Definition and Classification of Research and Research Income

The Australian Government’s provision of research block grant (RBG) funding to eligible higher education providers (HEPs) is enabled by the Higher Education Support Act 2003 (HESA), which provides for “grants to support research by, and the research capability of, higher education providers” and “grants to support the training of research students”. Thus, the purpose of RBG is to reward the success of HEPs in obtaining competitive grants and supporting them to continue to undertake research and research training activities. The RBG also aims to help HEPs meet the indirect costs of conducting research, as well as build greater collaboration between HEPs and the business and non-government sectors.

The data collected through the Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) is used to assess the relative research and research training performance of HEPs and in turn drives the allocation of RBG.

Monash University reports its research income annually to the Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE) through the Higher Education Research Data Collection, from the 2012 HERDC Specifications for Collection of 2011 data (pdf 304kb).

The classification is in accordance with the DIISRTE specifications for the annual research data collection covering research income and research publications.  See:

1. DIISRTE definitions of Research
   
   
2. Research Income - Activities that can and cannot be counted as research income
   
   
3. Categories of Research Income

The amounts are recorded in the Monash accounts in the appropriate fund code.

The Monash Research Office is responsible for determining whether research projects and research funding meet the definitions set out by DIISRTE, and it initiates the establishment of the appropriate account code. This happens automatically for most research grants (such as those listed in the Australian Competitive Grants Register) and for all other applications for research funding (including contracts) that are sent to the Monash Research Office for despatch to the funding body.

If a researcher is notified directly by the funding body of the success of an application, that notice together with a copy of the application should be sent to the Monash Research Office immediately. This will ensure that the application data is entered on the Monash Research Office’s database (ResearchMaster), that the project is accurately classified, and the appropriate account opened. See How to get an Account Code.

The Monash Research Graduate School (MRGS) performs a similar function in relation to externally-funded postgraduate scholarships.