-Research-Fellowships-2018_Call-for-Applications.pdf


Flourishing Communities research sphere entitled Ngumbadal-ngilanha which translates as united:


A/Prof. Oliver Burmeister, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences

A/Prof. Dominic O’Sullivan, Faculty of Arts and Education


A/Prof. Zahid Islam, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences

A/Prof. Manoranjan Paul, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences

Sustainable Environments research sphere entitled Gulbali ngurambang meaning to understand country:


A/Prof. Shokoofeh Shamsi, Faculty of Science

Prof. Shane Raidal. Faculty of Science.


Dr. Andrew Clark, Faculty of Science

Dr. Melanie Massaro, Faculty of Science

Dr. Lihong Zheng, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences

2. Leadership and Progression Opportunities

In addition to the existing leadership roles in research – University Research Centre Directors, Associate Deans

Research, Sub-Deans Graduate Studies and the recently appointed Senior Research Fellowships, there are a

number of other roles which provide leadership including for example the Pathway Leaders within the Graham

Centre, the identified CSU leads within the three Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) teams and a small number

of strategic research leadership appointments. It is essential that we have continue to nurture research

leadership capability, through professional development and mentorship. In parallel, it is critical that we develop a

more appropriate definition of research performance to recognise performance currently and to enable and

reward increased performance in the future.

Professional development: Vitae

The provision of professional development for academic staff and Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students at

an institutional level is provided by a small unit within the Research Office. This team has facilitated a number of

important events and opportunities for staff over the past 12 months, the highlights of which are presented here.

In January 2018, CSU became an organisational member of Vitae, the global leader in the professional

development of researchers led by the Careers Research and Advisory Centre (CRAC) in the UK. Research staff

and students have been encouraged to register on the Vitae website to gain free access to a wide range of

professional development resources and have been introduced to the Vitae Researcher Development

Framework (RDF) to support their career development.

The RDF is a professional development framework for researchers, which describes the knowledge, behaviours

and attributes of successful researchers. It can be used by individual researchers to create individual

development plans, and by the institution to audit and organise the provision of training for researchers. A series

of presentations have been made to meetings of Associates Deans Research, Research Office, Head of School

Forum, and 8 Schools to explain the framework and benefits of Vitae membership to the CSU research

community. The RDF is also being used to review and implement a more structured professional development

program at CSU.

‘Granted’ program

In May 2018 an expression of interest was opened to CSU Academic Staff (Level A-C) to participate in an online

grant writing and development program. Fifteen researchers were selected for the Granted program (10 funded

seats from the Research Office and 5 additional seats supported by the Faculties), which commenced on 30 July

2018. The course guides participants through writing a stand-out grant proposal, from start to finish. Course

modules include getting grant ready, preparing to write, integrating feedback, and post-submission


professionalism. Participants are supported by a dedicated facilitator who provides mentoring and strategic

advice during the program. Those who successfully complete the course will benefit from additional one-on-one

coaching to finalise a draft grant proposal over the next 6 months.

Participants in Granted program in 2018:

Arts and Education 2 x Level B

Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences 5 x Level B 2 x Level C

Science 5 x Level B 1 x Level C

Professional development events

In 2017 calendar year, the Research Office Professional Development program delivered 149 sessions to 2,305

attendees. These sessions supported HDR candidates, academic researchers, supervisors of HDR candidates,

and research support staff. A list of these programs is provided in Appendix 1.

Special sessions by external guest experts have contributed new ideas and attracted larger audiences to the

professional development calendar over the past year. Special sessions were as follows:

Date Title Presenters Attendances

22.11.17 Structuring Persuasive Arguments

Dr Cally Guerin, University of Adelaide

26

23.11.17 Examiner Expectations Dr Cally Guerin, University of Adelaide

31

30.11.17 Research Communication: Expert Panel

Dr Tamika Heiden, Knowledge Translation Australia & University of Western Australia; Dr Tseen Khoo, La Trobe University; Dr Jenny Martin, University of Melbourne; Dr Suzie Gibson, CSU School of Humanities & Social Sciences; Associate Professor Dale Nimmo, CSU Institute for Land, Water & Society

22

11.12.17 How to Live Without the Academic Hunger Games

Associate Professor Narelle Lemon, Explore & Create Co, Swinburne University

30

9.08.18 Creating Impact for Research through Social Media Engagement

Associate Professor Paul Willis, Media Engagement Services, Flinders University

40

13.08.18 'Self-gardening' in the doctoral candidature and beyond

Associate Professor Narelle Lemon, Explore & Create Co, Swinburne University; Natalie Thompson, CSU School of Education

38

21.08.18 Ratbag Research Jonathan O’Donnell, RMIT University; Associate Professor Jane Quinn, CSU Associate Dean Research Faculty of Science

68 registered

28.08.18 Defeating Self Sabotage Hugh Kearns, ithinkwell & Flinders University


The Conversation

Academic staff maintained their contributions to

The Conversation – ensuring their ideas and

research have national and international reach.

Many of the articles published by The

Conversation are reproduced by other news

outlets.

Over the past 12 months (up to 20 August 2018), CSU has contributed

50 articles

from 34 authors

creating 833,295 reads

with 49% of the readership located in Australia, and 22% in USA, with Canada, UK and France following

A list of the articles and authors published since 20 August 2017 is provided in Appendix 2.

3. Gender balanced (SAGE)

As part of the CSU application for the Athena Swan Bronze Award earlier in 2018, the DVC RDI made a

commitment to the following initiatives:

A mentoring program, led by recognised female research leaders

Targeted invitations from the DVC‐RDI to individual female researchers to encourage increased

participation of women in external research roles such as grant assessors and reviewers. Such

participation will provide greater exposure to and hands‐on experience within the national research

environment in which researchers compete for research funding and reputation.

The proposed outcomes are as follows:

50% of female teaching/research staff involved in the mentoring program by 2021

25% of female teaching/research staff participating in external research roles by 2022

To ensure that the benefits of these initiatives can be more widely shared, the DVC RDI has consulted with the

Professors’ Forum and asked them to consider how a mentorship program can be rolled out more broadly,

including consideration of internal and external mentorship; discipline-specific and career-focused mentoring; and

the scope of one or more mentorship programs. The Professors’ Forum will return a proposal to the DVC RDI

before the end of 2018.

4. High achieving and internationally recognised (ERA 2018 submission)

The Australian Research Council (ARC) is responsible for administering Excellence in Research for Australia

(ERA), Australia’s national research evaluation framework. ERA compares Australia’s university research effort

against international benchmarks using a defined set of indicators and provides rankings to the sector on a scale

of 1-5.

5 Evidence of outstanding performance well above world standard

4 Evidence of performance above world standard

3 Evidence of performance at world standard

2 Evidence of performance below world standard

1 Evidence of performance well below world standard

n/a Not assessed due to low volume. The number of research outputs does not meet the volume threshold standard for evaluation in ERA


The University’s ERA 2018 submission was finalised and certified in May 2018. Each institution must submit all

research data within a Field of Research (FoR) (at 2 digit and/or 4 digit) in which they reach the minimum

threshold set by the ARC. The Reference Periods for ERA 2018 are historical:

research data included in the submission must be attributable to eligible staff who worked at the

University on 31 March 2017;

research outputs must have occurred between January 2011 and December 2016; and,

all research income and applied measures of research performance (e.g. patents) must have occurred

between January 2014 and December 2016.

Observations on the CSU ERA 2018 submission data

We have without doubt a higher level of confidence in our data, our scrutiny of the data and the entire

preparatory process than in previous years. This is as a result of the extended lead time taken by the

CSU team, enhanced resources, the introduction of new software and the preparation of the data in a

second parallel system to ensure quality control.

The number of staff that created ERA eligible outputs increased from 2,439 in ERA 2015 to 3,042 in

ERA 2018.

In ERA 2015, 25% of eligible staff were adjuncts, which increased to 29% in ERA 2018.

As well as reporting in all previous FoRs from ERA 2015, we are reporting in a small number of new

FoRs. The patterns of growth mostly align with expectations and our knowledge of our research but

there were some new findings also (see below). Growth in outputs and/or income are indicative

only and quantitative only – the ERA process still has to do a qualitative evaluation.

We can see within the data where recruitments and departures have had an impact; where new areas

emerging for the years 2015 and 2016 are now included in the data for this submission; and we can see

where output growth may not be matched with income growth or vice versa because publication

typically trails investment and sometimes by extended periods.

Growth in volume of outputs in the most recent years of the reference period 2015 and 2016, will not

have had as much time to attract citations and/or other discipline relevant recognition and so a growth in

the volume of output does not guarantee an (immediate) increase in ranking.

Submission data

2 digit FoRs 4 digit FoRs

all fifteen FoRs at 2-digit level as in

ERA 2015;

in Law and Legal Studies (18) for the

first time since ERA 2010; and

in Physical Sciences (02) for the first

time.

all thirty FoRs at 4-digit level as in ERA

2015;

in Law (1801) and in Pharmacology and

Pharmaceutical Sciences (1115) for the

first time since ERA 2010; and

in five FoRs at 4-digit level for the first

time: Astronomical and Space Sciences

(0201), Computer Software (0803),

Distributed Computing (0805),

Information Systems (0806), and

Cardiovascular Medicine and

Haematology (1102).


There were 1,309 more ‘eligible’ outputs in ERA 2018 than were submitted for ERA 2015 (each output counted

as ‘1’), which represents an 18% increase from ERA 2015. In contrast, there was an 8% increase in the number

of research outputs from ERA 2012 to ERA 2015.

Count of eligible outputs submitted for ERA 2012/2015/2018

To ensure that ERA evaluates meaningful levels of data, the ARC stipulates a low volume threshold (LVT) for

each unit of assessment (i.e. FoR code).

For FoRs with citation analysis, the threshold is 50 apportioned indexed journal articles. Note that

‘apportioned’ refers to the percentage allocated to one or more FoRs (e.g. 50% to FoR 03, 30% to FoR

05, 20% to FoR 07). Percentage allocations (i.e. apportionments) for each journal article are then added

within each FoR. An ‘indexed journal article’ is an article published in a journal that the ERA 2018

citation provider has indexed (i.e. matched) in its databases. Non-indexed journal articles do not count

toward LVT calculations.

For FoRs that are peer reviewed, the threshold is the equivalent of 50 weighted apportioned research

outputs. ‘Apportionments’ are calculated as per above. In peer review FoRs, each book receives a

weighting of 5, compared to all other outputs types which have a weighting of 1. The weighting for each

individual output are summed in each FoR to form the LVT.

If the LVT is less than 50 in any four-digit or two-digit FoR at an institution, then that FoR at that institution will not

be evaluated. However, institutions must submit all data at the four-digit FoR level.

When taking indexing and weighting into account, the LVT in ERA 2018 increased by 18% from ERA 2015. This growth

manifested in increased LVT in seventeen of the twenty two FoR codes. Note that in the table below, the 2-digit

FoRs that attained LVT > 50 and were submitted for assessment are in red font.


Percentage LVT change from ERA 2015 to ERA 2018

Appendix 3 provides a detailed analysis of ERA data at the 4 digit level.

Ineligible outputs ERA 2018

Research outputs are assessed differently depending on the 2 digit FoR code:

Citation Analysis Peer Review

FoRs CSU submitted

02 05 06 07 09 11 17 08 13 14 15 16 18 19 20 21 22

Journal article citation analysis using ARC Journal List (8,000 +)

Peer review 30% of outputs nominated

FoRs with outputs but did not reach LVT

01 03 04 10 12

In respect of the CSU submissions in 2015 and 2018, a significant proportion of our outputs in the citation analysis group are not being counted in the submissions. In ERA 2015, 26% of outputs were not eligible to be included in the LVT, and in ERA 2018, 24% of outputs were ineligible. This is due to outputs being published in journals not accepted for ERA. The ARC determined the ERA 2018 Journal List in consultation with Australian Higher Education Providers and peak bodies and disciplinary groups. For a journal to be included, it must meet the following criteria as a minimum:

Was active during the ERA 2018 reference period for research outputs (1 January 2011–31 December

2016)

Is scholarly

FoR code FoR name % Increase 2015 LVT 2018 LVT

18 Law and Legal Studies 508% 13.4 81.5

10 Technology 297% 4 15.89

09 Engineering 86% 88.75 165.2

08 Information and Computing Sciences 63% 581 946.7

02 Physical Sciences 55% 41.08 63.7

05 Environmental Sciences 40% 292.97 411

07 Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences 30% 594.18 774.3

06 Biological Sciences 30% 136.76 177.4

17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences 27% 94.26 119.7

11 Medical and Health Sciences 25% 690.18 862.4

03 Chemical Sciences 20% 32.13 38.4

16 Studies in Human Society 18% 329.33 389.9

12 Built Environment and Design 15% 25.75 29.61

15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services 7% 309.83 331.9

13 Education 8% 914.27 988

19 Studies in Creative Arts and Writing 5% 214.45 225.51

21 History and Archaeology 4% 70.37 73.3

20 Language, Communication and Culture -1% 141.28 139.4

22 Philosophy and Religious Studies -5% 742.15 702.8

14 Economics -28% 110.08 79.6

01 Mathematical Sciences -37% 29.72 18.64

04 Earth Sciences -74% 3.9 1

* red font indicates LVT > 50 and submitted for assessment


Has peer review policies acceptable to the discipline

Has an ISSN

Has evidence of an article in the reference period

Explanatory Statements

For each FoR reported at the 2-digit level, the university must provide an Explanatory Statement which describes the activities which occurred during the 6 year reference period (2011-2016) and provide context for the data submitted. The Statements form part of the evaluation by the ARC Panel members. Statements are focused at the 2-digit level but can include reference to the underlying 4-digit FoRs. Information and claims contained within the statements must align with the associated submission data or provide an explanation of anomalies in the data. Statements are limited in length.

The full set of CSU Explanatory Statements, drafted with significant input from the academic community, will be made available at a later date.

Culture

5. Ethical and of high integrity

Ethics and Compliance Unit

Since the last annual report to Academic Senate, the Compliance Improvement Program (CIP) identified the

need for a dedicated, visible, high profile work unit responsible for the operational management of ethics and

compliance that is directly engaged with the Presiding Officers (POs) providing:

oversight of legislative instruments and compliance;

greater operational capacity including annual reporting, annual work plans and regular review

scheduled;

integration of specialist advice into complex problem resolution and investigation at an earlier stage;

coordination of administrative support and information system management including servicing of

committees;

coordination and management of training and education; and

Outputs LVT Outputs LVT

ERA 2015 ERA 2018

Citation analysis 2608.4 1938.4 3366.3 2573.7

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000Citation analysis FoRs

26%

24%


greater capacity and transparency for complaint and incident investigation and management.

