$38 million in Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities grants awarded 

Thirty-six grants totalling $38 million have been awarded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) under the 2025 ARC Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment and Facilities (LIEF) scheme.  LEIF supports eligible organisations with research infrastructure, equipment and facilities, with the goal of having this shared between higher education organisations and industry. “The LIEF Scheme supports outstanding basic, strategic…

New training centre will address predicted skills shortfall in “second quantum revolution”

The University of Adelaide has shared some details about a recently-funded ARC Training Centre in Current and Emergent Quantum Technologies (CE-QuTech), which it says will play “a critical role in advancing Australia’s position as a global leader in quantum technologies.” The new centre is led by University of Adelaide, and directed by the university’s Professor…

$58.3 million awarded to ARC Laureate Fellows

Funding totalling $58.3 million has been announced through the most recent round of the Australian Laureate Fellowships scheme, supporting projects including quantum computing devices, more durable perovskite-based solar photovoltaic cells, and terahertz biosensing. Funding for 17 researchers was announced on Tuesday through the scheme, which is part of ARC’s Discovery Program and supports researchers “to…

Towards 3% R&D – a national business R&D action plan by Dr John Howard

Today we conclude our editorial series – Towards 3% R&D – Turbocharging Australia’s Innovation Effort – in which @AuManufacturing has exposed the issues eroding Australian R&D. In this edited excerpt Dr John Howard proposes A National Business R&D Strategy and Action Plan. Download the full paper at the foot of this article. The structure of…

$22.5 million Early Career Industry Fellowships round supports research into atomic clocks, new batteries, soft electronics and more

The Australian Research Council (ARC) has announced $22.5 million in funding for 50 fellowships under the Industry Fellowships Program. Projects cover salary contributions for up to three years and project costs up to $150,000 under the program, which operates across industry, community organisation, not-for-profit, and other sectors and seeks “to facilitate the adoption, translation and…

$25.7 million awarded through Mid-Career Industry Fellowships

A total of $25.7 million in support for 25 Mid-Career Industry Fellowships through the Australian Research Council (ARC) has been announced, backing research with industry partners in projects including green hydrogen production, methane pyrolysis, quantum sensors and extracting rare earths from waste. According to ARC’s website, the fellowships support academic researchers “in establishing careers in…

Mary O’Kane recommends more uni R&D – but that’s not the innovation answer

By Peter Roberts Much has been written about the Australian universities accord – final report from scientist and engineer Mary O’Kane (pictured). But from an industry innovation point of view her panel’s recommendations fall short of what is needed to kickstart Australia’s fading innovation – and I mean business innovation – performance. National R&D has…