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Applications for the Australian Antarctic Science Program will open for the next round in 2013.

During 2011 the Australian Antarctic Science Program opened for applications to conduct science in Antarctica under the new Australian Antarctic Science Strategic Plan 2011-12 to 2020-21.

We received an overwhelmingly positive response from the science community, with over 160 applications being received for the Expression of Interest round, over 100 of which advanced to full applications.

These applications are currently being assessed via peer review and the Antarctic Research Assessment Committee (ARAC). The applications exceed, several fold, the scale of research that can be supported within the Australian Antarctic Program. Consequently, opportunities to support additional research that is not part of the current applications will be extremely limited during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

As a result we have decided to schedule the next opening of applications for the Australian Antarctic Science Program in 2013. This will allow new applications for the 2014-15 season onwards.

The delay in opening allows an opportunity to review and, if necessary, update the application and review process. It also allows time for a review of the research stream implementation plans to prioritise and guide research in the second phase of the current Strategic Plan.

Openings for future science rounds will continue to follow a biennial model, with openings for the current Strategic Plan being 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2019 (the last opening will likely transition to a new plan). 

Australian Antarctic science applications for 2012-13 have closed. 

Information on the full application assessment process, including criteria, is available in the guidelines, and timeline information is available at the Guidelines at a glance page.

For further information, please contact Planning.