Research News & Funding Opportunities

If you are applying for a research grant please contact foe-research@unimelb.edu.au as soon as possible!

  1. ARC Linkage success!
  2. Reel Impact Prize 2025
  3. Westpac Research Fellowship EOI – closes 3pm Monday 14 July
  4. 2026 INEI Seed Funding Competition – closes October 3
  5. Graduate Research Information now moved to the Research Gateway

1. ARC Linkage success!

Congratulations to Prof Sandra Milligan and her FoE team, Dr Toshiko Kamei, A/P Glenn Savage and Prof Pasi Sahlberg and their external colleagues and partners on their success for their project: A next-generation approach for selecting school leavers for university

This project aims to design and validate a new, efficient, national model for selecting school leavers for entry to tertiary courses, so that a broader range of school leavers can enter and succeed. It builds on new assessments and certification used by schools which reliably profile each learners’ unique strengths and capabilities. The design, to be validated jointly with school and tertiary sector agencies, is expected to provide better information about the match of student capabilities to a course’s requirements. This is expected to benefit university selectors by enhancing their understanding of applicants, and students, especially disadvantaged students, by building confidence and understanding of their capacity to thrive.

This was one of 2 FOR code 39 projects funded by the ARC. This project is part of the 30% success rate for LPs awarded to the university and Prof Milligan’s ARC was the highest funded project received by the uni.

As we know these are very competitive schemes and require a lot of work to prepare the application. Commiserations to those whose applications were unsuccessful on this occasion. Thank you all for your efforts to everyone that applied.

2. Reel Impact Prize 2025

Reel Impact is a prize that recognises and encourages research translation by challenging researchers to succinctly describe the impact of their research has had within society to a non-specialist audience. Researchers can win $8,000 to collaborate with their choice of professional media story tellers.

Register and join in Introductory “Pitch” workshop – Monday 30 June 1-3pm

Submit your entry by Monday 29 September

3. Westpac Research Fellowship EOI

For further information please email research-impact@unimelb.edu.au

Expressions of Interests are now open for 2026 Westpac Research Fellowships, supporting early-career researchers who are driving innovation in their field and looking to create positive change in Australia.

The Westpac Scholars Trust will offer two Westpac Research Fellowships nationally valued over $400,000 across 3-5 years. Successful Fellows will be talented individuals undertaking research in one of the Foundation’s priority areas:
       • Sustainable Futures;
       • Australia in Asia-Pacific;
       • An Inclusive Country; or
       • Thriving Tech Sector.  
The University of Melbourne will hold an Expression of Interest round closing 3pm, Monday 14 July 2025.

Please visit the UoM Westpac Fellowship website for key dates, upcoming seminars (UoM information seminar 1-2pm, Tuesday 1 July 2025 – register here) and other supporting documents. If you have any questions, please contact: ric-philanthropicgrants@unimelb.edu.au

4. 2026 INEI Seed Funding Competition

As an international consortium of world-class educational institutions, International Network of Educational Institutes (INEI) strives to advance research, policy and practice in education, and address educational issues that concern us locally and globally.

Through awarding seed funding to promising multi-national research teams, INEI aims to assist INEI member institutions to develop innovative educational research that has strong potential to expand impact, and leverage external support from international and national funding agencies. Research proposals are expected to align with INEI’s mission of making impacts on policy decisions, inspiring research and interventions that have a meaningful impact on education locally and globally. Two research teams will be sponsored via the INEI Seed Funding program annually.

Important Deadline for 2026 INEI Seed Funding Competition

Monday, June 23, 2025: Request for Proposals announcement

Friday, October 3, 2025: Submission deadline

Monday, December 15, 2025: Winner announcement

Thursday, January 1, 2026: Funding period begins Thursday

December 31, 2027: Funding period ends

Please contact foe-research@unimelb.edu.au for more information about this scheme

5. Graduate Research Information now moved to the Research Gateway

All information about graduate research for staff has now moved to the Research Gateway: https://gateway.research.unimelb.edu.au/services-strategy-and-contacts/research-at-melbourne/graduate-research.

What’s changed?

  • New guidance for supervisors and advisory committee chairs: Dedicated resources have been created to provide clearer support and guidance – and more are on the way.
  • Updated and streamlined information: Webpages have been reviewed and updated to ensure that information is up to date, accurate and easy to understand.
  • A new navigation experience: Information has been organised in a more logical, user-friendly way, so it will be easier for you to find exactly what you’re looking for.
  • Improved page templates: Webpages are clearer and more consistent, making it easier to understand specific processes and guidance.
  • A single, centralised location: All Staff Hub graduate research information has been transitioned to the Research Gateway, which means you won’t have to navigate across multiple sites.