A proposal was submitted to the Vice-Chancellors Leadership Team (VCLT) by the DVC RDI and University

Secretary for the reorganisation of Ethics and Governance within CSU and the creation of an autonomous ethics

unit within the Office of the DVC RDI. The proposal was endorsed by the VCLT and approved by the Vice-

Chancellor on 5 December 2017. The Ethics and Compliance Unit commenced operation on 1 February 2018.

The Unit provides operational support and guidance to the six compliance committees:

Human Research Ethics Committee

Animal Care and Ethics Committee

Institutional Biosafety Committee

Radiation Safety Committee

Defence Trade Control Committee

Chemical Safety Committee

The unit brings together a team dedicated to providing high level education, support and advice, engaging with

the CSU academic community to address the operational gaps identified under the CIP. The Unit Manager is

responsible for completion of the CIP program of work by end 2018 and ongoing completion of the CIP

Implementation Plan action items. The Manager Ethics and Compliance and the inaugural CSU Animal Welfare

Officer have been successfully appointed completing the full complement of staffing for the unit alongside a team

of Governance Officers. The unit is supplemented by Research Block Grant funding.

New model for Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC)

An opportunity to streamline and enhance the Human Research Ethics review process was identified within CIP

in 2017 and a proposal was submitted to the VCLT by the DVC RDI for the implementation of a new Human

Research Ethics Committee (HREC) Model. The proposal and new model was endorsed by the VCLT and

approved by the Vice-Chancellor on November 7 2017 for implementation in 2018. The model requires review of

all levels of teaching and research to be undertaken by a single CSU HREC with two fully constituted panels

each meeting the requirements of the National Statement. The Faculty Human Ethics Committees (FHEC) were

retired under this new model at the end of 2017.

The model design has been developed with the principal that researchers will not be disadvantaged and will

benefit through greater clarity, efficiencies and streamlined process consistency. An interim review 6 months post

implementation is due for completion by end September 2018.

Compliance Improvement Project (CIP) Update

Configuration of Research Master 6 has been completed and the system went live on 25 June 2018. Data entry

for both Animal Care and Ethics Committee (ACEC) and HREC has commenced. The first automated reminders

for active projects have been issued. Full functionality is expected for both committees is expected by the end of

2018.

Both the HREC and ACEC websites have been reviewed and updated. Both sites have been transitioned to a

user-focused format with the new format structured to align with the process steps and to provide information

quickly and easily. Presiding Officers of both Committees have provided updated content and will continue to

provide updated resources to ensure the website remains a dynamic source of information. Improvements to the

remaining committee sites will be undertaken before end 2018.

The standard ELMO packages for Research Integrity, Human Research Ethics and Animal Care and Ethics have

been reviewed and the Presiding Officers of ACEC and HREC are currently assisting with the customisation of

the modules for CSU specific content. The Chemical Safety module has been customised and cohort

identification for module release is being finalised.

Review of ACEC Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) was undertaken on approximately 100 outdated SOPs

that did not comply with requirements set out in the Australian Code for the Care and Use of Animals for

Scientific Purposes. The review and update of these SOPs has now been completed by discipline experts with

amended SOPs approved by the ACEC and the revised SOP documents made available on the website.


New 2018 Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the Australian Research Council (ARC), and

Universities Australia together announced the release of the revised Australian Code for the Responsible

Conduct of Research, 2018 (the 2018 Code) and the Guide to Managing and Investigating Potential

Breaches of the Code, 2018 (the Investigation Guide) in June 2018.

The 2018 Code and Investigation Guide are the result of an extensive review and consultation process and aim

to ensure procedural fairness to all parties. The 2018 Code provides a new principles-based approach to the

responsible conduct of research.

The 2018 Code will be supported by a series of guides for researchers and institutions that provide further

detailed advice on a range of integrity matters such as authorship, data collection and management and

collaborative research arrangements.

The Investigation Guide will help institutions to identify breaches of the 2018 Code, determine necessary

corrective actions, and will promote greater consistency in the research sector for managing any departures from

the principles of responsible research conduct.

Sector-wide adoption of the code and implementation of requirements is expected by 1 July 2019. The Ethics

and Compliance Unit will work closely with the Division of Human Resources to ensure that CSU policies and

processes align with the code and will continue to communicate relevant information and requirements in the

coming months.

6. Innovative and partnership driven

Continuum between research and innovation

At its June 2018 meeting the University Council formally endorsed the refocused University Strategy that

included a specific pathway to the creation of an innovation unit and innovation portfolio under the Our

Communities strategy. Innovation is found in every sector of the economy, in enterprises large and small, and in

cities as well as regional areas. At CSU, innovation activities occur across all our communities: resilient people,

flourishing communities, and sustainable environments. As such, the CSU innovation agenda supports the

development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem across the CSU footprint, encourages interaction between small to

medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the University, supports business innovation, and encourages jobs growth

in the region.

An identifiable innovation agenda has been growing at CSU since mid-2016 and there has been increased focus

in the innovation space since mid-2017. This has been centred around our three Boosting Business Innovation

Program (BBIP) incubators: the AgriTech Incubator in Wagga Wagga; CenWest Innovate in Bathurst; and

the Walan Mayinygu Indigenous Entrepreneurship Pop Up Hub Program. Through these programs, CSU

provides tailored programs and technical support for growth, as well as business networking and training events

which can be facilitated at a number of the University’s campus locations around NSW. More information is

provided below.

As our reputation in this area is growing, a number of local similarly minded organisations are reaching out to

partner with us. For example, we partnering with The Exchange Dubbo to build a community for new and growing

business owners within Dubbo and the wider catchment to co-work and thrive.

CSU has also become a founding partner of the Upstairs

Regional StartUp in Bathurst in partnership with NSW

Department of Premier and Cabinet, Bathurst Regional

Council and Reliance Credit Union. Other interactions have

gone beyond our geographical footprint, including Entry 29 in

Canberra, Cicada Innovation Melbourne. Upstairs was

recently awarded $300K by Jobs for NSW under the Local

Innovation Network, a significant component of which will

come to CSU uImagine as part of a new collaboration.

https://innovate.csu.edu.au/incubators/agritech

https://innovate.csu.edu.au/incubators/cenwest

https://innovate.csu.edu.au/incubators/indigenouspopup

https://www.upstairs.org.au/

https://www.upstairs.org.au/


Work has commenced under the Our Communities strategy to deliver an Innovation Plan and to create an

Innovation unit in the next 12 months. The plan will build on CSU’s long-term strategic commitment to the growth

and development in the regions and communities across New South Wales. The Innovation unit will drive and

expand CSU’s ability to foster regional start-ups and create innovation clusters across the State. It will further

enhance CSU’s collaboration with end-users, industry, the professions and communities for the public good.

CSU is partnering with Blue River Group and

AgriFutures Australia in the establishment of

Project Bridge, a regional agrifood tech

innovation hub that will identify, test and

commercialise ideas and technologies of

researchers and entrepreneurs.

Boosting Business Innovation Program (BBIP)

The University received a $1M grant in 2016 and then a further $500,000 grant for July 2018 – June 2020 from

the NSW Government under the Boosting Business Innovation Program to support the development of regional

entrepreneurship and the innovation ecosystem in the Central West and Southern regions of NSW. With a focus

on regional small to medium sized businesses, the Program delivers demonstrably better networked innovation

communities across the CSU footprint leading to enhanced innovation-based collaborations, increased

entrepreneurial skills, and improvement in innovation-based enterprise formation.

CSU is delivering three programs across our footprint:

CenWest Innovate supports the development of the

entrepreneurial ecosystem in Central West NSW. It encourages interaction between SMEs and the University to support business innovation and to encourage jobs growth in the region. CenWest Innovate’s flagship program is the Next Stage Growth Program which assists the development of existing sustainable businesses. Its second cohort commenced in April 2018 with ten businesses. Last year thirteen businesses received invaluable support from the program and their stories can be viewed here. In addition, over 330 people have participated in various masterclasses across the Central West region.

Walan Mayinygu, the Indigenous Entrepreneurial Pop Up Hub in partnership with Indigenous Business Australia,

visits various locations across NSW. The program features a series of events and activities that work as place-based generators of ideas, opportunities and momentum for the Indigenous Australian entrepreneurial sector. Four Pop Up Hubs have been conducted in Dubbo, Albury Port Macquarie and Lismore. 39 pre-start-ups entrepreneurs and seventeen established businesses have participated in the Pop-Up Hub programs. Hear from some of the participants here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAIocjoSCP4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T6s6_WCfa4&t=21s


AgriTech Incubator Hub in Wagga aims to spark

innovation and economic development in the Riverina by offering incubator programs, providing co-working spaces and fostering greater participation of women in entrepreneurial activities. The third incubator program commenced on 30 July, and will complete the program by mid-September with a pitch night. At the conclusion of the third program, the AgriTech Incubator will have supported 22 prospective businesses in the Riverina. View the story of Agrinet here. In addition the AgriTech Incubator has supported around 100 female high school students through coding events and 20 teachers at a Teacher Training Day in coding.

Discovery Translation Fund (DTF)

In 2017 CSU joined forces with the Australian National University (ANU) and the University of Canberra (UC) in

the Discovery Translation Fund (DTF) which provides translational grant funding for projects from ANU, UC and

CSU. The grants helps assess whether an idea, invention or discovery has commercial potential. Grants can be

awarded up to $50,000 per project, with funding above $50,000 considered for projects of exceptional

commercial potential. This development has provided a great opportunity for CSU researchers to bridge the

critical funding gap between discovery research and the commercial development of new technologies or the

establishment of new ventures. Projects originating from CSU will be funded by the ODVC RDI research budget

and CSU has made an annual commitment of up to $350K. The universities do not cross-fund projects, but

instead each university funds work which originates within its own organisation. The power of the DTF is the

opportunity for the universities to benefit from shared expertise and review prior to investment.

Since CSU joined the DTF late last year, four CSU researchers have been funded:

Peter Anderson A quantitative test for human vitamin B12 absorption using specifically-labelled

carbon-13 vitamin B12.

Jane Quinn Stress-free sheep production and management: developing a product to

provide a positive welfare reality for Australian and International producers

Susan Robertson Establishing meat residue levels after GC16 supplementation

Jade Forwood Testing large scale-up production of recombinantly expressed capsid protein

from beak and feather disease virus for towards establishing a vaccine for

Psittacine beak and feather disease.

AgriSciences Research and Business Park - AgriPark

The AgriSciences Research and Business

Park (AgriPark) is CSU’s long term strategic

initiative to create an agricultural ecosystem in

which innovation and productivity is accelerated

through deliberate and pro-active synergy,

collaboration and co-location.

An International Benchmarking report was commissioned in 2017 to identify the most successful global

models. Acknowledgement that the AgriPark was not only a viable opportunity for CSU, but that it already

existed within the Wagga campus, was a significant milestone. The Market Analysis delivered in May 2018

showed overwhelming industry support for the AgriPark and confirmed that CSU is on the path to delivering an

https://youtu.be/uPFKiTK5O4g


AgriPark that truly meets the needs of the industry. Today, we are proud to have the following key external

stakeholders interspersed within the Wagga campus and aligned with the AgriPark:

AgriFutures Australia

Regional Development Australia (Riverina)

Grains Research and Development Corporation

Riverina Local Land Services

Department of Primary Industries

FARMpay

Bridge Hub

Syngenta –Seedcare Institute (Australia) – coming in October 2018

Our key internal stakeholders include

Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation

National Wine and Grape Industry Centre

AgriTech Incubator Hub

The AgriPark brand is trade-marked and we are gaining more recognition in the market place through our

website, periodic newsletters and sponsorship opportunities. During the upcoming months we will finalise our

Commercial Activity business case, develop our Prospectus, and generate new opportunities through

establishment of Building 9 as an AgriPark co-working space.

Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs)

CSU has continued its successful involvement in CRCs. The outcome for an out of round CRC in Cyber Security

was announced as successful in September 2017. CRC for Cyber Security ($50 million over 7 years with

$89,789,000 cash and in-kind participant contributions) will benefit the economy by enabling industry to attract

and increase investment, trade and commerce. Industry is increasingly cyber connected and reliant on a secure

cyber experience. The Cyber Security CRC will deliver solutions that increase the security of critical infrastructure

and provide cyber security solutions that benefit businesses and their customers.

As announced last year, CSU is a strategic partner in two other newly established CRCs - CRC for High

Performance Soils and Food Agility CRC. CSU research projects are underway within each of these CRCs.

The CSU teams involved in the CRCs are from across the university bringing a diversity of skills and expertise.

The continued success has been achieved by taking an institutional approach to the opportunities and identifying

the most appropriate researchers within CSU regardless of home Faculty or University Research Centre. The

CSU commitments to the CRCs will be funded annually prior to the determination of available Compacts funding.

CSU Commitment Years FTE $ Annually

Cyber Security 7 3.4 $100K

Soil 10 2 $200K

Food agility 10 2 $200K

In the 19th CRC selection Round, CSU was part of an application for the Farming Smarter CRC which is being

led by University of New England. The bid was unsuccessful however the CRC Advisory Committee advised that

a new application would be welcome in Round 20. Stage 1 application was submitted to the CRC Program with

52 organisations registered as Participants. The Farming Smarter goal is to drive agricultural sector productivity

growth to 4% per annum for 20 years.

http://agripark.csu.edu.au/


7. Outcomes and impact driven: EI 2018 submission

In December 2015, the Australian government announced the development of a national engagement and impact

(EI) assessment to examine how universities are translating their research into economic, social and other

benefits and incentivise greater collaboration between universities, industry and other end-users of research. A

pilot EI assessment was run in 2017, and the first full national EI assessment was submitted in July 2018.

There are two independently assessable components of EI 2018, namely;

Engagement: This component relates to income-based engagement indicators and co-supervision of

HDR students that are supported by narratives to explain the data

Impact: Impact is assessed by expert review of a representative case study from each 2-digit Field of

Research

The threshold where institutions submit for engagement and impact was 150 weighted ERA outputs. Institutions

could ‘opt in’ for disciplines below this threshold.

The increased focus on EI data has facilitated its use in a variety of applications additional to government-led

assessments. For example, EI data are important to inform grant applications, promotional activities, job

applications, and as a marketing tool when seeking to attract students or collaborators.

Impact Case studies

Fifteen case studies were prepared for EI 2018 (Appendix 4). Thirteen of these were mandatory as the FoR was

above threshold. CSU also ‘opted in’ for interdisciplinary (INTER) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

(ATSI) disciplines. Impact case studies were selected following a ‘call for nominations’ from the DVC RDI that

was communicated throughout the University. Case studies were chosen based on whether the nomination

contained strong evidence to support impact claims and that all of the ARC’s criteria could be satisfied.

Engagement indicators

Engagement submissions were prepared in thirteen disciplines where the 150 ERA output threshold was

exceeded. No data were submitted in non-mandatory disciplines.

