The Victoria University Research Fellowship program was established to support, promote and progress outstanding, innovative and strategically aligned research. A VU Research Fellowship is recognition of a researcher’s capability and contribution to research at Victoria University

VU Research allocates and approves the University's resources for research and research training through the Research Fellowship program.

Research Fellowships are open to College-based teaching, and research and teaching focused academics to undertake research that aligns with our priority research themes and accreditation fields of research.

To explore funding opportunities that can support the research costs associated with your Fellowship, use the Research Professional funding database to find a range of sponsors in Australia and overseas.

Fellowships available & guidelines for applicants

There are three types of Research Fellowships available:

  • Priority Research Fellowship: for research and/or research training undertaken under the Priority and Emerging FoR codes that contribute to the University’s research focus areas
  • Accreditation Research Fellowship: for research and/or research training undertaken under Accreditation FoR codes that contribute to the University’s research focus areas
  • Research Training Supervision (only): for research training undertaken by academic staff who do not hold a Research Fellowship (Priority or Accreditation). This type includes, but is not restricted to the P18 Supervision.

Guidelines

Read our VU Research Fellowship Guidelines 2024 for more information about the VU Research Fellowship process.

Applying for a 2024 VU Research Fellowship

The 2024 Research Fellowship scheme will only be available for 12 months, starting from 1 January 2024 and ending on 31 December 2024.

Before applying, please read the  VU Research Fellowships Guidelines 2024 for details about the program.

Apply online

  • Applications open: 10am (AEST) Wednesday, 2 August 2023.  
  • Applications close: Midnight (AEST) Monday, 10 September 2023

MORA & VU Research Fellowships

A provisional track-record selection criterion score (worth 40% of the overall score for any application) will be calculated using MORA. The Institute Panels will adjust this score in light of performance in 2020 (which is outside the MORA data collection period), and factors affecting research career opportunity.

The following table shows the provisional track record score for a number of MORA scores. (Provisional track record scores are interpolated from these MORA data points.)

MORA

Provisional track record score

0

0.00

1

0.28

2

1.18

3

2.70

4

4.58

5

6.46

6

8.03

7

9.12

8

9.72

9

9.96

10

10.00

 

Appeals process for VU Research Fellowship applicants

The appeals process is designed to ensure that Research Fellowship applications have been assessed in accordance with the procedures in the fellowship guidelines.

VU Research will only consider appeals against administrative process issues and not against Institute Panel recommendations, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Impact) decisions, any rankings or comments.

Read the research appeals guidelines and then use the appeals form to make an appeal.

Appeals are due within 14 days of applicants receiving notification by email, including details of the appeal process.

Supervision of higher degrees by research (HDR) students

Research Training Supervision allocations are calculated for 2024 based on HDR supervision data available in October 2023. Actual supervision loads in 2023 are reconciled with this data for the 2024 VU Research Fellowships supervision data downloaded 3 times per year.

Research Training Supervision (only) fellowships are allocated automatically based on HDR supervision arrangements, based on arrangements approved by the Graduate Research School.

Research Training supervision and associated allocations are available live in the University Measure of Research Activity (MORA) system.

Final VU Research Fellowship Allocations

Final VURF FTE Allocations for 2024 will be include the following components, rounded to the nearest multiple of 0.1FTE:

  • Base research allocation
  • HDR supervision time (based on data in October 2023)
  • Externally funded research time (based on data in October 2023)
  • Additional allocations for Bridging Support, Internships, Embedded Research
  • Rounding adjustment from 2023.

The final allocation is fixed for the whole of 2024, with adjustment only made for changes in externally funded research time (which is on top of any other research FTE allocation).

Externally funded research projects

Externally funded research projects are handled through the VU Research office. Externally funded research time is in addition to other research allocations.

Research time (FTE) spent on research that has been secured and financed through external funding schemes, grants or research contracts is automatically allocated to researchers, based on the VU cover sheet and costing tool used when the funding was secured.

College deans are formally notified of externally funded FTE allocations four times per year to assist in planning and organisational capacities.

For more information regarding institutional support for researchers intending to apply for external funding, please visit grants and funding.