AUSTRALIA-INDIA EXPERT ADVISORY GROUP (EAG)

Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research

The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) is Australia’s
largest bilateral research fund providing $20 million over five years
until 30 June 2011 to support collaboration between Australian and
Indian scientists.

(https://grants.innovation.gov.au/AISRF/Pages/Home.aspx).  The
Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) wishes
to identify options for expanding the scope of the Fund.

As a result, DIISR has established the Australia-India Expert Advisory
Group (EAG), and I have agreed to be a member of the Group.  Other
members are Dr Robin Batterham (ATSE) and Mr Hutch Ranck, the Business
Council of Australia’s appointee on the Prime Minister’s Science,
Engineering and Innovation Council.  The Academies and the Business
Council are seen as having an important role to play in informing the
Government’s agenda for international science engagement and strategies
to encourage industry participation.

The EAG is expected to provide independent expert advice to DIISR and
recommendations in relation to:

Which priority areas should be the focus of support for bilateral
applied research projects that engage industry partners?

What mechanisms or funding models would be most appropriate for
encouraging greater interaction between Australian publicly funded
research agencies, industry and Indian partner research agencies
and industry?

What strategies could be used to create critical research mass
within particular priority areas?

I should be grateful if you could provide the Academy with details on
your links and areas of collaboration with INDIA, and comments on any of
the above.  This information will provide me with a good overview of
current collaborations with India and also your views
regarding Australia’s future engagement with India.

Please send any information regarding this directly to Connie
Berridge (National Committees Officer) by Tuesday 14
July. (connie.berridge@science.org.au
<mailto:connie.berridge@science.org.au>)

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The International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management (ICE WaRM) – Sustainable Water Resource Management Student Grants

Funded through the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. This project provides a mechanism to share best practice between Australian and the European Union (EU) universities, and to improve global understanding of the importance of sustainable water resources management. Long-term outcomes arising from this project could include joint Masters and/or PhD programmes, and joint Training and Professional Development Programmes between participating universities as well as joint research programmes.

Travel and subsistence grants are available for eligible students to undertake five months (one semester) study overseas. Australian students studying in the EU receive: $1,000 travel grant and $1500 per month as a subsistence grant. EU students studying in Australia receive: €1000 travel grant and €700 per month as a subsistence grant. Students must be currently enrolled in water-relevant study at a participating university. Australian students must be currently enrolled in water-relevant study with one of ICE WaRM’s partner universities. EU students must be currently enrolled in water-relevant study with one of the participating EU universities. During the exchange, students can choose to either take classes in water resources management, or undertake a period of water-relevant research. All courses will be presented in English in all participating universities.

Closing date: Ongoing. For further information please visit http://www.icewarm.com.au/index.php

Go8 Germany Research Exchange: Call for applications

Funding has been approved for a 3rd round of exchange programmes between the Go8 and DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) with special emphasis on ECRs.

Further details including application and selection procedures and a DVD
presentation about the Go8-DAAD scheme are now available to download
from the Go8 website at:

http://www.go8.edu.au/international
Go8 Germany Joint Research Co-operation Scheme

GMSTEC Research Fellowships 2009: Call for proposals

The Greater Mekong Subregion Tertiary Education Consortium Trust (GMSTEC) is a network of leading universities committed to promoting cooperation in education and development in the Greater Mekong Subregion. As part of its efforts to enhance research collaboration, GMSTEC has established a series of research fellowships (GMSTEC Research Fellowships) to enable academic staff to spend time at another member institution to facilitate joint research projects.

Applications for these fellowships are now open. call_for_proposal_final.doc

The closing date for submission is June 12 2009.

Clinton Global Initiative University

Student-led initiatives in the area of energy and climate change.

Commitment Award application [Click Here] 

The deadline for applications is Friday, April 3, 2009. Any questions
about the application can be directed to mailto:cgiu.applicant@clintonglobalinitiative.org.

Browse the CGI U website for ideas and examples of CGI U Commitments to Action.

For additional information, please visit the Clinton Global Initiative University website at http://www.cgiu.org/.

Scholarships

CSIRO flagships fund in 2008/09 will support up to 30 new scholarships.
Top-up scholarships are available to PhD students who have gained (or
expect to gain) an Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) or equivalent
scholarship. In certain circumstances, full scholarships are also
available. International students are eligible to apply, but must be
able to show evidence of admission to an Australian university.

Applications will open in mid-September and close 30 November. Each
Flagship will list a number of priority areas of research in which it is
particularly seeking applications. . These priority areas, along with
the Fund guidelines and links to the application forms, will be
available on the web at:

www.csiro.au/FlagshipScholarships
<http://www.csiro.au/FlagshipScholarships>.

The Climate Change Adaptation Partnerships Program

The Climate Change Adaptation Partnerships Program is part of Australia’s Farming Future. The Australian Government will work with research and development organisations, state governments and industry bodies to provide a framework for primary industries to adapt to climate change and manage their emissions. Funding will be provided for:

• research and development
• communications and awareness raising
• targeted training.

Research and development funding will help to prepare the agriculture sector to manage emissions and encourage on-farm adaptation and adjustment to climate change.

Funding will be provided for research projects and on-farm demonstration pilots that:

• significantly contribute to reducing emissions and improving adaptive capacity
• encourage collaboration across research organisations and state agencies to ensure large scale funding proposals and cross sectoral application.
  This element of the program will be delivered jointly with the Climate Change and Productivity Research Program.