Disciplines submitted for engagement assessment

FoR FoR name FoR FoR name

05 Environmental Sciences 09 Engineering

06 Biological Sciences 11 Health (Biomed & Clinical)

07 Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences 11 Health (Public & Allied)

08 Information and Computing Sciences 13 Education

15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services 19 Studies in Creative Arts and Writing

16 Studies in Human Society 22 Philosophy and Religious Studies

17 Psychology

EI 2018 assessed four engagement indicators:

Cash support from research end-users (specified HERDC Category 1 and Categories 2, 3, and 4)

HERDC research income (specified Category 1 and Categories 2, 3, and 4) per FTE

Proportion of specified HERDC Category 1 grants to total HERDC Category 1

grant amount

number of grants

Research commercialisation income

Category 1 = Australian Competitive Grants

Category 2 = Other public sector Category 3 = Australian, International A & B Category 4 = CRC income


The ARC requested data on co-supervision of HDR students, but will not assess this data.

To support the indicators and place them in context, an engagement indicator explanatory statement was

prepared. An overarching narrative was also required that described the engagement activities within each FoR.

These two textual elements were prepared by discipline experts within each FoR.

It is important to note that the mandatory engagement indicators selected by the ARC were all income based and

are therefore unable to consider engagement activities that occurred without research income (e.g. outreach, in-

kind contributions, co-authorship of outputs, non-financial collaborations etc.).

The ARC assessment will be in the form of Low – Medium – High.

8. Collaborative with common goals

Indigenous Research Strategy

Over the past year, there has been progression of some longer term projects while also supporting students and

staff working with Indigenous topics and communities, as well as Indigenous research students at CSU.

Indigenous Research Training workshops

Workshops were conducted for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous students and researchers working with

Indigenous communities or topics, and for the supervisors of Indigenous HDR students or those working with

Indigenous communities.

Workshop 1 held on 10‐11 April 2018 catered for specific learning needs of Indigenous Academic Fellows, all

CSU Indigenous PhD students in any subject area, and any CSU students whose PhD is focused on Indigenous

topics or issues.

Workshop 2 held on 8-9 May 2018 catered for the specific learning needs of CSU staff who either supervise

Indigenous PhD students or students undertaking PhD on Indigenous topics, as well as researchers wishing to

become more effective in engaging and working with Indigenous communities, staff and students.

Collaborative Conversations continue to be used as an effective model in rural remote NSW, to inform the

review of CSU’s Indigenous Education Strategy and the development of the CSU Reconciliation Action Plan, two

initiatives that are ongoing.

Collaboration Agreement between Charles Sturt University and CIN Educational Consulting - Building

Executive and Teacher Capacity to Improve Student.

(Professor Jeannie Herbert AM, & Felicity Taylor-Edwards)

Two Office of Indigenous Affairs researchers are involved in the CIN-CSU Partnership, which is a school-based

Professional Development program for school executives. The school-based program is presented by CIN

personnel, all of whom have considerable rural remote experience as Executive Principals. On-going evaluation

to test effectiveness of on-going outcomes is undertaken by CSU’s researchers. Designed to operate in rural and

remote schools with inexperienced leadership, high staff turnover, and both lower SES and higher Indigenous

student base, the program being developed and tested will improve student educational outcomes through

targeted professional development that works to fill the gaps commonly seen in these schools. The longer term

goal of the Partnership is to produce a product that may be commercialised and used to improve student

outcomes in rural and remote areas across Australia.

Engaging and partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander parents and community to improve

student outcomes

(Professor Jeannie Herbert AM, Professor Jo-Anne Reid & Maria Bennet)

Three CSU academics are involved with this OLT funded project, as well as researchers from QUT, USQ, JCU,

ECU and Monash. The project aims to better prepare future teachers through the development of a culturally

responsive teacher education curriculum and professional experience (clinical practice) resource package for the

higher education sector and school communities. The package will inform all teacher education providers,

teachers and school leaders across Australia on the best ways to prepare graduate teachers to build productive,

effective school-community partnerships with families, key local Elders and community based Indigenous and

non-Indigenous mentors. This project ultimately will improve the future outcomes for all Aboriginal and Torres


Strait Islander people through a grounded model of addressing social and education inequality at the grass roots:

namely starting with schools and teachers and building effective partnership and relational tools to maximise and

create effective school-university-community links.

Creating and sharing Wiradjuri Elders' stories through collaborative creative practice

(Dr Bernard Sullivan)

Elder led, Culture centred, service orientated ways of working in Indigenous communities. This community

led project is a collaboration between CSU researcher Dr Bernard Sullivan and Senior Wiradjuri Elders, in

conjunction with the Burambabili Gulbali Association. The culture centred methodology places the Elders values

and priorities at the heart of the project and develops this way of working in all levels and processes. The

collaborative creative practice involved in this research has generated interviews with Elders, an exhibition,

Ngiyanggarang, at Wagga City Gallery, a website, and a number of books, the first being A Mother as Loving as

You by Uncle Jimmy Ingram. Five more books by Elders are in various stages of production. This work lays the

foundation for the Giilangga Biladhi - River of Stories project which aims to ensure ongoing capacity

building, development and self-management of Indigenous knowledge in the communities concerned.

Writing 3rd edition of Chapter 3, in the Cambridge publication “Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

Education. An introduction for the teaching profession.” edited by Kaye Price.

Professor Jeannie Herbert AM wrote the chapter in line with the Editors’ requirements for a more textbook that

would enable a more interactive engagement for university students. This included developing applied learning

activities; introducing various perspectives, e.g. Principal/teacher/student; vignettes; review questions; further

reading; as well as specific features for an interactive e-book.

University Research Centres

The four University Research Centres commenced their 5 year accreditation from 1 January 2017. A number of

significant agreements and contracts have been negotiated and signed through the Research Centres over the

past 12 months, together with outstanding engagement events.

National Wine and Grape Industry Centre (NWGIC) signed two five year research agreements:

ARC ITTC For Innovative Wine Production, and

Strategic Research Agreement with Wine Australia

Professor Leigh Schmidtke was appointed as the Director of NWGIC in December 2017. The emphasis on

strategic research agreements that focus on industry orientated outcomes reflect changing attitudes in the

research funding sector that place a greater emphasis on securing future knowledge workers in highly

competitive sectors by providing greater security of employment and career development.

Public and Contextual Theology Research Centre (PACT) was involved in organising and funding several

domestic conferences in this reporting period, including:

Theology and Ethics in the Anthropocene, September 2017 in Canberra

Fourth International Conference on Receptive Ecumenism, November 2017 in Canberra

Things that Make for Peace, March 2018 in Sydney

Tell it Slant: Theology and the Arts, June 2018 in Brisbane

Neo-liberalism, Civil Society and the Church, June 2018 in Sydney

Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (Graham Centre) hosted the 2018 Biennial Conference of the

Australian Society of Animal Production in Wagga in July 2018, which attracted over 350 delegates from

academia (including international) and industry (including around 80 farmers). The Centre will also host the 2018

Australian Grain Science Association Conference in September 2018 in Wagga.

The Graham Centre has been successful in attracting a significant grant - $12.9M ‘Dung beetle ecosystem

engineers - enduring benefits for livestock producers via science and a new community partnership model’, from

MLA Donor Company.


Institute for Land, Water and Society (ILWS) has built on previous international research projects to now have

major research projects, the majority of which are funded by ACIAR, underway in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand,

Myanmar, Cambodia, Pakistan, Bhutan and East Timor. Examples are:

Assessing fisheries mitigation measures at Xayaburi Dam in Lao PDR. (2017-2019, ACIAR, $320,000,

Xayaburi Power Company Limited)

Quantifying improved fisheries productivity at fish rehabilitation sites in Lao PDR extension.(2018-2019,

ACIAR & USAID, $800,000)

Major national research projects managed by ILWS commencing in the past year include:

Fish investigations associated with Snowy 2.0 scheme. Assignment 1 (2017-2020, Snowy Hydro Ltd,

$61,647) and Assignment 2. (2018-2019, Snowy Hydro Ltd, $848,803)

Can Indigenous land management forestall an extinction crisis? (2017-2020) ARC Discovery Early

Career Researcher Award, $372,000. Further support for this project came from the Hermon Slade

Foundation ($85,971) and the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions ($78,000).

The Directors have each provided a brief report and these are provided in Appendix 5, Appendix 6, Appendix 7

and Appendix 8.

Students

Provided here is an overview of HDR matters for the Academic Senate. The report is largely data driven and may

provide a valuable tool for reflection and refinement of many aspects of HDR candidates’ recruitment and

management. Data sources utilised include internal records from the Office of Strategic Planning & Information

and the Research Office, as well as publically available sectoral data accessible through various Department

websites.

9. Unique HDR programs linked to industry & community

2017/8 Review of HDR Programs at CSU

We need to maintain a HDR training program that produces excellent scholars and researchers, as well as

people who contribute in many different ways beyond their immediate discipline expertise. We need to ensure

that our training programs enable graduates to explore diverse and satisfying careers. Our HDR training should

provide new links for CSU into international research environments, generate key research outcomes for CSU,

and make a broader contribution to socioeconomic prosperity.

To this end, in late 2017/early 2018, CSU initiated a full review of its HDR and associated research training

programs. The report has been received and reviewed by the HDR Committee (HDRC) and was noted and by

Research Committee in August 2018. Research Committee endorsed its support of the proposed action plan to

be driven by the PVC Global Engagement and the Director, Research. HDRC will continue to monitor the

implementation of the recommendations and action plans over the coming 6-12 months.

Overall the CSU Review included developing a strong understanding of the current and developing national and

international contexts and analysing sectoral trends in HDR training. Extensive consultation was undertaken with

stakeholders to understand a range of perspectives, expectations, priorities and other drivers. HDR students

were identified as key stakeholders whose input was invaluable in informing the review and resulting proposed

changes to HDR training. While graduate data was accessed via the publicly available national Graduate

Outcomes Survey, there was not an existing mechanism for similarly surveying satisfaction levels against

expectations for our currently enrolled students. Current HDR students were therefore surveyed to identify their

perspectives on how their course and related opportunities are aligning with their expectations and career goals.

The major outcomes of the CSU Review fell into four main areas broadly defined as:

Supporting student success;

Improving the student experience;


Providing equitable and flexible access to HDR training; and

Building partnerships and engagement.

A summary of the recommendations is presented in Appendix 9.

10. CSU cohorts prioritised incl. part-time

HDR Scholarships

Increases in performance-based Commonwealth Research Training Program (RTP) funding and more granular

scholarship budgeting, led to CSU being able to offer the largest number of Higher Degree by Research

scholarships in 2017 than any previous scholarship round.

The 2017 round, for students commencing scholarships in 2018, included a new Indigenous Higher Degree by

Research Scholarship, which was developed in consultation with the Office for Indigenous Affairs, and is designed

to particularly support Indigenous candidates to undertake research training degrees (consistent with the findings

of the recent ACOLA Review of the Research Training System).

It was identified in the 2017/8 Review of HDR Programs at CSU that CSU is currently the only university to

openly advertise RTP-funded fee offset places for part-time students. This scheme commenced in 2017

when the RTP model allowed fee offset places to be uncoupled from stipends, and was offered again for students

commencing in 2018.

2017 Scholarship Round – offers made

ARTP Domestic, Full time 40

ARTP Indigenous 4

ARTP International, Full time 8

ARTP Domestic, Part time, (no stipend) 18

University Research Centre Scholarship - ILWS 2

University Research Centre Scholarship – Graham Centre 2

University Research Centre Scholarship – NWGIC 1

TOTAL 75

2017 Scholarship Round – offers by Faculty

(excluding University Research Centres)

Eligible Applications Successful % Success

rates

CSU Domestic scholarships

All 94 62 66

FA&E 23 18 78

FBJBS 36 22 61

FoS 35 22 63

International Scholarships

All 135 8 6

FA&E 10 1 10

FBJBS 47 2 4

FoS 78 5 6

2017 Scholarship Round - offers by Research Narrative

Theme % of Scholarship in this Theme

Resilient People 35

Flourishing Communities 34

Sustainable Environments 31

http://acola.org.au/wp/saf13-rts-review/


HDR Student Profile

Our Indigenous HDR load has remained steady since 2014 following a modest increase in percentage terms from

2013 to 2014. These numbers are still very low (~2% of the total HDR load) and our current commencement rate

of 1.5% is not significantly different to the sector. A key challenge in the HDR space remains the availability of

Indigenous mentors and peers to form a cohort of potential supervisors for Indigenous HDR students.

Indigenous Student Load (percentage of total load)

11. Sector distinction in supervision

Fields of Education

Fields of Education (FoE) is the categorisation system through which all Universities report both their HDR and

coursework load data. Although it is not as granular as the Field of Research (FoR) classification system it does

allow comparisons of student load across the different areas.

The distribution of the HDR population by FoE shows 29 per cent of HDR load is within the Society and Culture

field (32% previous year), 20% in Agriculture Environmental & Related Studies (23% previous year) and 13% in

Education. Compared to 2016, the latest 2017 data shows an increase in the Natural and Physical sciences (0%

in 2016 compared to 5% in 2017). The remainder of HDR load largely sits within the Health and Information

Technology areas. These HDR load patterns are evenly spread over the three research spheres compromising

the CSU Research Narrative; Resilient People, Flourishing Communities, Sustainable Environments.

0.00%

0.50%

1.00%

1.50%

2.00%

2.50%

3.00%

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

EFTSL


However, an overlay of the HDR load data onto the total student load data for CSU (including coursework and

research students) shows a marked disparity (see below). This highlights a potential issue concerning research

supervision capacity and our ability to significantly increase our HDR load in the future.

The majority of academic staff at CSU are employed in the areas of coursework student load. Although many of

these academics have a Teaching and Research workload function those who are not research active cannot be

primary supervisors for HDR students. To expand HDR load in these areas could therefore place an additional

burden on senior research active academics in those areas which is not tenable. Conversely in the areas of

research strength, coursework student load may not be sufficient to recruit new Teaching and Research

academics to boost supervisory capacity. These areas thus need to rely on increasing research funding income

to recruit research staff to supervise students. In an increasingly competitive funding environment such funding

sources cannot be considered reliable and CSU strategic research funds are limited.

To achieve sector distinction in supervision, we need to review the past and current approaches. This was

considered as part of the recent HDR review and as noted in Appendix 9 has been identified as a priority area:

The quality and consistency of HDR supervision, and the overall research culture surrounding HDR training

should be improved.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Natural and PhysicalSciences

Information Technology

Engineering and RelatedTechnologies

Architecture and Building

Agriculture Environmentaland Related Studies

Health

Education

Management and Commerce

Society and Culture

Creative Arts

% HDR load (2017)


12. Internationalisation of student cohort

HDR Student Load

HDR student load continues to decrease (both with respect to headcount and EFTSL). This is largely driven by

completions from the 2011/2012 intake and a significant drop in commencements (33% decrease) in 2017.

