Some Australian research funding is now a lottery. And that’s actually good news
Leaving some funding decisions up to luck can save everybody time and effort – and help understand what the funding actually does.
The Australian Research Council (ARC) has introduced a unique funding approach in its new "Explore" grant scheme. Instead of solely relying on peer review, some applications in this category will be allocated by a conditional lottery. After classification as highly competitive, competitive, or not competitive, the "competitive" applications undergo a random selection process where selected researchers receive funding.
This approach, while unconventional, has gained traction worldwide for its potential benefits. Lotteries have historically been used to fairly distribute roles in ancient Athens and allocate resources like car licences in Beijing. In recent years, they have been employed in research funding by organizations such as New Zealand's Health Research Council, Germany's Volkswagen Foundation, and more.
The ARC's lottery system aims to address challenges in reviewer bias, increase diversity among applicants, and streamline the funding process. Additionally, it may encourage researchers to propose more innovative ideas, potentially leading to greater societal returns. By allocating funds randomly, the ARC ensures a more equitable process, similar to the Athenian democracy's trust in lotteries to select officials. This move by the ARC may inspire other Australian funders to adopt similar practices.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
