Media Release, Research funding for Australian society, history and culture, Australian Research Council, 27 January 2020

The Morrison Government is funding a new research program to recognise the importance of research into Australian society, history and culture.

Minister for Education Dan Tehan today announced $12 million for academics to pursue research on Australian issues, focussing on Australian culture, society and history.

“Between 2011 and 2020, just three per cent of grants under our primary competitive grant scheme – the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Discovery Grants – were in the areas of Australian society, history or culture,” Mr Tehan said.

“We want to ensure our record funding in research benefits the Australian community, and this $12 million in ARC grant money will do exactly that.

“The scheme will look at the way in which we live today and how the past has contributed to Australian society and culture, including how our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and culture is understood and has impacted modern Australian society.

“We hope this new initiative will bring a greater understanding of our Australian Indigenous history, our heritage and the success of multiculturalism.”

The ARC Special Research Initiative in Australian Society, History and Culture will fund around 40 projects providing between $20,000 to $100,000 each year for up to three years.

Applications for grants will open in February 2020 with funding commencing from October 2020.

More information about the Special Research Initiative is available on the ARC website.

Media contact:
Tehan: Lauren Fitzpatrick 02 6277 7350 | [email protected]