0%

10%

20%

30%Natural and Physical Sciences

Information Technology

Engineering and RelatedTechnologies

Architecture and Building

Agriculture Environmental andRelated Studies

Health

Education

Management and Commerce

Society and Culture

Creative Arts

% HDR load

% Student load

160 120 123 126 98

747680 620 571

524

479.750

442.750399.250

362.125

322.250

2 0 1 3 2 0 1 4 2 0 1 5 2 0 1 6 2 0 1 7

HDR LOAD DATA

Commencements Headcount EFTSL


HDR Completions

In 2017 we saw a drop in the number of completions from the previous year; 108 in 2016 to 92 in 2017. This may

be an ongoing pattern in the coming years as commencements have been declining since 2014. We will continue

working with students and supervisors to enable students to complete their HDR studies in a timely manner and

with the highest quality theses. Comparison with the sector places our completion numbers up 1 place compared

to last year at 28th of 44 (Department of Education and Training, UCube Statistical Database).

There was significant drop in the number of international students completing their HDR studies both in

comparison to previous years and in comparison with domestic students. Without targeted intervention, this drop

is likely to continue given that the overseas student headcount in HDR programs has been declining since 2013

(193 (2013), 169 (2014), 146 (2015), 104 (2016) and 92 (2017)).

It is important to note that the change in Government policy in restricting international scholarships to 10% of RTP

funding will further impact the completions numbers going forward unless CSU makes a specific decision to use

CSU funds to support more international students. The effect of the change in RTP funding is not likely to be seen

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Doctorate by Research

Masters by Research

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

AUSTRALIA

OVERSEAS


for 3 years yet but CSU intervention needs to commence as soon as possible and the action plan from the recent

HDR review includes a recommendation to pursue joint and dual HDR programs.

It is important for us to examine the time HDR students take to complete their studies also. As shown below,

typically a student who is enrolled full-time throughout their candidature would be expected to complete at 36

months; for part-time this is typically 72 months. This data does not take into account students who switch from

full-time to part-time and this is reflected in some of the larger numbers in the data below. This an area we will

continue to focus on. The reporting schedule for CSU (6-monthly) provides us with an opportunity to identify

progression issues earlier and apply remedial interventions to increase the chances of students completing.

When we look at the data broken down by full-time compared to part-time study (at completion) full time students

consistently submit well after the expected 36 months. The completion times for part-time students vary over the

reporting period and it is worthy of note that in 2013 and 2017 completions were very close to the expected 72

months.

Average of Months To Complete

Part Time Study Full Time Study

Female Male Female Male

2013 70 73 53 53

2014 91 78 73 63

2015 89 104 69 60

2016 86 67 59 54

2017 77 73 63 59

Total 84 81 65 58

Figure Indigenous Student Load (Percentage of total load)

0

50

100

150

200

250

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Minimum and Maximum Time to Complete (Months) by Completion Year

Min of Months To Complete Max of Months To Complete Average of Months To Complete


In the previous five years CSU’s overall HDR gender balance has been very similar to the sector maintaining a

near 50/50 balance in 2017; total headcount for CSU is 186 male and 188 female. There are significant differences

between disciplines (based on FoR) in Information Technology there is a 70/30 Male/Female ratio while the Health

and education disciplines the ration is closer to 33/67 Male/Female.

Environment

13. Sustainable first class infrastructure

GRDC-funded infrastructure

In June 2017, CSU was successful in obtaining funding of $2.743M from the Grains Research Development

Corporation (GRDC) for infrastructure comprising a glasshouse facility and growth chambers at Wagga Wagga

CSU campus. The infrastructure will allow researchers to explore detailed studies of crop and weed growth and

developmental processes and responses. It will also serve as a node that supports farming systems, resulting in

improved practices and adoption of national research outcomes.

Construction of the facilities was completed in early July 2018 with some final work on paths and landscaping still

being undertaken. Discussions are taking place with GRDC for an opening event in the near future.

Research Infrastructure Support Scheme (RISS)

The RISS is funded through the Research Support Program (RSP) which is a Commonwealth Research Block

Grant. The RSP provides funds to eligible higher education institutions to support the systematic cost of research

not supported directly through competitive and other grants.

The objectives of RSP are to:

provide a flexible funding stream to support the systematic costs of research by Australian HEP’s,

including the costs of Australian competitive grant research

support the delivery of world class research

support the collaboration between HEPS and industry and other research end-users.

A call for applications was made in June 2018. From 19 applications received, funding was awarded to 7

applications to a total value of $669,413.

All funded equipment and projects supported through RISS will be required to provide records of achievements,

outcomes and usage records where appropriate. All funding must be used within the 2018 calendar year and

funding cannot be carried forward into 2019.


Faculty/Centre Title Awarded

RISS funding Faculty/Centre Leverage

Science A high dynamic range multiplex imager for sector-standard quality Western blot signal quantification

$49,598.00 $16,000

Science Equipment supporting high quality research in the life sciences and the CSU research narrative

$133,000.00 $25,000

Science The Community Health Research Acceleration Program

$40,340.00 Faculty will provide

ongoing support from 2019 Compacts

Graham Centre Meat Science Lab $131,649.00 $30,000

Graham Centre

QualySense Qsorter for analyis of grain composition diversity

$175,214.00

Centre and Faculty leverage will provide ongoing support for

service contract beyond 2018

Business Justice & Behavioural Sciences

Building Up a Smart Environment for Better Living

$49,612.00 -

Arts & Education Creative Innovation/Collaboration Hub:

Innovate Everywhere $90,000.00

Faculty will support 50% of cost from 2018

Compacts

Research Committee Working Groups

During 2017/8, the Research Committee formed two Working groups to progress thinking around research

levies and research infrastructure. At the June meeting of Research Committee, the RISS call as detailed

above was endorsed with an extended interpretation of the term ‘infrastructure’. As a result of Research

Committee discussions the term now includes non-physical research support including personnel, technical

support and collaboration activities.

The research levies working group presented a series of recommendations to the Research Committee at the

August meeting with regard to the implementation of either a simple levy, or a comprehensive pricing tool. The

Working Group is also working with the finance team to complete financial modelling of the various levy options

and will present the findings and final recommendations to the October meeting.

14. Revised funding models

2018 Research funding

In 2018, as in 2017, the distribution of funds across the university were tailored to distinguish between University

Research Centre operating budgets and investment plans, and between Faculty and Institutional Compacts.

The programs which are supported within each Faculty and University Research Centre are not detailed in this

report. It should be noted however that significant effort has been made to minimise duplication of programs

where possible. The University Strategy budget does not currently contain additional research funding and so

efforts have also been made to ensure the investment of the funds above aligns closely with the 5 Year Research

Strategy intentions.


Purpose $

University Research Centres Investment Plans $1.2M

University Research Centres Operational Budgets based on 2014-2016 performance

(60 income:40 publications) $3.5M

Faculty Compacts based on 2014-2016 performance (50 income:50 publications) $5.9M

Institutional Commitments from Compacts:

Faculty Liaison $0.7M

HDR Programs – international students (outside RTP eligibility) $0.6M

Innovation Support $0.2M

CRC x3 $0.5M

Research Fellowships and Senior Research Fellowships (over 2 years commencing

August 2018) $4.2M

Research Block Grants:

Research Training Program $6.3M

Research Support Program $3.5M

Additional DVC RDI contingency funding $0.5M

HERDC Income

The audited results of our research income for the year ending 31 December 2017 was received in June 2018.

A summary of the results, with comparison to the previous two years is presented below:

2015 2016 2017 % Movement

Category 1 6,238,117 4,544,606 6,279,168

Category 2 3,350,378 3,383,418 4,361,239

Category 3 4,277,080 3,843,770 2,559,200

Category 4 0 11,656 34,349

Total (including HDR fees)

13,865,575 11,783,450

Total (excluding HDR fees)

12,030,294 9,684,097 13,233,955 37%

This is a great result – noting 37% overall increase in research income for the year. It should be

noted these results do not as yet reflect CRC funding coming into the university as the CRCs were not fully active

in 2017. Our strategic funding of research, through our university research centres, leveraging major grant

applications, and supporting faculties through research compacts has contributed to this outcome.

15. New KPIs and shared performance metrics

Strategy KPIs

As illustrated within this report, the measures of success in research and innovation are changing. In the past

CSU has focused on measuring research in terms of income and publications, but this is no longer sufficient.


Apart from the new Engagement and Impact assessment undertaken by the ARC, for CSU it is more critical than

ever that we can improve how we articulate our successes and how we measure them. In 2017/8 the introduction

of the research impact stories was a strong first step. Over the coming months the impact case studies which

were submitted as part of EI, and case studies which were drafted as part of the same exercise, will begin to

appear as new research impact stories. The EI exercise has also highlighted how we need to better capture data

and over long extended periods.

As noted in the recent call for Consultation on Principles of Research Performance (see below), CRO does not

currently contain discrete measures of impact or engagement, and sector-wide this is still being operationalised

following the ARC EI 2018 assessment. Discrete measures of impact and engagement will be used in the

evaluation of research performance as soon as development of the measures is finalised within CSU over the

next 6 months.

The future measurement of research and innovation success will be closely linked and will act as lead indicators

into the University Performance Measures 2022 which are currently being finalised. Under Our Communities

these are articulated as:

Stakeholder perceptions – community and partner sentiment assessment Increase reputation,

engagement, partner of choice

Contribution to economic and social impact Increase in gross regional product and social impact

measures to be confirmed

Scale and diversity of partner co-investment (philanthropic, research, innovation) Increase income and

partner activity

Fields of research at world standard or above in Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) and

Engagement and Impact (E&I) assessments Increase number of fields performing at world standard or

above by 2021 at the 2- and 4-digit levels and build from a solid baseline for Engagement and Impact

ratings

Increased return on assets Increase in income / reduction in asset liability from land and buildings

Consultation on Principles of Research Performance

The Research Committee has been reviewing the current definition of Research Active which was introduced in

2014 for the purposes of HDR supervision and on 28 August 2018 commenced a consultation process to seek

input from across the university community to inform and progress development of a revised definition.

The Research Committee is seeking to develop a definition that:

is fair and well understood;

acknowledges what contributes to successful research outcomes;

encourages and recognises research productivity; and

will lead to stronger outcomes under the Research Narrative.

A set of Principles has been drafted to capture these aims in a way that will facilitate an open consultation

process. The Principles are being proposed as the key factors to be used to inform the development of a revised

definition. Input is invited from individuals and/or groups (Schools, Faculty Research Committees, Research

Centre management teams, unions, Professors’ Forum, Head of School Forum etc.) in relation to the Principles

outlined. Further information is provided in Appendix 10. Responses will be consolidated for consideration at the

October meeting of Research Committee.

Research Office Review

Earlier in 2018, an external consultant was contracted to review the functions and resourcing of the Research

Office to support a strategic approach to research, and ‘future proof’ for growth in research capacity at CSU.

Through the review, we sought to build on the existing breadth of expertise in the Research Office, and identify

any resource pressures and gaps in services.

https://research.csu.edu.au/engage-with-us/research-impact

https://www.csu.edu.au/division/strategic-planning/university-strategy/resources/university-measures/University-Strategy-2022-University-Performance-Measures.PDF


There have been many changes in research and HDR training in recent years, both internal and external to CSU.

Many of these have been highlighted in Reports to Academic Senate, but a few examples are

Introduction of the CSU Research Narrative

Emerging government agenda in commercialisation and innovation

National reviews and recommendations regarding HDR training and engagement of industry

Reporting of research impact

Changes in Research Block Grant funding

The Research Office has not undergone a review since 2011, and it was appropriate to assess if there are any

barriers to meeting the strategic goals, and articulate the optimal lines of accountability and functional

responsibility.

There was excellent engagement in the review process, with a large number of written submissions and

interviews. Currently, the research leadership team (DVC, PVC and Director) are considering the

recommendations and will be developing and actioning an implementation plan before the end of 2018.

16. Greater internationalisation through partnerships

In consort with portfolio changes following the retirement of the DVC Administration in mid-2017, and the creation

of the DVC Students portfolio, the role of the Pro Vice-Chancellor, International Education and Partnerships was

redefined to have oversight of research, and to bridge the research and international partnership gap. Professor

Heather Cavanagh commenced in the new role of Pro Vice-Chancellor, Global Engagement (Research and

Partnerships) in September 2017.

CSU’s international research profile grew during the 2017-2018 reporting period, with 15 agreements or

Memorandums of Understanding being forged. Collaboration spanned a number of disciplines in Asia, the

Americas and the Pacific. Projects ranged from institutional knowledge linkages through to joint research

initiatives being undertaken in international partner facilities.

Going forward, the Research Office, University Research Centres and the Office of Global Engagement and

Partnerships will align activities around the 5 year Research Strategy. This will include strengthened

communication and business processes to ensure CSU is leveraging and maximising off international research

and education opportunities wherever possible.

New international research linkages 2017/2018:

Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, Argentina

Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (ESPOCH), Ecuador, Natural Resource Research Facility

Xayaburi Power Company Limited, Laos

Liaocheng People's Hospital, Liaocheng School of Clinical Medicine University China

International Medical University, Malaysia

Justice Institute of British Columbia, Canada

Technological University of Northern Aguascalientes, Mexico

Nihon Fukushi University, Japan

Tokyo Ariake University of Medical and Health Science, Japan

Hiroshima University, Japan

Hume Graduate School of London, United Kingdom

Southwest University, China


Federal University of Sao Joa Del Rei, Brazil

Hong Kong Police College, Hong Kong

Fiji National University, Fiji

The agreement with Xayaburi Power Company Limited in Laos (XPCL) particularly illustrates the international

impact of CSU research activity. XPCL is a Laos company focussed on developing the Xayaburi Hydro Power

Plant Project. The Xayaburi Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Lower Mekong River approximately 30 kilometres

(19 mi) east of Xayaburi (Sainyabuli) town in northern Laos. CSU’s research team, led by Dr Lee Baumgartner

from the Institute for Land Water and Society, negotiated an agreement with XPCL, established to initiate an

exclusive research collaboration where CSU is granted access to a hydropower plant site to conduct World-class

research.


