July 2024
ACGR Response to ATEC Implementation consultation paper
This submission highlights the crucial role of HDR education and advocates for the inclusion of an advisory body dedicated to HDR education within the commission to ensure comprehensive stakeholder engagement.
May 2024
ACGR Sector Snapshot: 2024 RTP Scholarship Base Rates
This report paints a whole sector picture of the dollar value and duration of RTP stipends across the Australian higher education sector.
September 2023
ACGR Response to Australian Universities Accord Interim Report
The Australian Council of Graduate Research (ACGR) welcomes the opportunity to further contribute to the national Accord discussion by providing feedback on the Australian Universities Accord Panel Interim Report.
may 2023
ACGR Response to the Australian Universities Accord Discussion Paper
Australia’s research training system punches above its weight in a global context, producing graduates who are in high demand across the professions. While around 50% of HDR graduates will progress to tertiary education and research (1), HDRs’ contribution to the research, learning and teaching activities of a university while enrolled is significant.
maRCH 2023
The Australian Council of Graduate Research has been invited to provide feedback for the purpose of integrating insights on key themes, challenges, best practice, and opportunities for future support into a Report provided to Ministers in June 2023.
November 2022
ACGR Response to Inquiry into Australia’s tourism and international education sector
HDR candidates represent 15% of total university postgraduate enrolments, but they are nonetheless the backbone of our higher education system, providing 54% of the human resources devoted by universities to research and development and driving their global rankings and reputation.
July 2023
ACGR Response to National Industry PhD Draft Guidelines
ACGR has consulted with its members regarding the intent and operation of the new Industry PhD and the draft guidelines as presented. We are pleased to provide the following response for consideration by the Department of Education.
July 2022
ACGR Response to TEQSA Guidance Note: Research and Research Training Consultation
ACGR commends TEQSA for the review of the Guidance Notes, supports the notion of simpler advice which aligns with specific sections of the HESF 2021 and acknowledges the aim to align this revised guideline with the template created for all in the suite.
April 2021
ACGR-Response to Research Commercialisation
The ACGR welcomes the recognition by government that ‘commercialisation’ of research is multi-faceted and involves both adoption of new research for commercial benefit to business as well as innovation through research that improves productivity.
October 2019
ACGR Response to National Priorities and Linkages Fund Consultation Paper
It is logical therefore, that the guidelines for the National Priorities and Industry Linkage Fund must recognise and support the importance and effectiveness of industry engagement and WIL by graduate research students.
March 2019
AQF Review Submission from the Australian Council of Graduate Research
ACGR acknowledges that shorter form credentials are emerging to meet work place training needs and accommodate the range of entry level skills that students have when seeking admission to a program of study.
January 2018
ACGR Response to NSW Ombudsman Discussion Paper on Complaints re Supervision
The Australian Council of Graduate Research commends the NSW Ombudsman’s Office for their commitment to improving the postgraduate research experience for all students, particularly the handling of complaints about supervisors.
february 2017
ACGR Response to ATO Technical Paper – Advice on Scholarships
The Australian Council of Graduate Research is keenly aware that a robust and effective scholarship system is a critical requirement to support Australian’s research training and research and innovation agenda.
February 2017
ACGR Submission to the Research Block Grants Requirements Consultation paper
As those with primary institutional responsibility for the management of research training programs and outcomes within each of the Australian universities, we are acutely aware of the practical implications of any changes to data collection and reporting requirements.
October 2016
ACGR Submission to the Report on the Review of R&D Tax Incentives
The Australian Council of Graduate Research Inc strongly supports the proposed introduction of a collaboration premium of up to 20 percent for the non-refundable tax offset to provide additional support for the collaborative element of R&D expenditures undertaken with publicly-funded research organisations.
July 2016
ACGR Response to Driving Innovation, Fairness and Excellence in Australian Higher Education
We recognise that research and research training are not only core business for universities they are also the primary drivers of this innovation and economic agenda. It is therefore disappointing that there is little acknowledgement of research and research training in this paper.
2016
ACGR Response to Consultation on Research Block Grants
The ACGR is concerned on several grounds with the government’s introduction of the concept of fee offsets to describe the funding available within the RTP to support the costs of delivery of research training to domestic candidates.
November 2015
Follow up submission to ACOLA Review Panel
ACGR believes that institutional autonomy in the provision of programs enables our universities to best meet the needs of our diverse cohorts. We already have a high quality but diverse research training system. Setting specific coursework, dissertation and industry placement requirements for every degree would be retrograde and compromise this autonomy.
September 2015
ACGR Submission to the Review of Research Policy and Funding Arrangements
The Australian Council of Graduate Research Inc proposes that the following principles should drive any revision of the current research and research training funding system.
August 2015
ACGR Submission to the ACOLA Review of Research Training
Data from the USA and Australia suggests that private sector employment of PhD graduates is between 45 and 50%. Evaluation of the Australian research training system is required to determine whether it remains “fit for purpose” given the transformation of the “purpose” over the past 50 years.
ACGR Advice to ACOLA Review on Employability Skills Training
The ACGR Executive proposes that the ACOLA review might usefully focus on mechanisms to hold HEPs accountable for graduate skills development and evaluation in the same way that they are held accountable for the quality of programs they deliver more generally.
DDOGS Submission to Boosting the Commercial Returns of Research
The Council of Deans and Directors of Graduate Research (DDOGS) note the four ambitions of the competitiveness agenda and in this submission, focus on point 2, development of a more skilled labour force.