Fellowships

Applications for the 2012-13 round of Fellowships close on 1 July 2012

The Australian Prime Ministers Centre at the Museum of Australian Democracy awards Fellowships to researchers interested in the history, origins, traditions and contemporary practice of Australian democracy, with reference to Australian prime ministers.

Fellowship applicants should propose a research, creative, literary or bibliographic project. Projects may draw on relevant collections held in Canberra, elsewhere in Australia or overseas.

Who can apply?

The Australian Prime Ministers Centre welcomes applications from established researchers and artists interested in the history, origins, traditions and contemporary practice of Australian democracy, with special reference to Australian prime ministers. Applicants should have scholarly credentials, preferably of at least Master’s or PhD level, or a record of equivalent achievement in their field. One Fellowship is reserved each year for early career or creative artists, where suitable applications are received. Relevant fields may include history, social sciences, politics, museum studies, librarianship, the performing arts, literature and art.

Current postgraduate students are not eligible for Fellowships but may apply for a Summer Scholarship. Previous recipients of APMC Fellowships may re-apply in subsequent years with the application being assessed on its own merits.

Prospective applicants are encouraged to submit a research proposal for one of the following categories, although these are not exclusive:

academic paper. eg published journal article, book, chapter, or website content
bibliography. eg a project which locates and describes significant records, including audiovisual and other non-text based materials
creative project. eg a script for a play, dramatic performance, the visual arts, or multimedia technology.

Fellowship terms

The following section provides information on the expected outcomes, levels of funding, related support and timing of the fellowships.

Expected outcomes

Fellows will be required to:

undertake a significant research project that addresses the Centre’s key objectives
produce, or make substantial progress towards, an academic paper, bibliography or other creative project
spend 10 business days based at the Australian Prime Minister Centre within the Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House in Canberra during their tenure. (Terms may be modified for Fellows who generally reside overseas)
attend at least one Fellows work-in-progress seminar in Canberra (which may include the June seminar noted below).
be available for publicity purposes including interviews with the media in order to promote the receipt of the award, results of their research or the benefits of the Centre’s research and scholarship program
acknowledge the support of the Australian Prime Ministers Centre and the research and scholarship program in any publication or other material resulting from the research
provide a complimentary copy of any publications resulting from research conducted under the Fellowship to Old Parliament House
prepare a brief report at the conclusion of the Fellowship

The requirement to spend 10 business days in Canberra may be undertaken in one or more trips for the purposes of research at relevant institutions in Canberra (including the National Archives and the National Library) and may include attendance at the June seminar.

Funding

The Australian Prime Ministers Centre will in general provide a payment of up to $16,000 to cover the following:

travel to undertake research
accommodation and living expenses while away from home
research expenses such as photocopying
research allowance when fully engaged in research towards the Fellowship
at least one trip to Canberra to attend the final presentation seminar in June, and/or undertake research

Applicants should provide an indicative research budget covering all anticipated expenditure in their application. Budgets may range from $2,000 - $16,000 depending on the nature of the research project. The actual amount of the funding will be at the discretion of the selection panel. Please consult the attached ‘Recommended rates’ document for guidance in preparing your research budget. Please note that higher rates nominated in the research budget may not be supported in full.

Other support

The Centre will also provide:

fully equipped office accommodation in the Centre
out-of-hours access to the Centre’s research collection and seminar room (7am-7pm)
reference assistance by Centre staff to identify and locate material held within the Centre’s collection and other relevant collections

Timing

Successful Fellows may undertake their Fellowship at any time from the date of award until 30 June of the following year. Subject to approval, awards may also be extended to 31 December of the following year on application. Awards cannot be deferred.
A Fellowship may be undertaken on either a full-time or a part-time basis, depending on the situation and requirements of the successful Fellow.
In general, a full-time Fellowship would be for a maximum of three months and a part-time Fellowship for no more than 12 months. Shorter terms are also supported.
Fellows should aim to spend at least 10 business days of their Fellowship term based at the museum in Canberra.
Part of the Fellowship tenure should include a trip to Canberra, where possible, to present research findings at a seminar in June.

Preparing your application

Applications for the 2012 Fellowship close on 1 July 2012.

Each application must include the following:

application form
curriculum vitae
detailed research proposal
two references
indicative budget

Application form

Download the application form here, complete the form and attach it to supporting documentation.

Curriculum vitae

The curriculum vitae should include details of relevant study and work experience. Where relevant, it should also include:

details of other research awards previously held
details of professional seminars/conference papers/public lectures/performances presented
a list of published works

The research proposal

The research proposal should indicate the relevance of the research project to the objectives of the Australian Prime Ministers Centre. The proposal should also:

provide a comprehensive outline of the proposed topic of research
indicate the anticipated outcomes and significance of the proposed research
indicate the major collections that would be researched during the Fellowship
include brief details of others who are working on the project
indicate the audience(s) for the intended research
indicate how the results of the proposed research will be published (book, journal, website etc) and how these results will promote the Centre
indicate whether it would be part-time or full-time research
indicate the period during which the Fellowship would be undertaken
indicate anticipated dates of the in-residence period at the museum
contain an indicative budget to cover travel, living and research expenses

The references

The two references should be from (academic) referees or others who are familiar with the applicant’s field, and should address the following selection criteria:

the applicant’s qualifications, ability and experience
the quality of the applicant’s previous research and publications
the significance of the project to the field

Download the referee report.

References should be signed by both the applicant and the referee, or include the email trail. References should also include contact details of the referee (telephone, fax number and email address).

Assessment of applications

Applications will close on 1 July 2012.

Applications will be assessed during July, with applicants advised of the outcome in early-mid August 2012. The independent selection panel consists of representatives from relevant professional bodies and collecting institutions.

In assessing each application the selection panel will take into account:

the quality of the application
the relevance and significance of the research proposal
the ability of the applicant to meet the intended outcomes of their proposal
the appropriateness of the proposed budget

Where to send your application

Applications should be sent to the following address by 1 July 2012:

David Joliffe
Australian Prime Ministers Centre
Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House
PO Box 7088
Canberra BC ACT 2610, Australia

An electronic copy should also be sent to apmc@moadoph.gov.au

Further information

For further information, please contact the Australian Prime Ministers Centre.

Alternatively, if you wish to discuss your application prior to lodgement, please contact David Joliffe (02) 6270 8239 or email david.joliffe@moadoph.gov.au