AIMS AND BACKGROUND
The University of Melbourne, through the Engagement Division, announces the Melbourne-Asian Century Visiting Fellowship Program to enhance the University’s academic collaborations with scholars and institutions in the countries of the Asian region. The University is committed to strong collaborative relationships that support high-impact and high-quality research relevant to the countries of the region and their peoples and to producing graduates who have outstanding levels of Asia-relevant capabilities and experiences.
In particular, the Research@Melbourne strategy outlines the University’s goals of developing research relevant to the accelerated modernisation of much of Asia, as well as specialist capabilities in Asian language, culture and history. It recognises that much of our existing research in areas such as business, urban futures, energy and resource management is as relevant to Asia as it is to anywhere in the world and therefore seeks to embed an Asian dimension in relevant research that already cuts across many areas within the University at the same time as profiling the more specialist Asian research activities. Although this program lies predominantly within the grand challenges of understanding our place and purpose, potential links with Asia-relevant research in sustainability and resilience, and fostering health and well-being, should be explored and encouraged.
The commitment to producing graduates who are active global citizens attuned to cultural diversity also acquires particular relevance in the Asian-century. As well as embedding learning opportunities in the domestic curriculum, the University seeks to enhance the opportunities for students to have an intellectually and culturally challenging educational experience in Asia or, through eLearning, with counterparts in universities in the Asian region.
To support these objectives, the Melbourne-Asian Century Visiting Fellowship Program will provide funding to support faculties in appointing (under the usual procedures for appointing visiting Fellows) and hosting leading academics from the region to undertake two annual short-term academic visits to the University (in 2014 and 2015).
As part of their visit, Fellows will present a public lecture or specialist seminar/s related to their research and collaborative initiatives with Melbourne academics.
The program is intended to complement existing and forthcoming University programs focused on enhanced engagement in the Asian region.
The program has the capacity to support at least 12 Fellows.
FUNDING
This program funds inbound visits to the University of Melbourne; it does not fund outbound visits by University of Melbourne academics.
Fellowship funds can be used as a contribution towards the total cost of the activity and can include any (or all) of the following:
· international flights and connections
· accommodation
· venue and associated equipment hire
· other ancillary costs related to the visit (but not direct research- or teaching-related expenses)
Fellowship funds cannot be used for salaries (for the Fellow, collaborator, research assistants or consultants) or other direct costs associated with the proposed collaboration.
The standard maximum award is $5,000 per visit. Any request for additional funding must be justified (e.g. nature of activity, length of Fellowship). In any event, total funding will not exceed $7,500 per year and $15,000 per two year Fellowship.
ELIGIBILITY
Proposed Fellows must be members of academic staff at an academic institution or equivalent. While capacity to strengthen the University’s formal academic relationships with institutions in Asia is a strategic priority, it is not mandatory that proposed Fellows be employed at such institutions.
Applications to this program proposing a Fellow can only be made by academic staff employed by the University of Melbourne at Academic level B or higher (minimum of 0.5 FTE) at the time of application. Applications must be supported by the relevant Head of Department and Dean.
KEY DATES
Applications from University of Melbourne academic staff proposing a Fellow must be submitted to the Engagement Division in the manner set out below by 7 November 2013. Some Faculties may require submission to the Faculty (for endorsement, ranking and shortlisting) up to a week before the 7 November 2013 Engagement deadline. Staff are advised to check with their local contact (listed below) about internal Faculty deadlines.
APPLICATION PROCESS, EVALUATION AND ASSESSMENT
HOW TO APPLY: INSTRUCTIONS FOR UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE ACADEMICS
1. Complete this application form, ensuring all requested information is provided.
2. Save your completed application as single PDF file NAME_FACULTY_MAVFS, where NAME is the family name of the Applicant. For example, Prof John Smith from the Faculty of Arts would name the file: SMITH_ARTS_MAVFS.
3. Submit the application as a single PDF file for endorsement by your Head of Department and Dean.
4. Submit the endorsed file to <pvc-international@unimelb.edu.au> by 7 November 2013 unless an earlier Faculty-specific deadline has been set.
Applications will be checked for eligibility by the Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) before being submitted to a selection Committee for review. The Committee will be chaired by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) and include faculty and divisional representatives. The Committee will submit its recommendations to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) for approval. The decisions of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Engagement) are final.
HOW TO APPLY: INSTRUCTIONS FOR NON-UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE ACADEMIC STAFF / POTENTIAL FELLOWS
Applications can only be submitted by University of Melbourne academic staff. A list of faculty contacts who can provide further information on visiting the University of Melbourne appears below.
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:
· Contribution to the University’s goals of:
o enhancing the University’s academic collaborations with scholars and institutions in the countries of the Asian region
o strengthening the scale, profile and impact of the University’s Asia-relevant research and international funding for that research and
o producing graduates who have an outstanding levels of Asia-relevant capabilities and experiences,
· Potential to significantly enhance sustainable academic collaborations aligned with these goals
· Academic records of the proposed Fellow and of the University of Melbourne collaborator
· Alignment with institutional/national strategy, including
o the country priorities identified in the Research@Melbourne strategy (China and India) and Indonesia
o potential to strengthen the University’s and Faculty’s formal partnerships and alliances with institutions in Asia (see http://iro.unimelb.edu.au/internationalcooperation/partners) and broader collaboration with these institutions
· Capacity of the award of a Fellowship to catalyse additional relationships and collaborations that would not otherwise be possible
Note: Applications that are incomplete or exceed the maximum funding/word limits in any section will be rejected.
FUNDING CONDITIONS
Successful University of Melbourne applicants will be notified in November 2013 and asked to confirm acceptance of the award. Funds for both years of the Fellowship will then be transferred to the relevant faculty or graduate school. All funds must be transferred to faculties and graduate schools during 2013. Applications must contain a valid account string to which funds will transferred if the application is successful.