Appendix 1: Summary of Research Office

Professional Development sessions in 2017

Program/Offering Target group Number of sessions

My Research Career Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 6

Supervisor Series Upcoming and current Supervisors 6

HDR Induction HDRs & Supervisors 5

Academic Literacy Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 53

Research Office Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 7

Library Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 46

SPAN Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 2

Ethics Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 2

Nvivo and qualitative research Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 8

Media Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 2

Intersect Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 2

Sub-Dean HDRs & Supervisors 3

Special events – invited guests Researchers, HDRs & Support Staff 7

TOTAL 149


Appendix 2: Articles Published in The

Conversation: 12 months to 20 August 2018

Title Authors Date

Substance abuse treatment relies on good brain function,

which many users don't have

Julaine Allan 14/08/2018

Ten reasons teachers can struggle to use technology in

the classroom

Brendon Hyndman 13/08/2018

Expunging the criminal records of kids in care does not

absolve the state's injustices against them

Katherine McFarlane 31/07/2018

Move it, move it: how physical activity at school helps the

mind (as well as the body)

Brendon Hyndman 22/07/2018

Racism, citizenship and schooling: why we still have

some way to go

Dominic O'Sullivan 5/07/2018

If you can only do one thing for your children, it should be

shared reading

Cen Wang 1/07/2018

Erdogan's victory will have far-reaching implications for

Turkey and the Middle East

Mehmet Ozalp 26/06/2018

Victoria's treaty with Indigenous peoples must address

vexed questions of sovereignty


Feeding frenzy: public accuse the media of deliberately

fuelling shark fear

Michael Mehmet, Peter Simmons 22/06/2018

Why I joined #500queerscientists Adam Frew 21/06/2018

Australia relies on volunteers to monitor its endangered

species

David M Watson 10/06/2018

The female tradie shortage: why real change requires a

major cultural shift

Larissa Bamberry, Branka Krivokapic-

Skoko, Donna Bridges, Stacey Jenkins,

Elizabeth Wulff

31/05/2018

University funding debates should be broadened to reflect

their democratic purpose


It will take decades, but the Murray Darling Basin Plan is

delivering environmental improvements

Skye Wassens, Robyn J Watts 30/04/2018

Eight things that should be included in screen guidelines

for students

Noella Mackenzie, Brendon Hyndman 23/04/2018

Media reporting on women in the military is preserving a

male dominated culture

Donna Bridges 23/04/2018

Further strikes on Syria unlikely - but Trump is always the

wild card


Why teachers are turning to Twitter Brendon Hyndman 11/04/2018

Why do we keep turning a blind eye to Chinese political

interference?

Clive Hamilton 4/04/2018


I've always wondered: can two chickens hatch out of a

double-yolk egg?

Maggie J. Watson 29/03/2018

Australia's draft 'Strategy for nature' doesn't cut it. Here

are nine ways to fix it

Dale Nimmo 15/03/2018

Child protection report lacks crucial national detail on

abuse in out-of-home care

Katherine McFarlane 8/03/2018

The Syrian 'hell on earth' is a tangle of power plays

unlikely to end soon


Australia could look to New Zealand to increase the

number of Indigenous academics and students


Stakes are high as Turkey, Russia and the US tussle

over the future of Syria


Conscience vote on euthanasia bill exposes democratic

weakness of New Zealand's voting system


More children are starting school depressed and anxious

- without help, it will only get worse

Cen Wang 29/01/2018

Nine things you should know about a potential Australian

republic

Bede Harris 22/01/2018

Indigenous recognition in our Constitution matters - and

will need greater political will to achieve


Romper Stomper reboot is a compelling investigation into

Australia's extremist politics

Troy Whitford 28/12/2017

Speaking with: social researcher and author Hugh

Mackay on 2017, 'a really disturbing year'

Hugh Mackay 22/12/2017

I've got varicose veins. What can I do about them? Caroline Robinson 6/12/2017

Nigeria set to pass a law against mob lynching. Will it

make a difference?

Piero Moraro, Leighann Spencer 5/12/2017

Pegawai LGBTI menghadapi tantangan lebih dalam

penugasan internasional

Jane Maley 4/12/2017

World-first continental acoustic observatory will listen to

the sounds of Australia

David M Watson 29/11/2017

For LGBTI employees, working overseas can be a lonely,

frustrating and even dangerous experience

Jane Maley 22/11/2017

Vigilantism is flourishing in Nigeria â€“ with official

support

Leighann Spencer, Piero Moraro 9/11/2017

Business Briefing: questioning the economics of prison Katherine McFarlane 30/10/2017

Hanging out with the boys: how bromance often steals

the spotlight in The Bachelorette

Suzie Gibson 25/10/2017

Let's be honest, there's more wrong with the NDIS than

just 'teething problems'

Damian Palmer 24/10/2017

I've always wondered: why don't chickens look down

when they scratch?

Maggie J. Watson 21/10/2017

Why the Indigenous in New Zealand have fared better

than those in Canada



Australia's species need an independent champion Geoffrey Heard, Dale Nimmo 11/10/2017

Weekly Dose: from laughing parties to whipped cream,

nitrous oxide's on the rise as a recreational drug

Julaine Allan 9/10/2017

Kenya’s history of political violence: colonialism,

vigilantes and militias

Leighann Spencer 28/09/2017

What New Zealand's vote means for Maori -- and

potentially First Nations in Canada


Review of historic stock routes may put rare stretches of

native plants and animals at risk

Thea O'Loughlin 21/09/2017

Explainer: what is antifa, and where did it come from? Troy Whitford 30/08/2017

I have always wondered: when do baby birds begin to

breathe?

James Van Dyke, Maggie J. Watson 27/08/2017

Australia's car industry needs cybersecurity rules to deal

with the hacking threat

Tanveer Zia 21/08/2017


Appendix 3: ERA Data Analysis

Standardised indicators

1 Income per FTE

Comparison of ERA 2015 and ERA 2018 income per FTE (truncated to top 50)

$- $100,000 $200,000 $300,000 $400,000 $500,000

1608 Sociology

11 Medical and Health Sciences

1303 Specialist Studies in Education

1701 Psychology

1699 Other studies in Human Society

1503 Business and Management

0799 Other Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences

0807 Library and Information Studies

08 Information and Computing Sciences

1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy

0802 Computation Theory and Mathematics

13 Education

0707 Veterinary Sciences

1109 Neurosciences

01 Mathematical Sciences

16 Studies in Human Society

1607 Social Work

2202 History and Philosophy of Specific Fields

1117 Public Health and Health Services

22 Philosophy and Religious Studies

0801 Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing

03 Chemical Sciences

18 Law and Legal Studies

14 Economics

06 Biological Sciences

0606 Physiology

2201 Applied Ethics

0602 Ecology

1402 Applied Economics

0399 Other Chemical Sciences

1301 Education Systems

1801 Law

0301 Analytical Chemistry

1605 Policy and Administration

1602 Criminology

1111 Nutrition and Dietetics

0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology

2204 Religion and Religious Studies

0104 Statistics

07 Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences

0502 Environmental Science and Management

05 Environmental Sciences

09 Engineering

1603 Demography

0501 Ecological Applications

0701 Agriculture, Land and Farm Management

0702 Animal Production

0706 Horticultural Production

0607 Plant Biology

0703 Crop and Pasture Production

0908 Food Sciences

ERA 2018 Top 50 Income per FTE

2018

2015


2 LVT per FTE

Comparison of ERA 2015 and ERA 2018 LVT per FTE (truncated to top 50)

0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 120.0 140.0 160.0 180.0 200.0


1901 Art Theory and Criticism

0607 Plant Biology



09 Engineering

2002 Cultural Studies

0806 Information Systems


1103 Clinical Sciences

1505 Marketing

1904 Performing Arts and Creative Writing


1101 Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics

2102 Curatorial and Related Studies




2203 Philosophy

1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

0803 Computer Software

2103 Historical Studies

1801 Law

1102 Cardiovascular Medicine and Haematology

21 History and Archaeology

0608 Zoology

0908 Food Sciences

1905 Visual Arts and Crafts

0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences

1001 Agricultural Biotechnology

02 Physical Sciences


14 Economics





12 Built Environment and Design

1007 Nanotechnology

2201 Applied Ethics

0102 Applied Mathematics

1108 Medical Microbiology

0602 Ecology

1606 Political Science


1203 Design Practice and Management


1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine

1506 Tourism

0805 Distributed Computing


ERA 2018 Top 50 LVT per FTE

2018

2015


3 Outputs per FTE

Comparison of ERA 2015 and ERA 2018 outputs per FTE (truncated to top 50)

0.0 20.0 40.0 60.0 80.0 100.0 120.0 140.0

1801 Law

0399 Other Chemical Sciences



1505 Marketing




0604 Genetics

2102 Curatorial and Related Studies

0701 Agriculture, Land and Farm Management


0905 Civil Engineering

0702 Animal Production

0803 Computer Software

09 Engineering

1103 Clinical Sciences


1115 Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences

0607 Plant Biology

1101 Medical Biochemistry and Metabolomics




14 Economics

0908 Food Sciences


2201 Applied Ethics

0608 Zoology



1102 Cardiovascular Medicine and Haematology





1007 Nanotechnology



0599 Other Environmental Sciences





0602 Ecology




1506 Tourism



ERA 2018 Top 50 Outputs per FTE

2018

2015


History of Low Volume Thresholds (2- and 4-digit)

The history of low volume threshold for assessment at 2- and 4-digit levels are presented graphically

in subsequent sections. In each of the following charts, LVT is represented by the red dashed line.

When interpreting each chart, ensure that the changing scale is considered as LVT varies

considerably among FoRs.

The FoR specific information are divided into two sections;

A. Disciplines that will be assessed for ERA 2018 (i.e. where LVT > 50); and

B. Disciplines that won’t be assessed for ERA 2018 (i.e. where LVT < 50).

Section A: FoRs to be assessed for ERA 2018


History of Low Volume Threshold

Comments:

ERA 2018 will be the first time 02 Physical Sciences will be assessed for ERA. Growth in this FoR has

been achieved with no research income. Physics has grown from well below LVT in 2012 and 2015,

to be above LVT in ERA 2018. The growth in this FoR can largely be attributed to CSUs association

with the LIGO project in the 0201 Astronomical and Space Sciences FoR. In ERA 2018, 97.3% of LVT in

this discipline was above threshold.

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018



0202 Atomic, Molecular, Nuclear,Particle and Plasma Physics0203 Classical Physics

0204 Condensed Matter Physics

0205 Optical Physics

0206 Quantum Physics

0299 Other Physical Sciences




Comments:

The LVT in 05 Environmental Sciences has grown by approximately 100 from ERA 2015 to ERA 2018.

Much of this growth can be attributed to 0502, where new researchers to CSU contributed

approximately half of the increased LVT, which wasn’t included for ERA 2015. In ERA 2018, 89.7% of

LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

300.0

350.0

400.0

450.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018



0502 Environmental Science andManagement0503 Soil Sciences

0599 Other Environmental Sciences

LVT




Comments:

There has been growth in volume (30%) and research income (172%) from ERA 2015 to ERA 2018 in

FoR 06. 06 Biological Sciences was submitted for ERA 2018 driven mostly by the underlying 4-digit

code 0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology (LVT = 62.3). In ERA 2018, 35.1% of LVT in this discipline

was above threshold.

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

300.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


0601 Biochemistry and Cell Biology

0602 Ecology

0603 Evolutionary Biology

0604 Genetics

0605 Microbiology

0606 Physiology

0607 Plant Biology

0608 Zoology

0699 Other Biological Sciences

LVT




Comments:

The growth in FoR 07 from ERA 2015 is a combination of increased outputs in three of the four child

codes that are currently above LVT, namely 0703 Crop and Pasture production, 0707 Veterinary

Sciences and 0706 Horticultural production. The fourth FoR above LVT (0702 Animal production) was

relatively consistent with the LVT submitted for ERA 2015 for this discipline. In ERA 2018, 95.7% of

LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

600.0

700.0

800.0

900.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


0701 Agriculture, Land and FarmManagement0702 Animal Production


0704 Fisheries Sciences

0705 Forestry Sciences


0707 Veterinary Sciences

0799 Other Agricultural and VeterinarySciencesLVT




Comments: FoR 08 has achieved substantial growth from previous ERA iterations. LVT is > 50 in five 4-digit

codes; 0801 Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing, 0803 Computer Software, 0805 Distributed

Computing, 0806 Information Systems, and 0807 Library and Information Studies. Of these, 0803,

0805 and 0806 have not previously been submitted for ERA. There has also been substantial growth

in FoR 0801 from an LVT of 194.4 in ERA 2015 to 442.7 in ERA 2018. 0807 has remained relatively

consistent with previous ERA iterations. The growth can be partly attributed to increased staff

numbers and productivity. In ERA 2018, 98.7% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

600.0

700.0

800.0

900.0

1000.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


0801 Artificial Intelligence and ImageProcessing0802 Computation Theory andMathematics0803 Computer Software

0804 Data Format


0806 Information Systems


0899 Other Information and ComputingSciences


09 Engineering


Comments:

The growth in FoR 09 is almost entirely a result of increased activity in 0908 Food Science. In ERA

2018, 88.7% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold. 0908 has grown in LVT by 91% from ERA

2015 to ERA 2018 that was associated with a 280% increase in research income over this period.

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

160.0

180.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

09 Engineering

0901 Aerospace Engineering

0902 Automotive Engineering

0903 Biomedical Engineering

0904 Chemical Engineering

0905 Civil Engineering

0906 Electrical and ElectronicEngineering0907 Environmental Engineering

0908 Food Sciences

0909 Geomatic Engineering

0910 Manufacturing Engineering

0911 Maritime Engineering

0912 Materials Engineering

0913 Mechanical Engineering

0914 Resources Engineering andExtractive Metallurgy0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering

0999 Other Engineering




Comments:

The LVT in FoR 11 Health Sciences has increased from 690.2 in ERA 2015 to 862.4 in ERA 2018. This

increase is driven by greater LVT in 1103 Nursing (59% increase from ERA 2015) and 1117 Public

Health (46% increase from ERA 2015), along with some minor increases to other 4-digit child codes.

We are also currently above LVT in 1102 Cardiovascular Medicine and Haematology and 1115

Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, which were not submitted in previous ERA iterations. In

ERA 2018, 84.2% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

600.0

700.0

800.0

900.0

1000.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


1101 Medical Biochemistry andMetabolomics1102 Cardiovascular Medicine andHaematology1103 Clinical Sciences

1104 Complementary and AlternativeMedicine1105 Dentistry

1106 Human Movement and Sports Science

1107 Immunology


1109 Neurosciences

1110 Nursing

1111 Nutrition and Dietetics

1112 Oncology and Carcinogenesis

1113 Ophthalmology and Optometry


1115 Pharmacology and PharmaceuticalSciences1116 Medical Physiology


1199 Other Medical and Health Sciences

LVT


13 Education


Comments:

FoR 13 Education had a modest 8% increase in LVT compared to ERA 2015, despite a 10% decrease

in staff (i.e. employed, casual and adjuncts) creating outputs coded to this discipline. FoR’s 1301

Educations Systems and 1302 Curriculum and Pedagogy, increased in LVT by 36% and 16%

respectively from ERA 2015 to ERA 2018. However, 1303 Specialist Studies in Education reduced LVT

by 24%, and had a 30% reduction in the number of employed staff creating outputs in this FoR from

ERA 2015 to ERA 2018. In ERA 2018, 99.7% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

200.0

400.0

600.0

800.0

1000.0

1200.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

13 Education



1303 Specialist Studies in Education

1399 Other Education

LVT


14 Economics


Comments:

There has been a 28% drop in LVT in FoR 14 Economics from ERA 2015 to ERA 2018. The reduction in

number of outputs was mainly caused by staff departures who were strong contributors in this

discipline. The drop in LVT may also be a result of outputs coded to related disciplines such as 1503

and 1505. In ERA 2018, 100% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

14 Economics

1401 Economic Theory


1403 Econometrics

1499 Other Economics

LVT


15 Commerce, Management, Tourism and Services


Comments:

The LVT in FoR 15 has remained relatively constant among ERA 2012, 2015 and 2018. The disciplines

of 1503 Business and Management and 1505 Marketing are above LVT and will be submitted in ERA

2018. In ERA 2018, 87.7% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

300.0

350.0

400.0

450.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

15 Commerce, Management, Tourism andServices1501 Accounting, Auditing andAccountability1502 Banking, Finance and Investment


1504 Commercial Services

1505 Marketing

1506 Tourism

1507 Transportation and Freight Services

1599 Other Commerce, Management,Tourism and ServicesLVT




Comments:

The 4-digit child codes in FoR 16 that were assessed in ERA 2015 (i.e. 1602 Criminology, 1606

Political Science, 1607 Social Work, 1608 Sociology) are all above the ERA 2018 LVT. Additionally,

1602, 1606 and 1607 have observed growth from ERA 2015 to ERA 2018 (20-39%) that has

contributed to the overall expansion of this FoR at the 2-digit level (19%). In ERA 2018, 100% of LVT

in this discipline was above threshold.

