A major review has recommended changes to assessments of the quality, engagement and impact of Australia’s university research. 

Australian Research Council (ARC) chief Dr Sue Thomas has announced the release of the ERA and EI Review Final Report, following a review of Australia’s university research assessments administered by the ARC.

The ARC says it has accepted all 22 recommendations from the review, and released the ERA and EI Action Plan, which outlines how it will work with stakeholders to implement the review outcomes. 

Key recommendations from the review include: 

  • adopting a new single, aligned vision and objectives for ERA and EI  

  • streamlining ERA and EI to reduce the reporting burden for universities, through smarter use of technology and existing data collections 

  • assessing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and Indigenous research as a discipline in its own right 

  • improving ERA and EI methodology to make the programs more robust and transparent  

  • promoting greater insights from ERA and EI data to improve the value of the programs to a wider range of stakeholders

The Group of Eight (Go8) major local universities says the quality and impact of university research must always be a priority.

“The Go8 is pleased to see the renewed commitment to excellence and impact in the recommendations of the report,” said Go8 Chief Executive Vicki Thomson.

“As the nation’s heavy lifters when it comes to quality research with impact, we were particularly pleased that many of the recommendations we had made have been picked up in the review process.

“These included measures to reduce the administrative burden of ERA and increase its transparency. It is critical that ERA is as light-touch as possible for universities while casting a spotlight on both where Australia has the highest level of research excellence and the volume of that excellence. In this way, ERA will be better equipped to reflect the differentiation and specialisation of our universities when it comes to research performance.

“Government and taxpayers should be confident that they are getting bang for their buck and these exercises ensure that is the case.”