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Education Strategic Research Fund

Submissions for the next round of grants will be open in the second half of 2021.

Projects awarded grant funding in 2020 can be found here.

This new initiative aims to improve research collaboration and translation of innovative research between universities and government. The Department is seeking research project proposals that support its strategic goals and research priorities, and which support improvements in outcomes for people in NSW.

Research proposals are sought from research teams at NSW public universities. Project applications that engage research expertise from more than one university are strongly encouraged.

Applications will be competitively assessed against criteria including:

  • clear articulation of benefit against the Department of Education's strategic goals
  • demonstrated benefits to other NSW agency priorities and Premier's Priorities*
  • utilisation of multi-disciplinary research expertise.
Comprehensive information is included in the Application Guides.

* For an overview of NSW department strategic plans and priorities, visit the Waratah Research Network page.

Our Research Priorities


Identifying and piloting effective transition strategies at a systemic and local level for students moving between home, early childhood education and care, school education, post-school education and training, and employment

Strategic Plan Goals

  • All children make a strong start in life and learning and make a successful transition to school
  • All young people finish school well prepared for higher education, training and work

Links with other departments

Department of Communities and Justice

  • Keeping children safe
  • Breaking the cycle

Cultivating students’ and education staff's wellbeing and happiness

Strategic Plan Goals

  • Every student is known, valued and cared for in our schools
  • Education is a great place to work and our workforce is of the highest calibre

Links with other departments

Department of Communities and Justice

  • Keeping children safe

NSW Health

  • Improving the health system

Evaluating and enhancing the effectiveness of current and potential pedagogical approaches

Strategic Plan Goal

  • Every student is engaged and challenged to continue to learn

 

Meeting the education and training needs of culturally and linguistically diverse communities and disadvantaged groups

Strategic Plan Goals

  • Our education system reduces the impact of disadvantage
  • All young people have a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy; deep content knowledge; and confidence in their ability to learn, adapt and be responsible citizens

Links with other departments

Department of Communities and Justice

  • Keeping children safe

Designing and implementing learning infrastructure which engages students, enhances their experience and improves outcomes

Strategic Plan Goals

  • Our school infrastructure meets the needs of a growing population and enables future-focused learning and teaching
  • Our education system reduces the impact of disadvantage

Links with other departments

Department of Communities and Justice

  • Keeping children safe
  • Breaking the cycle

Improving quality teaching by enhancing the effectiveness of teacher professional learning, particularly using digital technologies

Strategic Plan Goals

  • Every student, every teacher, every leader and every school improves every year
  • Community confidence in public education is high

 

Identify current and future skills needs for the NSW industries and workforce and how these needs should be addressed

Strategic Plan Goals

  • Identify ways to enable individuals to engage in training over their lives to meet the changing nature of work
  • Identify ways to improve access to training and encourage uptake for all members of society

Links with other departments

Department of Communities and Justice

  • Breaking the cycle

Potential Projects

A list of potential projects can be found here.

Grant descriptions

Researchers are invited to apply for the following grant opportunities.

Extending national research grants

Through this funding stream, we will co-contribute funding to Australian Research Council (ARC) Linkage or Discovery projects to increase the applicability of project outcomes/outputs to the NSW context.

In Round 1, we will identify eligible, existing ARC Linkage or Discovery Projects and invite the administering organisations to express interest. Projects will be able to apply for up to 20% of their total ARC funding, or $150,000 (whichever is lower) per year, for up to 2 years.

In future rounds, universities and researchers can partner with us to develop new ARC linkage proposals.

NSW Priority projects

NSW Priority projects will support ambitious, multi-disciplinary research aligned with the Department's research priorities. Successful projects will support the translation of research into policy improvements and new policy initiatives.

Successful projects will be eligible for up to $200,000 a year, for up to 3 years.

Building the Evidence Base

Building the Evidence Base will support projects that identify innovative ways to link existing data sets or create new data sets to provide policy and reform insights.

Successful projects will be eligible for up to $175,000 a year, for up to 2 years and must be aligned with identified research priorities and address data gaps.

Key Dates

Timeline
Applications open August 2020
Applications close 6pm 13 October 2020
Successful applicants notified Late 2020
Projects to commence February 2021

Timeline
Applications open August 2020
Applications close 6pm 13 October 2020
Successful applicants notified Late 2020
Projects to commence February 2021

How to apply

Applicants are required to read the application guidelines and submit their completed application form by email to the Higher Education and Tertiary Policy Directorate.

Please include all necessary attachments with your email.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact Dr Fiona Yardley, Leader Strategic Initiatives and Reform on (02) 7814 1186 or higher.education@det.nsw.edu.au.


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