The Australian Government's Innovation Report

2002 2003 2004 2005
Griffith University 90 158 208 246
James Cook University 100 175 231 273
Queensland University of Technology 120 210 278 328
University of Queensland 100 175 231 273
University of Southern Queensland 10 18 23 27
University of the Sunshine Coast 0 0 0 0
Curtin University of Technology 90 158 208 246
Edith Cowan University 60 105 139 164
Murdoch University 0 0 0 0
University of Notre Dame Australia 50 88 116 137
University of Western Australia 70 123 162 191
Flinders University of South Australia 60 105 139 164
University of Adelaide 50 88 116 137
University of South Australia 55 96 127 150
Australian Maritime College 0 0 0 0
University of Tasmania 65 114 150 178
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education 0 0 0 0
Northern Territory University 0 0 0 0
Australian National University 0 0 0 0
University of Canberra 0 0 0 0
Australian Catholic University 0 0 0 0
Total 2000 3500 4625 5469
The allocation came to its peak (in place numbers) in 2005 when the total number of places was estimated to be 5469.
Investing in research training
Research Training Scheme
The Research Training Scheme (RTS) provides block grants on a calendar year basis to eligible higher education
institutions to support research training for students undertaking doctorate and Masters degrees by research.
These students are exempt from paying student contribution amounts and tuition fees for units undertaken
as part of a higher degree by research course of study. The scheme aims to:
• enhance the quality of research training provision in Australia;
• improve the responsiveness of higher education providers to the needs of their research students;
• encourage higher education providers to develop their own research training profiles;
• ensure the relevance of research degree programmes to labour market requirements; and
• improve the efficiency and effectiveness of research training.
The scheme gives funding certainty to universities, rewards high performing universities and protects others
by ensuring that no university will lose more than 5% of RTS funding from one year to the next. RTS funding
rose from $552.2 million in the 2005 calendar year to $562.6 million in 2006.
More information about the RTS can be found at:
www.dest.gov.au/sectors/research_sector/programmes_funding/general_funding/rbgrants/
Chapter 2 - Initiatives for a dynamic national innovation system 87