The Future Research Leaders Program is an initiative of the Group of Eight universities and the Commonwealth Government.

The Group of Eight (Go8) is a coalition of Australian universities. Membership comprises the Vice-Chancellors of: The University of Adelaide, The Australian National University, the University of Melbourne, Monash University, The University of New South Wales, The University of Queensland, the University of Sydney and The University of New South Wales.

The Go8 received $A1 million under the Australian Government's Workplace Productivity Program to develop and implement Phase 1 of a Future Research Leaders Program (FRLP). By completion of Phase 1 of the Program the Go8 universities in November 2008 the Go8 universities will also have contributed an additional $1.2 million to the Program.

The Future Research Leaders Program provides best practice training in financial management, grant administration, business planning, commercialisation and technology transfer, corporate governance, financial reporting, acquittal and audit requirements to current and emerging researchers in Go8 universities who are identified as future research leaders.

The project aims to:

• provide development opportunities to current and future research leaders to create a critical mass for improved researcher productivity and performance;
• develop consistent and published sector-wide performance standards and learning materials for researchers in financial and business management of research;
• increase awareness among researchers and the research community as to what is expected of them in relation to the efficient management of research projects;
• involve the major funding agencies in the measurement and evaluation of the project outcomes, to drive reform at the institutional level as well as across the Go8; and
• publicise the outcomes and findings of the program.

Program participants commence with an online induction/orientation module designed for researchers who are new to universities. The subsequent eight modules seek to prepare participants for future roles as managers of research grants and leaders of research teams. These modules explore the roles and responsibilities that researchers assume as project managers, as research supervisors, as team leaders and as centre leaders.

Each module will comprise independent-study online learning material that is completed prior to an end-of-module workshop. The total time commitment for participants will be in the order of 8 hours per module.

The Program is designed so that each module, while forming part of the Program, can be undertaken by a participant without having to undertake any other module. Participants may therefore take as many modules as they wish.

The online induction/orientation module Settling In: The Researcher's Guide to Your University exploring financial and resource management comprises two elements:

• a checklist of local practices and expectations which should be discussed with researchers during the induction process; and
• documentation of principles and processes which should be reflected in effective research management practices.

The subsequent eight modules target the development of specific capabilities in the following areas:

1. Research Strategy and Planning
2. Commencement and Collaboration: Putting Ideas into Practice
3. Governance and Compliance: Protecting Yourself, Your Research and Your University
4. Intellectual Property and Commercialisation
5. Financial, Resource and Risk Management
6. Grant and Contract Administration
7. Managing and Leading People in a Research Context
8. Project Closeout

You can commence the program by clicking on the Modules link at the top of the page.