CRCs: Monash Guidelines for Involvement

The following guidelines are designed to support researchers who may be considering an involvement in a new or existing CRC. It is appreciated that certain circumstances may justify a deviation from these guidelines. All Monash staff wishing to participate in a CRC should immediately contact David Lyster (see below) who is responsible for managing Monash's involvement in CRCs.

David Lyster
Manager, Research Partnerships
Industry Engagement & Commercialisation
David.Lyster@monash.edu
Phone: extension 59515
Mobile: 0419 238 859

The primary focus of the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) Program is to deliver significant economic, environmental and/or social benefits to Australia. This is achieved by solving complex problems facing end users (industry, NGOs, government) by supporting end-user driven partnerships with researchers to address clearly articulated, major challenges that require collaborative efforts.

For further information on the CRC Program please visit the CRC website - the URL appears in the resources section, right.

Monash University is committed to strengthening its ties with the broader community to maximise the impact our research has on society. CRCs are an excellent vehicle for providing this impact and for facilitating knowledge transfer. Monash is a strong supporter of the CRC program and is currently a participant in 16 CRCs.

1.    Conditions precedent to Monash participation

For a CRC bid to be successful it needs to clearly articulate the major end-user challenges being addressed, the research programs needed to solve these challenges, provide a comprehensive education program and involve multiple small to medium enterprises. The amount of effort needed for a successful bid is considerable and as a general rule at least six months of effort is required to submit a competitive CRC application. This is true even for CRC bids which are led by organisations other than Monash. Before embarking on a bid, it is therefore necessary to make sure that your potential involvement in a CRC is supported by your HOD and Dean.

Monash's involvement in a CRC is also conditional on Monash providing core expertise/capability/infrastructure which is critical to the activities of the CRC and which is not substantially duplicated by other participants in the CRC. This is to minimise the potential for competition with other research providers to the CRC.

2.    Monash contributions to CRCs

Participants in a CRC are required by the Commonwealth to contribute cash and/or in-kind (staff and infrastructure) to support a CRC's activities.

Cash contributions

Many universities typically contribute both cash and in-kind to support CRC activities. Although Monash contributes considerable in-kind to CRCs, it should not be taken for granted that Monash will also contribute cash. Cash contributions are considered on a case-by-case basis by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) following a recommendation by the relevant Faculty Dean or Deans. Where cash is provided, it may be done so on certain conditions. For instance, cash may be provided by Monash as 'tied' cash, with the money coming back to support senior staff positions which are of strategic value to the University. In circumstances where Monash contributes cash, the University would expect to receive at least two times its total cash and in-kind contributions back from the CRC to support CRC related project activities in the University.

In-kind contributions

In-kind contributions are to be valued using Monash's Project Costing Model (see the resources section, above right, for the URL). http://www.firm.monash.edu.au/finance/costingpricingfees/cpf-projectcostingmodel/index.html Please contact your Faculty BDMs (or David Lyster) if you require assistance with the Costing Model.

Note: the Monash model reflects the true value of our in-kind contributions and is different to the costing formula used in CRC bids.

Where Monash only makes an in-kind contribution to the CRC it expects to receive at least the same value of that investment (calculated using the Monash Project Costing Model) back in project funding (see CRC Funded Activities). Descriptions of the projects likely to be supported by the CRC, including research personnel, estimated budgets and timelines, are required prior to Monash committing any in-kind resources to the application process.

3.    CRC Funded Activities

Funding received from CRCs is usually used to support CRC-funded staff positions, PhD scholarships and project costs. Project costs may include infrastructure not provided as in-kind, capital items (equipment) and consumables.

The cost of employing research staff ranges from approximately 1.8 times base salary for non-laboratory personnel to 2.25 times base salary for laboratory based personnel. CRC funded staff (ie. new staff who are employed exclusively to work on CRC projects) should be funded at a rate of at least 1.8 times their base salary with the difference between full cost recovery being an in-kind contribution by Monash.

PhD scholarships should ideally be full scholarships for the duration of the candidature.

Project support costs should be funded on a 1:1 basis however additional charges may also be applied to capital items with high operating costs (unless those costs form part of our in-kind contribution).

4.    Beneficial interest in project outcomes

Monash should be entitled to a beneficial interest in project outcomes whenever it contributes cash and/or in-kind to a CRC. This generally takes the form of a share in licensing income received by the CRC from the commercial exploitation of CRC project outcomes.

5.    Board positions

Monash employees must seek prior approval from the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) before nominating themselves for board or executive positions in the CRC. Monash academics are strongly encouraged to sit on CRC research and scientific advisory committees.

6.    Support for Monash led bids

Monash may choose, on a case-by-case basis, to provide cash and additional resources to support CRC applications which are led by Monash. Funding may be available to engage with external consultants or to cover travel/conference/hospitality charges associated with meetings between potential participants. Internal resources may be provided to assist with the preparation of bid documents (particularly the Impact Tool) and the provision of business development services.

7.    Monash Representation

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research) will nominate a person or persons with the authority to represent Monash's interests during the CRC bid process and, if the application is successful, to act as Monash's nominated representative for the CRC.