One page Fellowship reports must be submitted within six weeks of the first visit and of the nominated completion period. This report must address the objectives stated in the original proposal and include a summary of all activities, including any variations undertaken as part of this award (if any). Although Fellowship outputs may take some time to achieve, the report should indicate when key outputs from the Fellowship are expected (such as joint pieces of work/funding applications/manuscripts/course proposals). Successful applicants will be provided a report template for completion. The recipient must provide evidence that all awarded funds have been accounted for or spent. Any unspent funds are to be returned.
PRIVACY POLICY
The information requested will be available to and used by the Selection Committee, the Committee Secretariat Officer, administrative staff and where necessary professional advisers in order to assess candidates for the Fellowships. The University of Melbourne has a comprehensive Privacy Policy addressing issues related to the responsible use, collection and security of, and access to personal information which can be viewed at the following website: http://policy.unimelb.edu.au/MPF1104
You are entitled to access personal information held by the University of Melbourne under freedom of information laws as explained on the Privacy Officer’s web site.
FURTHER INFORMATION
All enquiries for the scheme should be directed in the first instance to the Faculty contacts listed below or to the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) at pvc-international@unimelb.edu.au
Selection will be undertaken by a committee chaired by the Pro Vice-Chancellor (International).
VISITING FELLOW APPLICATION AND NOMINATION FORM
Please attach a CV of the proposed Fellow and proponent, along with any other essential supporting documents.
It is advisable that potential Fellows are not formally approached at the application stage; however potential Fellows may approach Faculties through contacts identified below as the Program is promoted externally.
A. visiting fellow
| Title | | Family Name | |
| Given Name(s) | |
| Organisation | |
| Position | |
| Address | |
| Indicators of academic record: research excellence/ productivity / recognition 200 word limit | |
| Details of existing academic and institutional relationship 200 word limit | |
| CV attached | ☐ Yes |
B. University of melbourne APPLICANT / FELLOWSHIP PROPONENT
| Title | | Family Name | |
| Given Name/s | |
| Position | | ¨ Full Time ¨ Part Time please indicate FTE |
| Department | |
| Faculty/Graduate School | |
| Telephone | |
| Email Address | |
| Indicators of academic record: research excellence/ productivity / recognition 200 word limit | |
| CV attached | ☐ Yes |
| | | | | |
C. FELLOWSHIP ACTIVITY
Briefly describe the proposed fellowship activity and area/s of collaboration
800 word limit
| Proposed duration and timing of visits | |
| Proposed output or impact and contribution to University goals | |
| Potential for sustainable ongoing collaboration | |
| Potential to catalyse broader collaboration | |
| Strategic alignment (institutional ties, Research@Melbourne strategy and other country priorities) | |
D. BUDGET JUSTIFICATION and ACCOUNT CODE STRING
Briefly detail the proposed budget for each year of the two year Fellowship. Where more than $5,000 per year is requested please justify why additional support is required.
| International flights and connections Accommodation Other |
Please provide the name of the administering University of Melbourne academic department and nominate the Themis departmental project account string to be used if your application for funding is successful. (Please confirm the account string with the relevant agreement administrator or business manager.)
| Department Name: | |
| Themis Account String | Co | Budget Unit | Section | Project | Group Code | Activity | Location |
| 01 | _ _ _ | _ _ | _ _ _ _ _ | _ _ _ | _ _ | _ _ |
E. ENDORSEMENT BY HEAD OF DEPARTMENT AND DEAN
We support this application and the proposed appointment of the nominated Fellow as a visitor in our Department/Faculty. The proposed visit of the Fellow can be accommodated within current facilities and sufficient working and office space is available. Where appropriate, we will support the integration of the results of this project into the appropriate teaching programs.
| Head of Department/Dean name | Signature | Date |
| | | |
| | | |
F. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION
1. Save your completed application as single PDF file NAME_FACULTY_MAVFS, where NAME is the family name of the Applicant. For example, Prof John Smith from the Faculty of Arts would name the file: SMITH_ARTS_MAVFS
2. Submit the application as a single PDF file for endorsement by your Head of Department and Dean
3. Submit the endorsed files to <pvc-international@unimelb.edu.au>
Faculty contacts for enquiries
Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning
Dr Toong-Khuan Chan, Assistant Dean International
tchan@unimelb.edu.au
Faculty of Arts
Associate Professor Timothy J. Lynch, Director, Graduate School of Humanities & Social Sciences
tlynch@unimelb.edu.au
Faculty of Business and Economics
Professor Bill Harley, Associate Dean (Global Engagement)
bharley@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne Business School
Dr. Ian O. Williamson, Associate Dean International Relations
i.williamson@mbs.edu
Melbourne Graduate School of Education
Associate Professor David Beckett, Deputy Dean, Melbourne Graduate School of Education
dbeckett@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne School of Engineering
Associate Professor Graham Moore, Chair, Regional Strategy Committee on Asia
grahamam@unimelb.edu.au
Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
Ms Tiiu Sildva, International Engagement Officer
tiiu.sildva@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne School of Land and Environment
Dr Bob Farquharson, Assistant Dean International
bob.farquharson@unimelb.edu.au
Melbourne Law School
Professor Carolyn Evans, Dean of Melbourne Law School
law-dean@unimelb.edu.au
Faculty of Science
Ms Deryn Vahl-Meyer, Manager External Relations
derynv@unimelb.edu.au
Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music
Associate Professor Jon Cattapan, Associate Dean International
jcat@unimelb.edu.au
Faculty of Veterinary Science
TBC – contact pvc-international@unimelb.edu.au in the first instance.
