TheAustralian Research Council (ARC) is a Commonwealth entity established as an independent body under theAustralian Research Council Act 2001,[4] reporting to theMinister for Education.
The ARC's purpose[5][6] is to help shape Australian research for the nation's economic, social, environmental and cultural benefit:
enabling research,
evaluating the excellence, impact and depth of Australian research,
providing advice and research grants services, and
supporting research integrity and promoting ethical research.
The ARC supports early-stage research through theNational Competitive Grants Program (NCGP), which supports approximately $1 billion per year[1] of research to individuals, teams and large-scale centres in all disciplines except for medical.
The ARC was founded in 2001 under theAustralian Research Council Act 2001[4] It is directly descended from the 1965 Australian Research Grants Committee.[7] As of 2025[update], the agency reports to theMinister for Education.[2]
Management of research integrity in Australia is a shared responsibility that involves the Australian Research Council (ARC), theNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) and a range of other institutions and entities.[8][9]
There is no single Commonwealth agency with regulatory powers for the management or oversight of research integrity in Australia. Responsibility for the various aspects of research integrity is shared among institutions that conduct research, funding agencies, agencies such as Ombudsman Offices in the jurisdictions, Crime and Corruption Commissions in jurisdictions and theTertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA).[8][9][10]
The ARC funds research and researchers under the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP). Funding opportunities administered by the ARC include theAustralian Laureate Fellowship.[11]
On 25 February 2025, the ARC released theDiscussion Paper: A New Plan for ARC-Funded Research, proposing major reforms to the National Competitive Grants Program (NCGP). Developed following extensive 2024 consultations, the paper outlines a redesigned scheme structure, streamlined processes, stronger support for early career researchers, and a greater focus on knowledge generation and collaboration. The review aims to ensure the NCGP remains innovative, aligned with national research priorities, and delivers clear public value. Submissions are now closed, with a final report due in Q3 2025.[12]
The ARC is developing a new approach research evaluation, designed to be a useful tool to build understanding, recognise excellent Australian research and celebrate its outstanding achievements. It's being referred to as the ARC's Research Insights Capability.[13]
The ARC has awarded research fellowships for female Australian and international researchers and research leaders to build Australia's research capacity, undertake innovative research programs and mentor early career researchers since 2011. TheKathleen Fitzpatrick Australian Laureate Fellowship is awarded to a candidate from the humanities, arts and social science disciplines, and theGeorgina Sweet Australian Laureate Fellowship is awarded to a candidate from the science and technology disciplines.[14]
^This value represents the funding allocated to the ARC for the purposes of research grants, and does not include the operational budget of the agency.
^Benner, Mats; Grant, Jonathan; O'Kane, Mary (2022), Benner, Mats; Grant, Jonathan; O'Kane, Mary (eds.), "Higher Education in Australia",Crisis Response in Higher Education: How the Pandemic Challenged University Operations and Organisation, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 51–63,doi:10.1007/978-3-030-97837-2_4,ISBN978-3-030-97837-2
A$934.6 million (2023–24)[1],[a]
