ARC Centre of Excellence Planning
Workshop
Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
Presented by multiple possible Senior Associates from OO
Length: from 1 to 3 days of intensive planning, ideally in person, also available online.
Size: max. 30 participants
This workshop, in several optional sessions (3 days originally) takes a team from the early stages of planning a Centre of Excellence submission through the planning stages of understanding the scheme and being ready to decide on the viability of the focus and approach
Day 1: ARC Centre of Excellence scheme, including scheme aims, patterns of success, recent changes and insider information; Q&A and information-sharing: dispel myths and identify areas of uncertainty, for further investigation; Share ideas for research questions and programs within the group, using project ideation techniques; Work towards an overarching research problem of suitable originality; Test different perspectives and interdisciplinary angles.
Day 2: Share some models of successful centres and their structure, as stimulus for thinking programmatically; Program planning: break the overarching question into sub-questions and domains of investigation; Visual exercises on potential structures (nodes, themes, programs, connecting activities); Impact and impact pathway planning; Stakeholders and ways to involve and co-design (building ethical issues and diversity into research design); Benefit and beneficiaries; National interest.
Day 3: Planning process; Timelines; Key decisions to be made; Leadership and governance; Support and investment: what resource and support can UON, partner universities and partners bring and share?; Shared research infrastructure and creative ways of using it?; Mapping existing research groups and planning how to strengthen and promote them; Mapping existing collaboration and planning how to evidence and extend it; What does a Director, Node leader, CI track record look like?; Track records of CIs – strengthening and connecting; Publication planning, events, exchange; Partnership, stakeholder and engagement plans; Review the plan and the timelines; What do you need to do next and who will do it?; What do you need to know?; Data requirements, research to be done?; Final exercise: what will success look like?
Presenters vary depending on disciplinary focus, but may involve: Prof Denise Meredyth, Emeritus Prof Stephen Buckman, Hon Prof Fiona Cameron, Emeritus Prof Joanne Tompkins, Emeritus Prof Stuart Cunningham, Emeritus Prof Brian Yates, Emeritus Prof Geoff Fincher and Emeritus Prof Catriona Mackenzie.