|
Research
The Melbourne Centre is establishing a focused
program of research relating to the interests of
the Victorian Financial Services industry, government
and associated academia. The shaping of this program
is guided by the Melbourne Centre’s Board
and Industry Advisory Committee and is led by the
Director of the Centre. As part of the program,
the Melbourne Centre has established:-
• The Academic Research Grants program
• A number of Industry Research Internships
Each of these is further described below.
The Research program of the Melbourne Centre also
includes research and consulting assignments undertaken
for government and industry.
It is a characteristic of the research programs
of the Melbourne Centre that as well as being of
high academic integrity and quality, they are practical
and relevant to the Victorian financial and business
community. Research undertaken at the Melbourne
Centre will be original and innovative, and not
replicate research already undertaken elsewhere.
The research activities of the Melbourne Centre
have been organized primarily into three research
programs:
These are the areas where it is perceived that
the greatest value can be added by the Melbourne
Centre’s activities. These areas reflect the
characteristics and strengths of the financial sector
and finance academe in Victoria. Each area is further
reviewed below, including topics and research grants
which have been made in the individual area.
The Melbourne Centre allows some flexibility in
its research program where it is felt that the proposed
area of research is relevant and of value. A number
of Research Grants have been made for such purposes
and these are listed below under Other Research.
The Academic Research Grants Program
Associates of the Melbourne Centre for Financial Studies are periodically invited to apply for Research Grants funded by the Melbourne Centre. The amount allocated depends upon the quality of applications and relevance to the Centre’s objectives.
Research Grant applications are assessed on the grounds of academic merit and consistency with the research plan of the Centre. The major criteria for acceptance of projects is that the research should:
Lead to output in the form of academic publications in high quality journals,
- Involve topics which will be regarded by industry as relevant and value adding,
- Be innovative and not replications or minor extensions of existing work and, desirably
- Build linkages between researchers in the consortium (or other) Universities and industry.
Following a review by the Centre’s Board, there are two types of grant applications considered. These are “Small Grants” and “Team based – portfolio Grants”.“Small grants” are for amounts up to $20,000 by an individual or a group of researchers.“Team based – portfolio” applications:
- are team-based and bring together the research strengths of a group of academics (either within, or preferably, across institutions)
- address and contribute to the MCFS research priority areas.
- set clear targets on:
- Number of, and timetable for, academic publications
- Number, and timing, of thought-leadership papers to be made available for MCFS distribution to industry
- Opportunities arising for development of and participation/presentation in MCFS academic workshops/seminars
- Opportunities arising for development of and participation/presentation in practitioner workshops/seminars
- Development of industry links and industry input in the research agenda
Initial funding of Grants is for a period of one year, but applications for multi-year projects can be made, which must set out expected deliverables for the first year of the project. The Grant Committee will consider such applications, and advise of targets required to be met for subsequent year funding to be made available. In addition, subsequent applications for continuation funding for an existing grant may be considered.
Successful applicants are required to provide a 3-4 page discussion paper for posting on the Centre’s web site.
Grant recipients are required to present at and participate in Centre workshops to be held approximately five and eleven months after research grants are made.Grant recipients are required to submit working papers of their research – these working papers are posted on the Centre’s web site.
Both the discussion papers and the working papers presented to date are available for download.
Industry Research Internships
The Victorian Government Department
of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development
has provided funds for a limited number of Industry
Research Internships.
Details of this scheme and the associated Initial
Application form are as follows:-
|