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

300.0

350.0

400.0

450.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


1601 Anthropology

1602 Criminology

1603 Demography

1604 Human Geography

1605 Policy and Administration


1607 Social Work

1608 Sociology

1699 Other studies in Human Society

LVT


17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences


Comments:

The LVT in 1701 Psychology has grown by 29% from ERA 2015 (LVT 94.3) to ERA 2018 (LVT 119.7),

which can be attributed to an increased number of staff creating outputs coded to this FoR. In turn

this has resulted in more outputs in the current assessment. In ERA 2018, 98.0% of LVT in this

discipline was above threshold.

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences

1701 Psychology

1702 Cognitive Science

1799 Other Psychology and CognitiveScience

LVT




Comments:

Law and Legal Studies has grown from well below LVT in ERA 2012 and ERA 2015, to be comfortably

above LVT in ERA 2018. The growth in this FoR can largely be attributed to increased productivity of

researchers in this discipline and an increase in the number of staff coding outputs to this FoR. In

ERA 2018, 100% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


1801 Law

1802 Maori Law

1899 Other Law and LegalStudies

LVT


19 Studies in Creative Arts and Writing


Comments:

The LVT in this FoR have remained relatively stable from previous ERA iterations. In ERA 2018, 75.6%

of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

50.0

100.0

150.0

200.0

250.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

19 Studies in Creative Arts and Writing

1901 Art Theory and Criticism

1902 Film, Television and Digital Media

1903 Journalism and Professional Writing



1999 Other Studies in Creative Arts andWritingLVT


20 Language, Communication and Culture


Comments:

The LVT in this FoR has remained relatively stable from ERA 2015. In ERA 2018, 49.6% of LVT in this

discipline was above threshold.

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

160.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

20 Language, Communicationand Culture

2001 Communication and MediaStudies

2002 Cultural Studies

2003 Language Studies

2004 Linguistics

2005 Literary Studies

2099 Other Language, Literatureand Culture

LVT




Comments:

The LVT’s in FoR 21 have remained relatively stable since ERA 2012 and ERA 2015. In ERA 2018,

86.6% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0

50.0

60.0

70.0

80.0

90.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


2101 Archaeology

2102 Curatorial and RelatedStudies2103 Historical Studies

2199 Other History andArchaeologyLVT




Comments:

Though the overall LVT in FoR 22 has remained relatively constant from ERA 2015, there has been a

31% reduction in LVT from ERA 2015 to ERA 2018 in 2201 Applied Ethics. In this same period, 2204

Religion and Religious Studies had a 9% increase in LVT, whereas 2203 Philosophy remained

relatively constant. The drop in LVT for 2201 may be associated with a reduction in staff creating

outputs coded to this FoR. In ERA 2018, 100% of LVT in this discipline was above threshold.

100.0

200.0

300.0

400.0

500.0

600.0

700.0

800.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


2201 Applied Ethics

2202 History and Philosophy ofSpecific Fields2203 Philosophy


2299 Other Philosophy and ReligiousStudiesLVT


Section B: FoRs not assessed for ERA 2018



Comments:

All volume in this FoR is below LVT. The LVT in ERA 2018 is approximately half that of ERA 2015, but

is comparable to that submitted in ERA 2012.

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

50.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


0101 Pure Mathematics


0103 Numerical and ComputationalMathematics

0104 Statistics

0105 Mathematical Physics

0199 Other Mathematical Sciences

LVT




Comments:

Chemistry was submitted in ERA 2012, and was below LVT in 2015 and 2018. The remaining outputs

in FoR 03 are true Chemistry and contain no content in associated disciplines.

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


0301 Analytical Chemistry

0302 Inorganic Chemistry

0303 Macromolecular and MaterialsChemistry0304 Medicinal and Biomolecular Chemistry

0305 Organic Chemistry

0306 Physical Chemistry (incl. Structural)

0307 Theoretical and ComputationalChemistry0399 Other Chemical Sciences

LVT


04 Earth Sciences


Comments:

Few outputs are coded to this discipline in any ERA iteration.

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

50.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

04 Earth Sciences

0401 Atmospheric Sciences

0402 Geochemistry

0403 Geology

0404 Geophysics

0405 Oceanography

0406 Physical Geography andEnvironmental Geoscience0499 Other Earth Sciences

LVT


10 Technology


Comments:

Little activity in this discipline.

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

50.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018

10 Technology


1002 Environmental Biotechnology

1003 Industrial Biotechnology

1004 Medical Biotechnology

1005 Communications Technologies

1006 Computer Hardware

1007 Nanotechnology

1099 Other Technology

LVT




Comments:

Little activity in this discipline.

5.0

10.0

15.0

20.0

25.0

30.0

35.0

40.0

45.0

50.0

ERA 2012 ERA 2015 ERA 2018


1201 Architecture

1202 Building


1204 Engineering Design

1205 Urban and Regional Planning

1299 Other Built Environment and Design

LVT


Appendix 4: EI 2018 Impact case studies

FoR FoR name Case study Author(s)

05 Environmental Sciences Environmental flows research provides beneficial outcomes

for the environment, water managers and the community

Robyn Watts, Skye Wassens

Effective, evidence based management of Australia’s water resources has multiple long-term social, economic, cultural and environmental benefits. Water managers must balance

the water demands of industry and communities against an obligation to maintain the environmental and cultural values of rivers and floodplains. CSU's environmental flows research

has changed the way that water managers, industry and communities plan and deliver environmental water to achieve practical on ground solutions to complex environmental

problems, including declining water quality and loss of aquatic animals. For example, these long-term partnerships have helped save native fish during periods of low oxygen and

have increased populations of vulnerable southern bell frogs.

06 Biological Sciences Harnessing ecological expertise to develop novel pest

management approaches

Geoff Gurr

Achieving food security whilst reducing dependence on non-renewable and environmentally hazardous inputs is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. In response, a CSU

research team developed novel ecological tactics to reduce crop losses. Research findings published in ‘Nature Plants’ demonstrated that promoting the ecosystem service of

biocontrol can reduce the need for insecticides in rice crops while boosting yields. CSU led the development of this approach that is now widely adopted in East Asia and is national

policy in China. Related CSU studies in Australian crops as diverse as pine and cotton demonstrated significant benefits ranging from revised farm management practices, to a novel

crop protection product based on plant compounds now used in Australia and Turkey.

07 Agriculture and Veterinary

Sciences

EverGraze – increasing livestock productivity and

environmental sustainability through perennial pastures

Michael Friend

The EverGraze project addressed the need for producers to increase use of perennial pastures to minimise dryland salinity whilst improving farm profits. As a national research,

development and extension program it involved Charles Sturt University and three state agencies that designed high rainfall zone farming systems based on perennials to increase

livestock profitability and reduce water leakage below the root zone. 1,950 farmers attributed improvements to EverGraze, impacting 817,000 ha and returning $306m. Improvements

included establishing new pastures, grazing, fertiliser or sheep management, shelter for lamb survival, and ‘flushing’ to increase lambs born. 550 rural advisers used EverGraze

resources.

08 Information and Computing

Sciences

The application of data mining techniques to improve

service delivery in health and aged care

Zahid Islam, Chang-Tsun Li, Irfan Altas, Manoranjan Paul

Data Mining (DM) is the science of analysing data for discovering knowledge, making sense of data and predicting the future. CSU’s critical mass of research expertise in DM

technologies was used to design data management systems that improved service delivery in Australian health and aged care. For example, CSU applied its DM algorithm and

expertise to assist Hobart District Nursing Service to optimise service delivery to older people and educate community support workers. The same algorithm and expertise were used

to deliver solutions to the Murrumbidgee Local Health District to reduce avoidable hospital re-admissions and to LiveBetter Pty Ltd where the research demonstrated that linking

aged people with community improved their overall wellbeing and quality of life.


09 Engineering Research changes commercial food processing practices Chris Blanchard

Suboptimal storage and milling of rice causes a substantial reduction in its value. Prior to this research program, storage and milling practices at Sunrice were largely based on trial

and error. CSU research provided key knowledge to optimise storage and milling practices that increase the value of rice by meeting specific customer specifications. For example,

rice used for puffing requires a specific storage duration and milling degree. Additionally, CSU research on improving the health benefits of rice through enhanced levels of bioactive

compounds and lowering the rate of digestion contributed to the development of new high value rice varieties and rice-based products that meet market demand and add economic

benefit.

11 Biomed & Clinical A comprehensive, all-in-one, diabetes screening clinic

improves community health

Herbert Jelinek

An alternative screening approach was required to help combat the increased global occurrence of diabetes. CSU researchers responded in 2002 by developing an all-in-one program

that provided comprehensive health checks. Novel automated systems were developed for identification of diabetes-related complications including heart disease. The program

found previously undiagnosed diabetes-associated disease, including life-threatening cardiac complications. The research application led to improvements in quality of life and

reduced morbidity and mortality for people attending the program. The CSU model also provided, and continues to provide, a novel training opportunity for undergraduate and

postgraduate students and postdoctoral positions within Australia and overseas.

11 Public & Allied Health Understanding the experiences of older people to improve

their care

Maree Bernoth

Older people can become disconnected in rural communities leading to increased morbidity and mortality. To understand why and to re-connect older people with community, CSU

conducted a series of research projects that led to positive change. The research found that rural older persons feel isolated when forced into residential aged care and that once in

care nutrition/hydration were often inadequate. These findings led to regulation changes by the Department of Health and Ageing. The research also participated in the development

and evaluation of a new assessment model ‘Staying Active, Staying Independent’ that in contrast to previous models, asks older people what they want from the community service

provider. This allowed identification and repair of issues that reduced quality of life.

13 Education Children’s Early Learning Noella Mackenzie, Jennifer Sumsion

In this case study we highlight two examples of sustained research supported by CSU that had national and international impact on children’s learning opportunities (0-8 years).

Australia’s first national Early Years Learning Framework shaped the educational program for children aged from birth to five years attending all Childcare Benefit-approved early

childhood education and care services and guided the practice of educators in those services. The research into how young children learn to write improved approaches to teaching

of writing with high uptake in schools, early childhood settings and homes in Australia and beyond. It has influenced the decisions of policy makers, education consultants, teachers,

teacher educators and teacher education students.

15 Commerce, Management,

Tourism and Services

State of the mobile nation: Research into mobile switching

with amaysim

Steve D’Alessandro

Understanding customers is essential for business growth. CSU research with telco provider amaysim on a consumer insight and brand development program demonstrates the value

of university-industry collaboration. The research identified negative reactions in consumer perceptions of mobile market performance and barriers to switching providers. Results

were used to develop simple mobile phone contracts based on SIM cards rather than complex handset deals. The research generated publicity (~$700,000 in value to amaysim) and


increased sales of major mobile plans by 30% to 1.5 million customers from Nov 2011-Mar 2012. The increased customer base led to increased employment, establishment of an

amaysim Australian call centre and major social changes in telecommunications.

16 Studies in Human Society Enhancing the competitiveness of Australia’s international

traders

Mikhail Kashubsky, David Widdowson

International trade is vital to the Australian economy. Prior to this research Australian traders were disadvantaged due to a government policy that failed to align with international

standards. The CSU research was a key catalyst to the introduction of the Government’s Australian Trusted Trader (ATT) program in 2016. This provides Australian businesses with

international trade facilitation benefits, such as reduced regulatory requirements both in Australia and in certain export markets that increase international competitiveness. The

CSU research also supported the Government’s decision to enter into international Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) with key trading partners. To date some 160 Australian

companies have joined the ATT and are reaping the commercial benefits.

17 Psychology and Cognitive Science Improving police responses to ‘mass shooting’ incidents Gene Hodgins

How police respond to active armed offenders (AAO) during mass shootings is a significant community safety issue. In 2014 the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) identified that their existing

‘contain and negotiate’ response policy was not appropriate for AAO incidents. The NSWPF then approached CSU to provide evidence-based recommendations to improve police

responses to AAO incidents. The recommendations included implementing police rapid response training, and the use of appropriate firearms and protective equipment. The NSWPF

adopted the CSU recommendations in 2015. Over 10,000 officers have since been trained in the new AAO tactics and there has been preliminary implementation of a new firearms

policy. Other jurisdictions have also utilised the recommendations.

19 Studies in Creative Arts and

Writing

The History of the Tentmakers of Cairo Sam Bowker

The art of the Egyptian tentmakers was threatened with extinction by modernisation and marginalisation, obliterating cultural heritage. For example, publications pre-2012 did not

link the oeuvre of the tentmakers as a group or their oral histories and omitted the genre now defined as Khedival khayamiya. To address this, CSU research structured the unpublished

history of khayamiya through exhibitions, films and books that engaged new audiences. Khayamiya now appears in surveys of Islamic, African, Egyptian and textile art history. The

term is used by museums, auctioneers, artists and journalists, creating an extensive online presence. The global number of tentmakers increased in number from 80 to 100 since

2007. Since 2012 CSU research has documented over 250 Khedival khayamiya globally.

22 Philosophy and Religious Studies Psychological injury, stress resilience and supportive

leadership in policing

Seumas Miller

The research developed an integrated psychological and ethical understanding of stress in police work necessary to improve stress-resilience and mitigate the harmful effects of

stress-related injury in police officers. From this research:

• NSW Police introduced a new recruit screening test for suitability in respect of resilience to stress

• Research-based material was incorporated into the recruit training program

• Research findings on the relation between stressors, ethics and leadership were used in workshops for NSW Police Sergeants (~2000) and Inspectors

(~800) to improve supervisor understanding and detection of stress in police officers


Responsibility for stress management was moved from senior administration to Local Area Commanders where it has driven positive change

Inter Interdisciplinary Assessment of preschool children’s intelligibility Sharynne McLeod

The Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) was developed at CSU for speech pathologists, educators and parents to assess children’s communication. The ICS has been translated into 63

languages, validated in 9 languages (Croatian, Cantonese, English, Fijian, Jamaican, Korean, German, Slovenian, and Vietnamese), trialled in 7 official languages of South Africa and

used to assist children with speech sound disorders in Australia, The Netherlands, Sweden and Hong Kong. The associated CSU Multilingual Children’s Speech website contains

resources downloaded 93,359 times in 50 countries (Nov 2012 - Dec 2016). The ICS uses the World Health Organization ICF framework to identify contexts where children’s speech

is least understood and guide intervention target selection.

