[LINK] ERA Consultation Paper

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

http://www.arc.gov.au/era/

The Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) Initiative

On 26 February 2008, the Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and 
Research, the Hon. Senator Kim Carr, announced his plans for a new 
research quality and evaluation system. 

The Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative will be 
developed by the ARC.  It will assess research quality within Australia’s 
higher education institutions using a combination of indicators and expert 
review by committees comprising experienced, internationally-recognised 
experts.

ERA will use leading researchers to evaluate research in eight discipline 
clusters.

ERA will detail by institution and by discipline those areas that are 
internationally competitive, together with emerging areas where there are 
opportunities for development and further investment.

ERA will start with those disciplines where the indicators are most widely 
accepted, for example, in the physical and biological sciences.

Consultation will continue with other disciplines about indicators 
appropriate to their disciplines, noting that some measures will be 
appropriate to all disciplines and that for all disciplines expert review 
of the indicators is essential.

The ERA Consultation Paper has now been released and submissions in 
response to this paper will be received by the ARC until COB 30th June 
2008.  

A pro-forma for submission responses is also available from this website.

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Cheers people
Stephen Loosley
Victoria, Australia