UNSW Scientia Fellowship Program

The UNSW Scientia Fellowship Program, established as a cornerstone of the UNSW 2025 Strategy, aims to attract and retain the highest research performers on a trajectory to being exceptional research leaders and mentors. Over the ten year lifespan of the program up to 290 researchers will be appointed into research intensive Fellowships. Eighteen UNSW Scientia Fellows were appointed in the inaugural 2017 round and forty-four in 2018. Over forty Fellowship appointments will be made at academic levels A to D in 2018 for commencement in 2019.

UNSW’s Strategic Priorities

UNSW has a bold vision to be Australia’s global University, to improve and transform lives through world-leading research, exemplary education and advancing a just society.

The UNSW 2025 Strategy sets out the University’s vision to be: recognised as an international exemplar in equity, diversity and inclusion. Our success will have been built upon embracing the diversity and cultural richness of our communities and ensuring that our staff and students can achieve their full potential regardless of background. Measures of success include the gender balance in UNSW roles at all grades and the proportion of Indigenous staff. In pursuit of this vision, the UNSW Scientia Fellowship Program will embed diversity in appointment practices to ensure appropriate gender representation, cultural diversity and disciplinary expertise.

The strategy also identifies that collaboration and interdisciplinary research drives motivation and success in responding to global issues: We will direct resources to building interdisciplinary teams of researchers, bringing together the range of expertise required to address the grand challenges.

For 2019 at least fifteen positions will be earmarked for Indigenous Researchers, Women in STEMM and Interdisciplinary Researchers in support of the University’s strategic plan. If you identify with one of these priority areas, please indicate this in your application. The University selection committee will specifically consider applications targeted for these three strategic areas.

Distinctiveness

The key distinctive features of the UNSW Scientia Fellowship Program include:

Career Pathway Commitment. UNSW Scientia Fellowships are research-intensive Fellowships that provide a pathway to continuing academic careers for internal and external applicants entering the program at any point from Level A to C, and level D where infrastructure requirements are minimal. The Strategic Hires and Retention Pathways Committee (SHaRP) will consider Level D appointments with significant infrastructure requirements. UNSW will enter a partnership with those academics competitively appointed as UNSW Scientia Fellows, mentoring and nurturing their careers. The appointments provide a continuing tenure track, subject to performance against agreed research excellence criteria.

Duration of Appointment and tenure track. Initial Fellowship tenure will be four years, with the exception of current UNSW staff on a non-continuing contract longer than four years, in which case the contract period will be matched. Second and subsequent terms of Fellowships will be awarded for four years for all appointments, on condition that agreed performance criteria continue to be met, and for the life of the program. If agreed performance criteria are met throughout the first four year period, Fellows on fixed term contracts will be offered continuing positions.

Leadership, Development and Mentoring. UNSW Scientia Fellows will have access to a range of development opportunities relevant to career stage across research, teaching and leadership. UNSW will provide a support and collaboration package for UNSW Scientia Fellows to build on their leadership attributes through personalised development plans and by participation in mentoring activities. Each Fellow will have a centrally supported career coach appointed at the start of the Fellowship and Fellows will be expected to participate in mentoring as mentor and mentee.

Flexibility of tenure. Flexibility is another distinctive feature, with Fellows having the option for planned exit and re-entry to the UNSW workforce. Fellowships will provide flexibility in pursuit of a research focussed academic career while permitting time out either for personal or professional reasons. The possibility of undertaking part-time employment after the first year, as the need occurs, will be considered by the Committee on a case by case basis. Similarly, the possibility to co-locate nationally or internationally while on the Program will be considered by the Committee. These considerations would be based on confirmation that a strong relationship could be maintained with the School and the Fellow’s development program would not be impeded.

Social Engagement and Global Impact. Fellows will be expected to engage with activities that align with the Strategy 2025 priorities. These include social engagement, global impact and academic excellence. Scientia Fellows will be  encouraged to include teaching and learning development in their plans. While these are research-focused Fellowships with research performance criteria for advancing through academic levels, teaching and learning is an essential and valued part of an academic career. The balance of research, teaching and service responsibilities, including postgraduate supervision, expected of Fellows will be negotiated with the relevant Faculty/School (or Faculties in the case of cross-Faculty appointment) at the time of appointment.

Eligibility

Applicants must hold a doctoral qualification at the time of application. If the award has not already been conferred by the time of application, an applicant must wait until the following year to apply.

This program is open to internal and external applicants including:

• Internal continuing, fixed term or casual UNSW staff
• Academics who are not currently in paid employment at UNSW

Fellowships will be available in the research areas outlined on the UNSW Scientia Fellowship website.

Performance Criteria

Fellows who are new to UNSW or are internal candidates who are not employed in continuing positions will be on a pathway to continuing appointment. Clear performance criteria based on discipline appropriate research excellence measures will be developed between the Fellow and the Faculty (or Faculties) at the commencement of the appointment.

Fellows will be expected to meet performance criteria for progression to continuing employment.

Fellows who are already employed on continuing positions will negotiate performance criteria based on discipline appropriate research excellence metrics at entry to the UNSW Scientia Fellowship Program.

Fellows who do not maintain their performance within specified timeframes will be offered a two-year safety net for performance improvement or to allow time to find alternative employment if not yet on a continuing position.

