FoE-Research Development Scheme-2025-DEC

The Faculty of Education (FoE) internal research funding aligns with the University’s Advancing Melbourne 2030 strategy and MGSE Strategic Plan 2022-2026 The Time is Now. The strength of FoE research lies in its creating new conceptual and applied knowledge that advances the discipline education, including its impact on society through policy and practice. The 2026 Faculty of Education Researcher Development Funding Scheme aims to support the next generation of FoE researchers; remarkable research; foster collaborations; and enhance research impact. All successful applicants are expected to present at the 2026 FoE Research Conference. 

All awarded funds allocated for 2026 only must be spent by 31 December 2026. Unspent 2026 only allocated funding will not be carried forward into 2027.

The Scheme’s primary objectives are to:

• Support FoE researchers to progress their research capabilities and outputs.
• Seed new areas of discovery.
• To expand established programs of research.
• Build new or existing collaborations into a competitive larger-scale proposition for major external research funding sources (Cat1-3).
• Enhance research impact through new partnerships and applied outcomes.
• Foster a diverse and inclusive academic community with a strong research culture.
• Provide research funding for projects that are strategically aligned with the University's Advancing Melbourne 2030 strategy and the Faculty Strategic Plan.

Projects which advance FoE’s strategic priorities and articulate Indigenous, International, and Diversity dimensions are welcome. 

Indigenous 

Projects which aim to advance existing commitments in research, aligned with the Faculty's Indigenous Development Plan will be strongly encouraged. 

International

Projects which seek to strengthen relationships within the Asian region and with these existing global networks and alliances of which the University is a member of will be
strongly encouraged:
• International Network of Educational Institutes (INEI)
•Universitas 21 (U21)
•UoM international networks
•UoM globally engaged institutes
• UoM Country Engagement Plans for India, Indonesia, and China

Diversity
Projects which aim to advance priorities in research that align with the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2030 and local Diversity and Inclusion strategy are encouraged. Projects the include co-design with people with lived experience, including partnering with external organisations, that will lead to accessible and practical research outcomes are welcome.

There will be two schemes available for FoE researchers but there are important criteria to how the funds will be distributed as follows:

Team-based research funding ($20,000 over 1 or 2 years):
These initiatives involve a team of at least two academics (Level A–E academics). Applications should have a clear and compelling statement of why it matters?, what will be done?, what will be the outputs? and what impact will it have?

Make a detailed case for how the research outcomes will lead to increase competitiveness for the nominated external funding (Category 1–3 research).

Note - Special funding payment initiative for team-based projects for 2026

There will be two options to select during the application stage. Note, the option selected at the application stage cannot be changed once the funds have been awarded.
• Option 1 ($20,000 over 1 year): Funds requested (maximum $20,000) are for 2026 only where 80% of the requested funds will be released upon award. The remaining 20%
will be released if there is a satisfactory progress report (to be requested in August) and indications that funds have been spent in accordance with the timelines. Funding must be expended by 31 December 2026. (Unspent funds will not be carried forward into 2027. Unspent funds
will be returned to MERI.)
•Option 2 ($20,000 over 2 years):Funds requested (maximum $20,000) will be split between 2026 and 2027. Fifty percent of the funds will be awarded in 2026 and 50% will
be awarded in 2027. The process will be the same for each annualised portion: In 2027 50% of the funds will be awarded but 80% of the funds will be released at the beginning of 2026 and the subsequent 20% will be released in 2026 if there is a satisfactory progress report (to be requested in August) and indications that funds have been spent in accordance with the time lines. The balance of funds will be checked on Workday. Funding must be expended by 31 December 2026. (Unspent funds will not be carried forward into 2027. Unspent funds will be returned to MERI.) In 2027, if 2026 milestones have been met, then the 50% of the total remaining funds will be released, again in the same format, 80% of the funds will be released at the beginning of 2027 and the subsequent 20% will be released in 2027 if there is a satisfactory progress report (to be requested in August) and indications that funds have been spent in accordance with the time lines. The balance of funds will be checked on Workday. Funding must be expended by 31 December 2027. (Unspent funds will not be carried forward into 2028. Unspent funds will be returned to MERI).

Individual funded projects ($5,000 for 1 year):

Funding for individual research proposals with a maximum of up to $5,000 per application. These grants will support Level A–E academics to conduct research that will result in the submission of a publication in Q1 journals and support the further development of a competitive external grant proposal for either Category 1–3. In 2026 80% of the requested funds will be released upon award. The remaining 20% will be released in 2026 if there is a satisfactory progress report (to be requested in August) and indications that funds have been spent in accordance with the timelines. The balance of funds will be checked on Workday. Funding must be expended by 31 December 2026. (Unspent funds will not be carried forward into 2027. Unspent funds will be returned to MERI.)

