RMIT University Research Excellence Award

Background

The RMIT University Research Excellence Award recognises an RMIT academic who has achieved overall excellence in their research activity for the preceding five years, as evidenced by their track record and performance including attraction of competitive and other external research funding, dissemination of research outcomes, patents, Higher Degrees by Research (HDR) supervision and completions and citations.

Research Master data is used to generate a short list for each award category based on the previous five (5) years research output. To be eligible for research awards, academics will normally have been with RMIT for two (2) years minimum.

Selection of award recipients is by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor R&I based on recommendations of the Awards Committee with membership drawn from the College Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellors (R&I), Institute Directors and Dean, School of Graduate Research.

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Eligibility

  1. Research-active academic staff with a substantive RMIT appointment, normally 0.4 FTE or above, for a minimum of 2 years.
  2. Winners not normally eligible again for a period of two years following receipt of this award.

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Process and documentation

There will be no formal university-wide call for nominations as the Research Office will identify and shortlist potential candidates on an evidence-based basis for consideration by the Awards Committee. Individuals identified by the Research Office whose portfolio of work may fall outside of Research Master data will be given the opportunity to submit supporting documentation.

The awards dossier will comprise the following documents:

  1. Research Master report detailing HERDC reportable publications, grants, research supervision used to identify highest performing researchers
  2. Supporting documentation will be sought from researchers for fields of endeavour where Research Master data is not appropriate to determine excellence e.g. Creative Arts. Supporting documentation is limited to two (2) pages in length and should supplement Research Master data.

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Selection criteria

In considering candidates, the Award Committee will consider the overall track record and performance of researchers as indicated by a range of quantitative measures:

  • Competitive Grant funding
  • Research income
  • HERDC Publications (quality: impact factor; top journals for the field)
  • Patents
  • Research Supervision and completions
  • Citations – past 5 years with emphasis on upward trajectory
  • Research output relative to opportunity (ROPE)
  • Supporting documentation for Creative Works, exhibitions etc.

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Value of the award

The University Research Excellence Award will comprise:

  1. A cash prize of $3000, paid into the research account of the awardee, to advance and support Research supervision practice, scholarship and research
  2. A certificate signed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (R&I)
  3. A permanent record of the award on an appropriate webpage (Honour Board) of the University.

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Other Research Award categories

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