Thread by @dangbrain

Thanks to @jod999 via @researchwhisperer for his great summary of an issue with the Australian funding system that is potentially unseen by most people, while being quite baffling to myself and others who are affected by it.

THREAD:

1/12

https://twitter.com/researchwhisper/status/1438297098173091841

Most researchers living and working in Australia probably don’t have to check the eligibility criteria of every Australian funding opportunity that comes across their desk because of a very real possibility that they won’t be eligible for most of them. 2/12

Most funds stipulate that the research must be conducted primarily in Australia. Anyone with working rights in Australia is still paying taxes. Even so, not (yet) being an Australian permanent resident (PR) or citizen is enough to be ineligible. 3/12

e.g. NOT eligible for @nhmrc and @DementiaAus Investigator/Fellowship grants, but eligible for CTCS/Ideas/Project grants. (Note these are mentioned only because they’re recently relevant for me – there certainly are other examples.) Also eligible for #DECRA @arc_gov_au. 4/12

No clear overarching rules for 'temporary resident' eligibility, but the general trend seems to be that migrant researchers can't apply for most fellowships but can apply for some project funding. 5/12

Speculation: Are funding bodies trying to avoid the ‘brain drain’ of funding ECR/MCR training when they could take positions overseas once finished? 6/12

*Anyone* could move overseas after a fellowship, even PRs or citizens. Many variables are involved in determining what happens after a fellowship ends, but not even having the option to apply for fellowships narrows down the possibilities for migrant researchers. 7/12

That’s not an incentive to stay in Australia. It’s an incentive to take their talents elsewhere to build their careers. How many talented minds have we lost for this reason? ‘Brain drain’ takes many forms, and this is one of them. 8/12

Over the last 18 months, we’ve heard a lot about the importance of int’l students to the Aus economy. But we don't do enough to keep talented migrants in Australia after they’ve graduated. Being a migrant in Australia also hasn’t been easy these days for obvious reasons. 9/12

As @jod999 said, it would be great if more funds would allow anyone with working rights in Australia to apply. The research is conducted in Australia by people with working rights and who are paying taxes. This provides benefit and value to Australia in numerous ways. 10/12

Would be great to hear more from funding bodies about their reasoning for maintaining these eligibility criteria. Hard to understand why. What would they lose by allowing ‘temporary residents’ to apply for fellowships and other otherwise restricted funding opportunities? 11/12

On the other hand, there certainly is a lot to gain. 12/12