Faculty of Humanities Coordinated Response to the Policy Review of the National Competitive Grants Program

This document presents the responses of researchers from Curtin University's Faculty of Humanities to the ARC consultation on proposed reforms to nationally competitive research funding schemes in Australia. Drawing on extensive expertise from researchers with significant experience in ARC processes, the submission is a response to the Discussion Paper "A New Plan for ARC-Funded Research" which was released for comment in 2025. The response was authored by a working group of seven Humanities Faculty academics at various career stages, with experience of ARC funding schemes and processes. This document considers the potential impacts of changes proposed by the ARC, particularly for humanities scholars located in Western Australia. The document systematically addresses six fundamental questions about the model's viability, identifies unintended consequences, and proposes constructive modifications to better serve Australia's research community in the decades ahead.