UNSW Scientia Fellows will apply for promotion using the same promotion process as all academic staff.

Fellowship Remuneration and Support Packages

Fellows will be remunerated commensurate with their academic appointment level and will be awarded an allowance of up to $40k per annum depending on level.

Development and collaboration support packages are intended to support career and professional development goals. The funds can be used for conference travel, leadership programs or other career development opportunities. Up to 50% of the first year’s package may be used in the first year of appointment as a partial contribution to relocation costs with the agreement of UNSW. The support package is not intended to provide substantive research support funding as it is expected that recipients will already hold research support from external sources. Some flexibility on this point is available for appointees in the early career stage and those new to Australia without current external funding. Any additional infrastructure and start-up costs must be provided by the host Faculty or Institute. The development and collaboration support package will be valid for twelve months from the start date. Any unspent annual funds can be rolled over up to a maximum of three years and for the duration of the Fellowship appointment.

If an existing external fellowship is held, remuneration will top up the difference between that fellowship and the value of the Scientia Fellowship. Once the existing external fellowship has ceased, the full amount of the Scientia Fellowship will be provided by the UNSW Scientia Fellowship Program.

Appointed Fellows who do not have an externally-funded fellowship applicable to their discipline such as from the ARC or NHMRC at the time of their appointment will be expected to actively seek other external research funding during the course of their Fellowship.

Fellows are required to su bmit an annual progress report detailing their progress to date, publications, career development and intended program for the following year to the Grants Management Office and be accompanied by a Head of School’s report. A final report is to be submitted to the Grants Management Office at the completion of the Fellowship or on termination if earlier.

Selection Criteria

The following selection criteria will be applied to all applications submitted for Scientia Fellowships at all levels.

Alignment with research areas identified for the 2019 appointment round. Research focus areas have been identified by Faculties for the 2019 appointment round. Applicants will need to demonstrate that their proposed research aligns with one of the areas of focus, or in the case of applicants selecting the interdisciplinary strategic priority, with at least two disparate disciplinary areas.

Research performance at the highest level of the equivalent UNSW disciplinary cohort (relative to opportunity). Applicants will be asked to provide details on how they meet this criterion relative to opportunity. In line with UNSW’s commitment to equality of progression for all staff and recognising that the traditional of full-time work and uninterrupted linear career trajectory no longer matches the profile of many staff, the principle of performance relative to opportunity will be taken into consideration in the promotion procedure. Such an approach acknowledges what has been achieved by an applicant, given the opportunities that have been available to them.

Applicants are also able to refer to the Australian Research Council’s Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence statement for guidance. A detailed curriculum vitae including research outputs and income must be provided.

Alignment with strategic priorities. Applicants will be able to choose from the list of UNSW 2025 strategic priorities and provide a statement demonstrating how their current and proposed research aligns with one or more of the priorities including:

• Academic excellence (learning and teaching)
• Social engagement
• Global impact

Alignment with strategic targets. Applicants can indicate if they wish to be considered for one of the targets under Strategy 2025, for Indigenous researchers, interdisciplinary research or women in STEMM disciplines, if they are able to satisfy the definitions of these groups as outlined in the footnotes on page 2 of these guidelines.

Research proposal quality, significance and innovation. Applicants will provide a statement outlining the research they intend to undertake.

Enquiries

For further information or assistance, including enquiries regarding eligibility, please contact scientia.research@unsw.edu.au

Application Process

2018 Applications must be made via the UNSW Scientia Fellowship application portal. Once commenced, it is possible to save an application and return to it, prior to submission. A PDF version can be downloaded for review and word limits are indicated for specific questions. Applications that are incomplete, or do not follow page, formatting, and content requirements will not be considered.

Prior to commencing an application, please note that the list below summarises the main information required:

• a statement outlining how the proposed research aligns with UNSW research priorities, in one or more of the nominated areas of research focus.
• a research proposal outlining the quality, significance and innovation of the proposed research.
• the names of three potential research collaborators at UNSW in the area of your research proposal. Additional names may be included in the body of the application. It is not a requirement to contact the potential collaborators prior to submitting the application.
• contact details of three academic referees the applicant wishes to nominate.
• a statement outlining how they align with the UNSW 2025 Strategy in the areas of academic excellence, global impact and/or social engagement.
• a statement demonstrating how they meet the ‘research excellence’ criteria, providing evidence in accordance with the Australian Research Council’s Research Opportunity and Performance Evidence Guidelines:
• a declaration of previous and current funding granted as well as a statement of other funding requests currently under consideration.
• if an application is being made under one of the three strategic targets (Indigenous researchers, interdisciplinary research or women in STEMM disciplines), additional information may be requested.
• a detailed curriculum vitae detailing research outputs and income

If an application progresses to interview, the Faculty will request reports from the nominated referees.

Assessment Process

Applications will be checked for completeness and then forwarded to the relevant faculties for consideration. Faculties will then provide a shortlist to the Committee and approved shortlisted candidates will enter the final selection process which will include interview/s and reference checking.

Notification of outcome

Once the selection process has been completed, the University will notify all applicants in writing of the outcome of their application. Unsuccessful applicants can expect to be notified by November 2018.