• Chief Investigators must hold or have reasonable expectation at the time of application of holding a salaried fixed-term or continuing academic appointment until the grant end date (either 2026 or 2027).
• Only one application per year will be accepted from the lead researcher. However, a lead researcher can be part of another research proposal within the same scheme as a
non-lead.
• Research-only (RO) staff whose salary is sourced from an externally funded project must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the relevant Academic Division that the nature
of their appointment means that they are allowed, and have the time available, to pursue additional research activities.

Application Eligibility

• Applications must be submitted via the University of Melbourne’s SmartyGrants application portal. 
• All application completion and formatting requirements must be adhered to as detailed in the Guidelines.
• Requested funding must adhere to the amounts available in this scheme.
• Applications which request funds that duplicate or supplement another current internal University of Melbourne grant, external grant or research contract will be excluded from consideration. If an applicant already holds a grant in a related area, it is the applicant’s responsibility to provide sufficient information to assure that this funding is not being used to ‘top-up’ another existing grant.

Items that directly support the research program, which may be funded, are:

1. Research Assistant (rates and information regarding RA costing are below). Research assistants can, for example,
• conduct systemic searches of the literature and file the papers;
• write an annotated bibliography of literature;
• write a literature review; analyse a set of existing data;
• conduct a policy/media/curriculum analysis (i.e., research not requiring ethics approval);
• assist in data collection for projects with ethics approval;
• assist in developing tools for future research, e.g., developing a survey;
• assist in producing outputs from data, e.g., write a paper (academic or public-facing) from analysed data;
• assist in planning and organising a research event, e.g., workshop, roundtable, mini-conference.

• assist in data collection for projects with ethics approval (e.g., conducting interviews);

Anticipated 2026 RA payment rates for budgeting - including on costs (using 1 Nov 2025 rates)

Payment Type    Hourly Rate staff member    Hourly Rate including on cost (including super)

RA 1                   $51.95                                  $61.38

RA 2                   $53.60                                  $63.34

RA 3                   $56.77                                  $67.10

Other casual academic activity Lvl A6 (with PhD)

                           $71.46                                  $84.52

Standard Marking 

                           $59.95                                  $70.87

Standard Marking with PhD 

                           $71.46                                  $84.52

*If a staff member earns over $450 a month, then superannuation is also payable. 

Anticipated 2027 RA payment rates for budgeting - including on costs (approx costs are unknown, use 2026 rates)

2. Marking relief (within guidelines for Teaching and Learning)

Anticipated 2026 RA Marking buy out rates (using 1 Nov 2025 rates)

Standard Marking 

                           $59.95                                  $70.87

Standard Marking with PhD 

                           $71.46                                  $84.52

Anticipated 2027 RA Marking buy out rates (approx rates are unknown, use 2026 rates)

3. Consumables 

The review committee reserves the right to make reasonable adjustments to the budget of an awarded project. 

Budget items not supported:
• Chief Investigators salaries and/or on-costs.
• Conference/travel (Please refer to the FoE LOR - Local Operating Rule).
Once awarded, any changes to the budget must be sent to the Associate Dean Research (ADR) for approval.

All applications will be assessed by a review Committee chaired by the Associate Dean
(Research) using the following selection criteria:
1. Researcher Development (25%)
• How the project will contribute to outstanding research and enhance the researcher’s capacity and competitiveness in securing external funding in the future to support their research program. This includes a statement on the applicant’s plans to secure funding in the future and how the proposed research will facilitate this.

.
2. The Quality of the Project (30%)
• Significance of the project and the extent to which the project is soundly conceived and planned and aligns with Advancing Melbourne 2030
3. Impact (15%)
• What are your plans for impact that the university defines as “The effect on, change or benefit to scholarly knowledge and the economy, society, culture, public policy or
services, health, the environment or quality of life.”
4. Feasibility (15%)*
• The extent to which the project is feasible given the timelines and budget, and the skills, experience and time commitment of the Chief Investigator and any collaborator(s)
.*Hurdle for funding
5. Resources (15%)
• The extent to which the budget is justified and appropriate.

With respect to Criteria 1, 2, and 3, consideration will also be given to the likelihood that the proposed research will lead to:
• An important discovery, innovation, or solution of an important problem;
• A contribution of economic or social benefit to Australia and beyond; and
• Ongoing research collaboration with an external government organisation or industry.

A committee chaired by the Associate Dean (Research) will assess applications on a competitive basis in accordance with the objectives of the Scheme and the selection criteria outlined in these guidelines.