The Response - UWA Staff - The University of Western Australia

A representation of a possible academic and administrative structure is given below.
‘The most significant challenge facing UWA’s capacity to attain a top 50 position is the lack of financial support
for research in the face of significant financial competition by other institutions in the Eastern States. There is a
significant disconnect between what the Executive at UWA apparently directs the Faculties and Schools to fund
with respect to research activities in the School and what happens in reality.
In reality, salary on-costs and any additional salary entitlements that arise as a result of enterprise bargaining
agreements are not provided by the School….Schools look for solutions to reduce the financial “burden” of
research. Chief Investigators are advised that they should limit the duration of contracts for research staff paid
from national competitive grants so that all costs are met by the grant. This becomes a vicious cycle of reduced
productivity. In reality the research objectives then cannot be met, publication output is reduced and success with
subsequent grant submissions is limited or ceases altogether.
In the case of administration of a Fellowship, it is typical practice for a Fellow who has been awarded a contract
with a fixed duration of funding (e.g. 2-yr fellowship), to be urged to accept one of 3 options: a reduced duration
of contract, a fractional appointment or the 2-year fellowship with an accumulating debt in the fellowship account.
The debt then attracts persistent communication from School management who insist that the Fellow find a way
to reduce the debt because it is the Fellow’s “responsibility” to do so. This can continue for years. Any additional
funds provided by the funding agency for travel support are never realised because the account is accumulating
debt, thereby limiting the Fellow’s ability to present research at national and international meetings. Given UWA’s
isolation this is a significant impediment.
….Debts associated with research activities are carried from one school to another and not dealt with by Heads
of Schools….Research staff are requested to “find” funds for office computers, office equipment and building of
lab benches that are Institutional/School expenses…. There is little understanding at the level of the School that
research is different from teaching and requires forward planning and budgeting. Other institutions/universities
around Australia are willing to fully fund research salaries and provide additional funds for support staff and
consumables with the explicit intent of attracting Fellows away from the less supportive environments.’
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