Definition of 'Research Active'

This is a response from the Faculty of Information Technology to the discussion paper “Research Activity at Monash University ” of 21st December 2005. The Faculty supports the new approach to defining “research active”, and provides detailed parameters and a formula for counting joint work below. The definition should apply to all teaching and research and research only staff, with the Head of School able to determine exceptions in special circumstances.

The Faculty is concerned that the measures for “research active” are used only as a threshold to determine staff that are research active – the outcomes should be “yes” or “no”. The measures are not suitable for ranking staff by research activity, determining an absolute level of research performance, or for research funding decisions. Other more suitable measures should be used for these tasks.

The Faculty fully supports the establishment of different research threshold levels for different level staff. We recommend the use of Option B in determining Monash Research Points (MRP) as it is compensatory between publications and grant income.

Monash Research Points

MRP should be determined as follows:

MRP = Publication Points + Grant Points

1 Publication Point for a single authored journal paper, conference paper, or book chapter;

0.5 Publication Points for a jointly authored journal paper, conference paper, or book chapter;

5 Publication Points for a research book;

(this is to provide an appropriate balance between (i) recognising the effort that goes into single-author publications and (ii) encouraging collaborative research which is common and desirable in FIT)

1 Grant Point for $10,000 or more external research grant income per annum, and pro-rata distribution of grant points for multiple Chief Investigators.

Research Active Thresholds

The threshold for 'research active' at each staff level will be determined over the three preceding years and is as follows:

Level B In the three preceding years at least 3 MRPs.
Level C In the three preceding years at least 4 MRPs.
Level D In the three preceding years at least 5 MRPs.
Level E In the three preceding years at least 6 MRPs.

Confirmation of Level B Staff

For level B at the point of confirmation the threshold should be 2 MRPs AND co-application for a national competitive grant or equivalent with another Monash academic staff member at senior lecturer or above.