ATSI Aboriginal and Torres Strait

Islander

Culture centred revitalisation: a collaboration between the

Wiradjuri and Charles Sturt University

Bernard Sullivan

This research backed a community driven initiative for cultural revitalisation in the Wiradjuri nation of central and southern NSW. In the past, the Wiradjuri endured destruction of

their way of life, resulting in fractured connections to country and culture. As this research was concerned with cultural knowledge, trust was essential. The research was conducted

with senior Wiradjuri Elders, Wiradjuri values such as 'Yindyamarra' (a way of life based on respect) and required practical outcomes. A suite of creative works, films, animations,

books, exhibitions and screenings, were created and viewed by thousands throughout the community. This research provides an example of respectfully supporting cultural

revitalisation, leaving a practical legacy of use and benefit to the host communities.


Appendix 5: NWGIC Director’s Report

1. Alliance Agreement – National Wine and Grape Industry Centre

A renewed Alliance Agreement for the NWGIC was signed by the Alliance Partners in September 2017. This

agreements establishes the framework of cooperation and governance for a period of five years between the

three alliance partners that are members of the NWGIC being:

Charles Sturt University

NSW Department of Primary Industries

NSW Wine Industry Association

The Alliance Agreement also establishes a clear funding commitment between the NSW DPI and CSU to

supports ongoing Centre related activities for the duration of the agreement. Industry representation on the

NWGIC Board of Management has seen four excellent candidates appointed to advisory roles for periods of up

to 3 years following an advertised call for expressions of interest.

2. NWGIC Major Research Agreements

The NWGIC is moving towards Strategic Research Agreements spanning multiple projects over a 5 year period.

This is a departure from single, competitively funded projects which have been the traditional model for funding

research. The emphasis on strategic research agreements that focus on industry orientated outcomes reflect

changing attitudes in the research funding sector that place a greater emphasis on securing future knowledge

workers in highly competitive sectors by providing greater security of employment and career development.

The NWGIC has two five year research agreements being the ARC ITTC For Innovative Wine Production and a

Strategic Research Agreement with Wine Australia.

a. ARC ITTC For Innovative Wine Production (2018-2023)

This is the second iteration of the ARC ITTC for Innovative Wine Production which is led by the University of

Adelaide. CSU, through the NWGIC, is an eligible organisation with NSW DPI being a partner organisation. The

involvement of NWGIC and specifically CSU as eligible organisation in the second iteration of the ARC ITTC For

Innovative Wine Production, reflects the considerable investment in developing and maintaining collegial

relationships with the lead, and other research organisations, based at the Waite campus.

Significant leverage from NWGIC and CSU Faculty of Science creates a combine investment of $368K over the

five years of the program. A total return of funds from the ARC of $1,499K will flow through to investment in the

grape and wine research sector in projects led and managed by NWGIC members, with cash flows illustrated in

the following figure.

b. Strategic Research Agreement – Wine Australia

Significant time and energy has been invested to create a portfolio of research projects with strong industry links

and support that form a suite of projects for a five year funding agreement under a strategic research agreement

with Wine Australia (Bilateral Funding). Project scoping and industry liaison commenced in early 2017 with

project concepts pitched for industry review in mid-2017. Following industry feedback and discussions between

Wine Australia research managers and NWGIC members, the final portfolio of projects, budgets, activities and

outputs was submitted in December 2017 for consideration by the Wine Australia Research Committee and

Management Board in early 2018. Some minor changes to the projects have been requested and


accommodated with all documentation, contracts and exchange expected to be occur before the end of June

2018. This timeline will allow funds to flow from Wine Australia immediately.

Overall the suite of projects with agreed funding is valued $9.03M. Total funds are comprised of Wine Australia

cash contributions of $2.500M, CSU/NSW DPI Cash $998K, CSU in-kind $3.955M and NSW DPI in-kind

$1,583M. The Strategic Research Agreement with Wine Australia has a five year timeframe with an expectation

that a review of projects in the first three years will be undertaken and will provide a mechanism for an extension

of the agreement with additional funding for new projects.

3. Communication strategy

NWGIC appointed Emily Malone to the position of Communications Officer commencing March 2018 at a 0.2

FTE. This position is strategic in developing a clear, purposeful and consistent message is communicated to

stakeholders at the right level, with minimum disruption to Centre members. Since the appointment a draft

NWGIC Communications Strategy has been developed; Key Messages for communication from the winery,

NWGIC and viticulture and wine science education. An internal survey of NWGIC members to determine

perceptions of NWGIC brand affiliation and belief will shortly be followed up with a survey of external

stakeholders, including wine industry researchers, growers, winemakers and suppliers to gauge brand

awareness, trust and communication strategies will be undertaken.

4. Publications & Engagement

Total NWGIC Research Outputs as registered in CRO for the period 1995-end of May 2018 are displayed below.

CRO accessions for the 2018 year as at end of July are 61 compared to 69 for 2017 and 71 for 2016 calendar

years. Measures of engagement directly with industry representatives has been more difficult to assess as

these outputs have not been traditionally captured within a centralised database.

Notable outputs have included webinars (Dr Chris Steel, Grape bunch rots and thresholds for wine

contamination); regional, national and international wine tasting panels (Dr John Blackman); Trunk disease

workshops (Drs Sandra Savocchia and Reggie Baaijens); site selection and grower panel discussion in Canberra

& Murrumbateman regions (Drs John Blackman and Joanna Gambetta); field presentations and workshops in

Hunter Valley & Orange (Drs Suzy Rogiers, Gerhard Rossouw, Reggie Baaijens, Leigh Schmidtke and Mr Adrian

Fahey); Drs Andrew Clark and Nick Kodoudakis The Determination of Total Cu in White Wine by BCA

Colorimetric Analysis, a method suitable for small and medium sized wineries to accurately quantify free and

bound copper in white wines. This method can be downloaded free of charge from the following website:

https://researchoutput.csu.edu.au/en/publications/the-determination-of-total-cu-in-white-wine-by-bca-colorimetric-

a

5. Staff & Membership

The NWGIC has an active membership policy devised in 2016 as part of reaccreditation with various

membership categories based upon Centre responsibilities, career and opportunity. Current membership and

gender distribution for each category is presented in the following table:


Membership Class Number of Members F M

Adjunct 7 2 5

Associate 10 6 4

Early Career Researcher 7 3 4

Higher Degree by Research Student 9 7 2

Staff 9 2 7

International/Visiting 3 3 0

TOTAL 45 23 22

Two additional positions, other than those funded through the ARC or WA SRA, to support NWGIC research

projects and activities are presently under recruitment. The first of these is a 3 year Research Viticulturist

position funded jointly with the Faculty of Science and which may be located in Orange or Wagga Wagga

depending on the skills and attributes of the applicants. This position will provide technical and expert viticultural

support to existing and commencing projects within the Strategic Research Agreement with Wine Australia; a

person for liaison with and interface between laboratory researchers and industry representatives. It will be an

expectation that the appointment to this position will develop an externally funded portfolio of research within

three years in line with the review of the Wine Australia Strategic Research Agreement.

The second support position is for a Viticulture Technical Officer to provide ongoing support for vineyard and

facilities maintenance, potted vine trials, grape harvesting and sample collection. This position will support all

NWGIC programs of research reliant upon vine and plant physiology and crop production.

6. Conclusion

Overall NWGIC is well positioned with two new agreements in place that secures funding for the next five years.

These agreements provides a degree of certainly that will attract a new generation of grape and wine researcher

providing career opportunities, enhance our reputation and ensure NWGIC is the industry preferred grape and

wine research provider in NSW.

Funding for grape and wine related research outside of Wine Australia Strategic Research Agreements (CSIRO,

AWRI, SARDI & University of Adelaide) will continue to be highly competitive. However, NWGIC members will

continue to advance collegial relationships with all research providers so that future funding opportunities will be

shared across organisations where specific expertise, capacity and location provide opportunities to engage.

Some impediments to ongoing operations of the NWGIC are apparent. A significant decline in PhD enrolments,

particular domestic students or those who are eligible for tuition fee payment, is evident for all universities

seeking to fill research programs in oenology and viticulture.

Further, a decline in the numbers of tenured and senior CSU academics over the past 5 years, with positions

replaced by sessional teaching staff, has resulted in a significant decline in research capacity within some

disciplines. Presently all CSU research members of the NWGIC have reached their research capacity as defined

by the current workloads agreements. Thus Centre growth will be constrained by the lack of available staff time

for research. Organic growth of the Centre towards other horticultural and/or food related industries may be a

sensible strategy to increase research opportunities and to broaden the skill base of Centre members.

Significant synergies in research methodology and expertise are obvious within these fields and would benefit

both viticulture and oenology research along with food and horticulture research by providing a critical mass of

researcher expertise.


Appendix 6: PACT Director’s Report

The Public and Contextual Theology Research Centre (PACT) has 52 members, ranging from Research Fellows

through to Research Professors. Members are drawn from a variety of disciplines at CSU including theology,

most obviously, yet also sociology, philosophy, history, political science, ethics, aging studies, and education.

PACT is pleased to have appointed eight research fellows in the last year who are teaching staff of the CSU

Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilization, as well as Jewish and Hindu scholars. Ten PACT members are non-

CSU academics and represent productive collaboration with other institutions.

PACT has focused its research on three strategic areas during this reporting period, a focus which will continue

until at least the end of 2019:

Christian-Muslim Relations – interreligious relations and social cohesion in Australia, the history of

relations between Christians and Muslims, Islamophobia, religious radicalisation in both faith traditions,

refugee policy;

Religion and Ethics in the Anthropocene - the profound transformation of humanity’s relationship with

the Earth system over the last 50 years, addressing the ethical and religious issues surrounding climate

change and humanity’s threat to the Earth system;

Religious Social Services – a vast sector of the social service economy in Australia, currently servicing

aged care, family support and allied health, which is expanding with the implementation of the NDIS,

these religious agencies represent a significant public connection between religion and government in

Australia.

To achieve outcomes in terms of impact, engagement, and publications in these areas of strategic research focus,

PACT organizes and funds seminars and conferences, and also provides individual research grants, publication

assistance grants, and conference paper presentation grants to its members. These decisions and activities are

overseen by the PACT Strategic Research Committee.

Among the major grants made by PACT to its researchers in this reporting period are projects addressing the

following topics, all of which will lead to significant publications in the field:

Refuting the theological foundations of violent extremism and radicalisation

Religion and violence

Mothers and children affected by Islamophobia

Findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

Climate change and migration in the Pacific

History of Muslim communities in Victoria

PACT was involved in organising and funding several domestic conferences in this reporting period, including:

Theology and Ethics in the Anthropocene, September 2017 in Canberra

Fourth International Conference on Receptive Ecumenism, November 2017 in Canberra

Things that Make for Peace, March 2018 in Sydney

Tell it Slant: Theology and the Arts, June 2018 in Brisbane

Neo-liberalism, Civil Society and the Church, June 2018 in Sydney


PACT members are productive publishers, and many of those publications are the result of conference paper

presentations. PACT grants made it possible for 17 PACT members to attend international conferences to present

papers in this reporting period, and 12 members to do so at domestic conferences.

PACT has direct links with several international institutions and various individual scholars of international standing

through the Global Network for Public Theology (GNPT). Organizing seminars for PACT members, and public

lectures, with visiting scholars from that network is an important feature of PACT’s activities. PACT has hosted the

following guests for seminars and lectures in this reporting period: Prof Martin Percy (Oxford University), Dr James

Allison (Oxford University), Prof Michael Welker (Heidelberg University), Prof Ellen Charry (Princeton University),

and Prof Sathianathan Clarke (Wesley Seminary, Washington DC). PACT was a founding member of the GNPT

and two PACT members, Clive Pearson and Peter Walker, have recently been appointed as editors of the

International Journal of Public Theology, which is published for the network by Brill.

Among the other highlights in this reporting period are the fact that PACT became a founding member of the Global

Christian-Muslim Studies Network, based at Edinburgh University. PACT has been invited to host the 2020 annual

conference of that network in Sydney. The University of Heidelberg’s Centre for International and Interdisciplinary

Theology has invited PACT (along with the School of Law and Religion, Emory University, Atlanta) to be a partner

in its recently launched interdisciplinary research project on character formation, moral education and values in

pluralistic western societies. PACT’s Director will lead the Centre’s involvement in that project. PACT commenced

negotiating a strategic research alliance with the Board of Governors of the National Church Life Survey (NCLS),

which surveys over 3000 religious communities in Australia every five years on a range of indicators of community

belief and activity. The NCLS is the longest running and largest survey of its kind in the world. In principle agreement

has been reached for a research alliance between PACT and NCLS that would result in approximately $600,000

research income to CSU per year. That in principle agreement will now become the focus of proper due diligence

at CSU. PACT looks forward to including research activities arising from that agreement in our report to the Senate

in 12 months’ time.


Appendix 7: Graham Centre Director’s Report

Membership

At present the Centre has 57 Full members, 41 Associate members, 55 student members and 43 Affiliate

members (not eligible for internal grants). The majority of members are from Faculty of Science, followed by

NSW DPI, although pleasingly there has been a growth in membership from BJBS.

Governance

The Governance structure of the Centre is determined by the Alliance Agreement signed by NSW DPI and CSU.

The Alliance Executive (comprising of VC, DVC-RDI, Dean FoS and counterparts from NSW DPI) met twice and

the Board five times during the reference period, with the following major outcomes:

Approval of the Centre’s 5-year rolling Business Plan;

Approval of the Centre’s Engagement strategy;

Endorsement of the Centre’s International Strategy;

A recommendation to expand the footprint of the Centre’s annual Livestock forums to enable delivery at locations

outside of Wagga;

Review of and minor changes to the Centre’s Communications Strategy and Social Media Policy and

endorsement for a further 12 months.

The Centre’s Industry Advisory Panel met twice during the reference period, providing advice in relation to:

ensuring the Centre’s research is relevant to industry, that the research has a path to impact;

the strategic direction of the Centre in relation to industry needs;

Feedback on the Centre’s Engagement Strategy and Business Plan;

Feedback on the draft Pathway Strategies.

