Peer review is the engine that NHMRC and other international health and medical research organisations use to decide what research to fund each year.
NHMRC is very grateful for the strong and high quality participation in peer review by the majority of Australian researchers.
The information provided below is for researchers, research administration staff and institutions about the Project Grant scheme 2010 Round.
Grant Review Panels
- The Grant Review Panels (GRPs) will meet in NHMRC’s Canberra Office this year.
- 35 GRPs will each meet for one week during the period 4 August to 10 September 2010.
- The Panels will initially decide which applications, following assessor's comments and rebuttals, will be non-competitive in the 2010 round, and there will be no further discussion of these at the GRP meeting.
- Panel Chairs in 2010 will be independent and will include senior research NHMRC staff and Senior New Zealand researchers. This is a response to Australian National Audit Office criticisms.
- NHMRC staff with doctoral degrees and research experience are also performing other tasks including the allocation of applications to panels and recommending panel members to the Academy.
- GRP Members are active researchers who hold a current national or international competitive research grant. Other considerations in forming a GRP include gender balance, state coverage, a mix of seniorities, renewal and turnover of membership, and the match that year with the profile of applications.
- NHMRC will provide all GRP members with a USB flash drive containing the grants for their panels shortly.
- In 2010, NHMRC received 3344 applications compared to 3110 in 2009 and 2586 in 2008.
External Assessors
- NHMRC will again seek to obtain two external assessments for each application.
- The participation of researchers in peer review is a central aspect of scientific research, and the key way in which researchers determine which research is funded and which is not.
- NHMRC will again honour those who participate as reviewers, on our website “honour roll” (URL). Likewise, we will be reminding grant holders that it is a condition of holding an NHMRC grant that they participate in NHMRC peer review. This participation is also a requirement of researchers through the Australian Code for the Responsible Conduct of Research.
- To assist external reviewers, step by step instructions will be provided upon receipt of request to undertake review.
- The Research Help Centre will be available to external assessors to use RGMS on 1800 500 983 or email help@nhmrc.gov.au.
Finally, NHMRC Research Committee and Council seek always to improve peer review and NHMRC will shortly open a feedback site for the research community to comment on and have input into Research Committee’ considerations of this vital aspect of research funding.