Australia-China Young Researchers Exchange Program

Summary and scope of the program

This is an annual exchange scheme for young researchers between Australia and China. In 2013 it will support exchange between the two countries of up to 16 Chinese participants and up to 16 Australian participants from all universities/research institutions meeting the eligibility criteria.

This program is a joint initiative funded by the Australian Department of Industry, Innovation, Science, Research and Tertiary Education (DIISRTE) and the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). It is supported by the Australia-China Science and Research Fund. In Australia the program is managed by the Group of Eight (Go8) office. The Chinese managing institution is the China Science and Technology Exchange Center (CSTEC).

Objectivities of the program

• Facilitate future long term science and research collaboration between Australia and China by bringing together future research leaders from both countries in order to foster long term relationships; and
• Develop early and mid-career Australian and Chinese researchers by increasing their understanding of the cultures, and particularly the science and research practices and systems, of the two countries and developing their leadership skills as future “science ambassadors” for Australia and China.

Funding information / eligible expenses for Australian participants

Each Australian participant will be funded for eligible costs for this exchange, including his/her return economy airfares from Australia to China, visa application fees, and travel insurance. The program will also cover all Australian participants’ accommodation, meals, costs incurred to attend orientation/debriefing sessions, and domestic travels during their two-week stay in China.

Activities of participants during/after the exchange

Australian participants will:

• travel as a group to China in the given period 1 to 14 September 2013;
• attend an orientation session upon arrival in China;
• be placed in at least one, and no more than three, appropriate research institutions in China for a total period of two weeks;
• attend a debriefing session and give a report on their two-week exchange experience before their departure from China.

Eligibility of Australian participants

Australian participants must:

• be Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents;
• be early to mid-career researchers. An “early to mid-career researcher” is defined as: A researcher who has had between 3 and 10 years of research experience since the award of his/her PhD (or equivalent research qualification), with the PhD having been awarded between 3 and 15 years at the closing date for submission of applications;
• be employed in an Australian research institution (i.e. universities, publicly-funded research agencies, or research-intensive businesses) in one of the approved research fields (including natural sciences, and engineering);
• have shown the potential to become leaders in the research community; and
• have no established links with China (including through living, studying or working in China), or have initial contacts, assumed to have high impact, if developed further.

Assessment criteria for Australian participants

The criteria to be used in assessing Australian applications include:

• the experience and track record of the participating researchers;
• the quality of their past and current research projects;
• the potential of their research projects to collaborate with China and to result in outcomes of mutual benefit to both countries;
• the potential to become leaders in the research community;
• the added value (to the discipline, institution and wider society) from the cooperation; and
• the potential to become leaders in the research community.

Application key dates for Australian participants to exchange in 2013

Applications for exchanges during 2013 open on 8 April 2013 and close on 16 June 2013.

How to apply

• Application for exchanges in 2013 open on 8 April 2013.
• Application form and program material can be downloaded from the bottom of the page.
• Read the application form including the terms and conditions on page 3 to determine if you are eligible to apply.
• Australian applicants must complete all the questions on the application pack, attach CV (maximum five pages) per participant, and submit them to the research office (or other single authorised central office) of each Eligible Research Organisation which will submit the 2 best ranked applications to the Go8 office for assessment and potential selection on the national level.

• Incomplete applications or applications not received by the advertised closing time and date will not be considered.

Information for Eligible Research Organisations

• Go8 will only accept a maximum of two applications per eligible research organisation within an annual round. The research office (or other single authorised central office) of each eligible research organisation will be responsible for setting up its internal deadlines for application submission and selecting the best two candidates from within the organisation;
• Each organisation will subject the applications it receives to its own quality assurance process and rank applications according to the assessment criteria listed above. The selected application(s) should then be provided to the Go8 office via yrep@go8.edu.au by 16 June 2013; and
• Research organisations that submit applications for this program should agree to host Chinese visiting scholars if required.

Further information about this program

Requests for further information about the scheme from potential applicants should be directed to each institution's research office (or other single authorised central office within the institution) in the first instance.

Further information may be obtained from the Go8 office:

Phone: +61 2 6239 5488
Email: yrep@go8.edu.au

Scheme documentation

Click on the following links to download or view -

Application form for exchange in 2013

Program report form