Centre management

The leadership team includes the three 0.2FTE Pathway Leaders (Livestock Systems, Plant Systems, Grain and

Meat Quality) who provide input into the direction of the Centre, engagement with Industry and funding bodies,

and also constitute the Centre’s succession plan for leadership. This structure has proven very useful for

identifying priorities and broad internal and external engagement. The appointment of a Partnerships and

Engagement Manager (1FTE) and Media and Communications Officer (0.6FTE) has enabled greater support for

external and internal engagement and also a greater focus on communications (resulting in greatly increased

presence on social media).

Centre finances

The greatest growth in expenditure has been in leveraging external grants, and the co-investment approach with

Faculty (and DVC-RDI for larger grants) has proven successful with external grant income totalling around $6m

(un-verified) for 2017, which if verified will be the highest grant income recorded by the Centre.

The new Member Support Grant (replacing Research Centre Fellowships) scheme was heavily subscribed to,

with 37 applications (totalling $540k) being received by the closing date. Twenty eight applications were

supported, totalling $310k. The Centre awarded eight honours scholarships, five undergraduate internships

(giving undergraduate students exposure to research), along with 29 conference grants to support our members

attending national or international conferences.

We finished 2017 with a small deficit, but expenditure from our 3-year investment plan is less than projected due

to delays in appointment of the strategic position in precision agriculture, as we seek to leverage our investment

in the position with industry funds.

Other


The Centre made significant contributions to ERA2018. The Impact Case Studies for 06 (Biological Sciences)

and 07 (Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences) were submitted by Centre members based on projects conducted

within the Centre. The Centre also led the submission of the 07 Engagement Narrative, while Prof Chris

Blanchard led the development of the 09 (Engineering, specifically 090800 Food Sciences) Engagement

Narrative. This delivered on the Centre’s KPIs around impact and engagement. Our members were also heavily

involved in the ERA publications submission. Recent large grants (for example the $12.9M Dung Beetle Rural

R&D for Profit grant, of which CSU retains $6.2M), and increased publications, along with the renewed

membership (with less members than 2015 due to more stringent criteria being applied) means the Centre is

progressing well against its KPIs around Research Income and Publications.

The Centre hosted the 2018 Biennial Conference of the Australian Society of Animal Production in Wagga in July

2018, which attracted over 350 delegates from academia (including international) and industry (including around

80 farmers). The Centre also organised the Agribusiness Today forum in Parkes in August 2017 which was

attended by around 80 farmers and industry personnel. The Centre will also host the 2018 Australian Grain

Science Association Conference in September 2018 in Wagga. These activities all contribute to our Engagement

KPIs and raise the profile of the Centre and the University. The Centre also organised Science and Agriculture

Enrichment Days in June 2018, with our members running workshops covering food quality and sensory

evaluation, plant roots, and lamb and beef quality and tasting panels. We had 240 students from schools in

Wagga and across the region as far away as Condobolin, Tullibigeal, Ungarie, Tumbarumba, Albury, Tumut and

Temora participating in these days, greatly raising the profile of the Centre and the University.


Appendix 8: ILWS Directors’ Report

Highlights – International Research projects

The past year has seen the Institute build on previous international research projects to now have major research

projects, the majority of which are funded by ACIAR, underway in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia,

Pakistan, Bhutan and East Timor. While these projects all sit under the Institute’s Sustainable Development

(International) research theme, a number have a social science focus, others are more ecologically focussed,

and others a combination of the two disciplines. These include the following new projects:

Assessing fisheries mitigation measures at Xayaburi Dam in Lao PDR. (2017-2019, ACIAR,

$320,000, Xayaburi Power Company Limited)

Quantifying improved fisheries productivity at fish rehabilitation sites in Lao PDR

extension.(2018-2019, ACIAR & USAID, $800,000)

Highlights - National research projects

ILWS has 22 projects that began in 2017-2018 under the Biodiversity Research theme; 18 projects under the

Rural and Regional Communities theme. An increase in projects of “societal” flavor is due to an increased focus

on the “society” aspect of ILWS. Of interest are two projects underway with a focus on Indigenous peoples,

namely Environmental Monitoring and Training for Aboriginal Communities (2017-2018, NSW OEH,

$20,000), and Evaluation of New Access for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. (2018-2019, Primary

Health Network – Central and Eastern Sydney, $66,000.

Also under this theme are two economics projects that have been undertaken for the Soils CRC that have led to

the, just announced, Consumer demand, the value chain, and communication strategies for promoting soil

stewardship project which will run for 2.2 years and which has been awarded $458,756.

Under our Environmental Water theme, the Institute’s two Long Term Intervention Monitoring projects for the

Edward-Wakool, and the Murrumbidgee River systems, are progressing well and are now in their fourth year.

Associated with, and/or separate to, these projects are another eight projects under this theme that began in

2017 or 2018.

Major National research projects underway include:

Fish investigations associated with Snowy 2.0 scheme. Assignment 1 (2017-2020, Snowy Hydro

Ltd, $61,647) and Assignment 2. (2018-2019, Snowy Hydro Ltd, $848,803)

Workforce Wellbeing in Family and Community Services. (2018-2019),FACS, $204,394)

Equally well implementation committee. (2017-2019, National Mental Health Commission, $154,160)

Shark Sentiment Study. (2017-2020, NSW Department of Primary Industries, $91,000)

Developing design guidelines for diversion screens that save native fish and enhance

agricultural productivity.(2018-2020, Ian Potter Foundation, $299,331)

Can Indigenous land management forestall an extinction crisis? (2017-2020) ARC Discovery Early

Career Researcher Award, $372,000. Further support for this project came from the Hermon Slade

Foundation ($85,971) and the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions ($78,000).

River red gum floristics and vegetation monitoring 2017. (2017-2018) DECCW $186,471

Research activities for the Fish theme of the Environmental Water Knowledge Research (EWKR)

project. (2017-2019, CEWO via MDRFC, $206,587)

Highlights – publications

As a way of showcasing the publication efforts of our members, the Institute holds an ILWS Book Launch to

showcase new books our members have edited/written. The 2018 Book Launch featured six new books which

Albury Head of Campus Dr Jennifer Munday said embodied the Indigenous phrase ‘Yindyamarra Winhanganha’


and fulfilled the University’s motto ‘for the public good.” The six books were a good example of the Institute’s

diversity, both in the topics written about, and range of disciplines.

Highlights-events

As a means of engaging with our regional, national and international stakeholders, the Institute sponsors and/or

partners with other organisations to hold a number of events each year. Over the past year these events have

included:

Sustainable Economic Growth in Regional Australia (SEGRA) conference in Port Augusta, October 23-

27, 2017

Victorian Biodiversity Conference, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Feb 6 and 7, 2018

The North East Regional Water Forum, March 21, 2018

The Red Panda Conservation Workshop: Ensuring the future of red panda landscapes through national

and regional collaboration, held May 1-3, 2018, in Bhutan.

Brainstorming session to develop partnerships and explore potential collaborative projects with North

East Catchment Management Authority on June 20, 2018, attended by 16 ILWS researchers and five

North East CMA staff.

Further comments re Deliverables against your KPIs

Research publications (> 114 points per year)

Value of externally funded research grants ($4M per year)

Number of grant applications (50 by 2020): 54 lodged in 2017

Number of projects managed (50 by 2010): 42 managed in 2017

Average project value ($100,000 per year)

Average research income per researcher ($42,000 per year)

ILWS regional reach (Albury 35 projects, Wagga Wagga 3 & Bathurst 8)

Community engagement (27 researchers actively involved)

We can report that 54 applications were lodged in 2017 (above target of 50 by 2020) and 42 projects

were managed in 2017 (target of 50 by 2020).


Appendix 9: HDR Review

Priority Area Summary of Findings Recommendations

Supporting

Student

Success

There needs to be improved

communication by

supervisors and research

managers to students prior to

enrolment, of the course

expectations and outcomes.

Students must develop

transferable skills beyond the

research project and thesis,

including across relevant

disciplines.

Scholarships should be better

aligned with expected course

duration, and CSU completion

rates and times could be

improved through stronger

support mechanisms.

1. Implement strategies to improve student expectations of

HDR courses, desired outcomes and career goals, cost,

duration, and required study/time commitment.

2. Implement a research training framework that includes

specific streams for HDR students, and a series of resources

that facilitate individuals in career and skills acquisition

planning both within and beyond the discipline.

3. Alter relevant policies and procedures to enable more

flexibility in stipend extensions for CSU RTP scholarship

holders, including support for students undertaking relevant

and substantial internships during candidature.

4. Modify the probationary process to include rigorous early

(within 3 months of FTE candidature) assessment of writing

skills, such as a detailed annual plan, with a structured

support and review program to be established for all

students identified as not meeting minimum standards.

Improving

the Student

Experience

The quality and consistency

of HDR supervision, and the

overall research culture

surrounding HDR training

should be improved.

5. Require staff wishing to retain HDR supervisor registration

to attend a professional development training session every

2 years. The session design should strongly encourage

voluntary attendance and might vary each year to include

external guest presenters and participant interaction.

6. Develop and implement improved supervisor performance

criteria and a review system that aligns with the Employee

Development & Review Scheme (EDRS), supports Heads of

School to identify and manage early indicators of problems

or issues (for both students and supervisors), and rewards

outstanding performance.

7. Align HDR students with existing and emerging strength

teams, require Heads of School to outline the support

network available to the student beyond the immediate

supervisory team in the admission recommendation form,

and survey students about their perceptions of, and

contribution to, the research culture in biannual progress

reports.

Providing

Equitable

and Flexible

Access to

HDR

Training

There is a need to make HDR

training accessible to (a)

professionals who may not

meet standard or traditional

admission criteria; (b) those

returning from study or career

breaks; and (c) Indigenous

Australians.

8. Consider and analyse the current role and management

of Honours as a training pathway, and identify and offer

doctoral training pathways that include appropriate exit

points and provide flexibility for those with significant

professional experience, and masters (coursework) or other

postgraduate qualifications, who may not otherwise meet the

standard HDR admission criteria.

9. Offer a full and flexible scholarship scheme with stipend

and operating funds that can be tailored to individual needs,

to support those commencing HDRs after a study or career

break for family or similar reasons.


10. Faculties, URCs and the Research Office provide

required collaboration and support for Indigenous research

and researcher training programs led and developed by the

Office of Indigenous Affairs.

Building

Partnerships

and

Engagement

Research and HDR training

collaboration with universities

and industry need to improve,

and HDR students should

have the opportunity to

engage with industries,

professions and other

research end-users.

11. Develop and implement institutional policy and

procedure for the offering of joint and dual HDRs.

12. Finalise and implement jointly funded and supervised

partnership based HDRs with relevant industry, professional,

and other non-university partners.

13. Develop policy and procedure to support HDR students

undertaking internships during candidature, which might

include automatic funding support or scholarship extensions.


Appendix 10: Principles of Research

Performance

Consultation: Principles to support a new definition of Research Performance at CSU

CONSULTATION PROCESS

The Research Committee has been reviewing the current definition of Research Active which was introduced in

2014 for the purposes of HDR supervision. It is proposed that a new definition of Research Performance at

CSU will not be restricted “for the purposes of HDR supervision”. The new definition is proposed to be a

performance metric for all staff with a research component to their workload. The criteria for appointment as a

primary or co-supervisor will likely need to be reviewed in light of the new definition in due course.

The Research Committee is seeking input from across the university community to inform and progress

development of a revised definition. We are seeking to develop a definition that is

fair and well understood;

that acknowledges what contributes to successful research outcomes;

that encourages and recognises research productivity; and

will lead to stronger outcomes under the Research Narrative.

A set of Principles has been drafted to capture these aims in a way that will facilitate an open consultation

process. The Principles are being proposed as the key factors to be used to inform the development of a

revised definition.

The Principles are not about the mechanics or logistics of capturing the relevant data. Once the Principles have

been endorsed (after this consultation), the details of the definition including the work needed to ensure data

capture and benchmarking will follow and at that stage the CSU Research Performance Metrics will be defined.

Input is invited from individuals and/or groups (Schools, Faculty Research Committees, Research Centre

management teams, unions, Professors’ Forum, Head of School Forum etc.) in relation to the Principles outlined

below.

Respondents are asked to rate each of the nine Principles depending on whether or not you agree it is a

Principle which should underpin the revised definition.

STRONGLY AGREE – AGREE – NEUTRAL – DISAGREE – STRONGLY DISAGREE

Written comments are invited on any of the Principles. Comments are requested in particular where a rating of

strongly disagree or disagree is provided as the response. Respondents are also invited to suggest additional

Principles for consideration by Research Committee.

CONSULTATION TIMELINE

Responses will be consolidated for consideration at the October meeting of Research Committee.

The Consultation Survey will be open from 28 August 2018 and closes on Friday 28 September. The

consultation will be conducted through Survey Monkey and can be accessed HERE

PRINCIPLES TO SUPPORT A NEW DEFINITION OF RESEARCH PERFORMANCE

1. All levels of research performance will be defined based on verified research data for the agreed

reference period as contained within CRO, which is the corporate record of research outputs.

2. The research outputs that will be included in the corporate record need to be expanded to include

measures of engagement and impact.

CRO does not currently contain discrete measures of impact or engagement, and sector-wide this is still being

operationalised following the ARC Engagement and Impact 2018 assessment. Discrete measures of impact and

https://www.research.net/r/ResearchPerformancePrinciples


engagement will be used in the evaluation of research performance as soon as development of the measures is

finalised.

3. Research performance will be defined at two levels based on opportunity:

Level 1 will define research performance as expected from an individual with a minimum research workload

allocation of 30% of a full time workload for the duration of the reference period.

Level 2 will define research performance as expected from an individual with a research workload of 60% or

higher of a full time workload for at least 6 months within the reference period.

4. Research performance will be defined differently for each academic level A-E for individuals with a

research workload allocation and where the expectations at each academic level have been

benchmarked.

CSU Research Performance Metrics, once defined, will be benchmarked against minimum, university median

and sector-wide expectations. This will ensure there is a qualitative assessment embedded in the definition.

5. Research performance will be defined with reference to discipline differences where appropriate and

where the discipline differences have been benchmarked externally and agreed in advance.

CSU Research Performance Metrics, once defined, will be benchmarked against minimum, university median

and sector-wide expectations. This will ensure there is a qualitative assessment embedded in the definition.

6. There will be a clear connectivity between the level of research performance at each academic level,

within each discipline, and the expectations for promotion.

7. Research performance will be defined based on a reference period equivalent to three years (36

months) full time employment. For staff who have had fractional appointments or extended periods of

leave during the previous three calendar years, the reference period will be extended until equivalent to

a 36 months full time appointment.

8. Research performance will be a clearly defined performance metric for academic staff with a research

component to their workload and will not be restricted to use “for the purposes of HDR supervision”.

9. All levels of research performance will be assessed annually against updated data as part of EDRS and

where levels of performance are not maintained or improved year on year this must be addressed as

part of EDRS.

annual research & research training report to academic …dvc (research, development &...

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