FACULTY CONFERENCE TRAVEL FUNDING GUIDELINES

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FACULTY CONFERENCE TRAVEL FUNDING GUIDELINES AUGUST 2015 Document History: 1. Version 1: 30 July 2008 2. Version 2: 13 August 2008 3. Version 3: 10 September 2008 4. Version 4: 29 April 2009 5. Version 5 04 November 2009 6. Version 6 03 March 2010 7. Version 7 14 March 2010 8. Version 8 19 October 2010 9. Version 9 10 November 2011 10. Version 10 14 December 2011 11. Version 11 12 December 2012 12. Version 12 12 December 2012 13. Version 13 18 December 2013 14. Version 14: 21 October 2014 15. Version 15: 1 Dec 2014 16. Version 16: 10 June 2015 17. Version 17: 3 August 2015 1

1. Purpose: 1.1 To streamline FEIT research related conference travel approval and activity management process. 1.2 To support all staff and HDR students for quality research publications. 1.3 To address UTS and FEIT Step Change. 2. Principle: 2.1 Assessment based on Conference Quality, OR 2.2 Assessment based on Applicant s track record ofjournal Publications. 3. Introduction The Faculty Conference Travel Guidelines govern the use of the funds for activities related to attendance at research conferences. Approved conference travel is associated with activities that contribute to the Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) and implementing the Faculty s research strategic objectives and Step Change. The high quality research activities supported through the Faculty and Schools include the following (i) early career researcher (ECR) and HDR student development, (ii) research networking and collaboration, (iii) leveraging for external competitive research grants, (iv) provision of incentives for researchers to seek external research grants, (v) addressing Excellence Research Australia (ERA) s framework, (vi) increasing the proportion of high quality Journal publications and (vii) contribution to UTS reputation as a leading University of Technology. The Associate Dean, Research (ADR) is responsible for the allocation of the funds to Schools, and the School (HoS and/or School Travel Committee) is responsible for the allocation of the funds to staff and HDR students. It is important to appreciate that budgetary restrictions may be introduced in any one-year to enable the Faculty to meet its budget constraints and the Dean may consider and approve strategic travel applications outside these Guidelines. The Dean must approve all overseas and domestic travel as well as the use of all discretionary funds. 4. Staff Eligibility The Faculty/School disperses funds to current full-time and part-time (50% or more fractional) academics as well as research fellows, HDR students and support staff. Applicants must be a member of a school in the Faculty of Engineering and IT. One-year fixed term academics are eligible for the funding only if they are full-time. The Guidelines are to be read in conjunction with the University Travel Vice-Chancellor s Directive, including the Professional Experience Program (PEP) Vice-Chancellors Directive. 2

Applications from staff members on approved PEP will be considered on a case-by-case basis, if 1) the applicant is able to demonstrate that the travel cannot be fully funded by the PEP allowance; and 2) the travel meets the requirements of these Guidelines and the Travel Vice- Chancellor s Directive. 5. Student Eligibility HDR students must be enrolled in a Higher Degree Research Program in the Faculty of Engineering and IT for the duration of the application conference and process. 6. Procedures Procedures for application and lodging of required documentation are detailed separately and are available from http://my.feit.uts.edu.au/pages/research/travel_procedures All applications must be submitted to their supervisor. Applicants are encouraged to talk with their Supervisor BEFORE submitting to the school. Applicants are also encouraged to submit their travel applications as early as possible, as late applications may not be processed. 7. Guidelines Research Conference Travel 7.1 Assessment of travel applications Applications to present a paper, of at least 4 pages in length, that will contribute to the Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) 1 at a high quality conference (see 7.1.1) will be given the priority. In the case of applications to present a paper at a conference which is not highly ranked, or to attend but not present a paper at a conference, funding will be contingent upon consideration of the applicant s track record (see 7.1.2) 7.1.1 Quality of the Conference This assessment applies to all applicants; Applicants must demonstrate, with evidence, that the proposed conference and associated travel appropriately fall into faculty research areas. High quality conferences often exhibit the following features: a. High levels of competitiveness typically evidenced by low acceptance rates for papers; 1 The Faculty Conference Travel funding in any given year is generated from HERDC outcomes over previous years, hence the need to require applicants to generate future HERDC quantum. See http://www.innovation.gov.au/research/researchblockgrants/pages/highereducationresearchdataco llection.aspx for details. 3

b. Thorough review processes typically evidenced by high quality review reports; c. The involvement of preeminent international researchers/scholars as part of their organization, as conference chairs, program chairs, program committee members, invited speakers and/or authors. Most ERA/CORE Tier A or B conferences are generally considered to be high quality. Tier C or unranked are not encouraged, but if a conference is Tier C or Unranked, additional information about the quality of the conference as listed below must be provided and endorsed by Supervisors and/or the Research Centre Director: 7.1.2 Track record High quality keynote speaker/typical participants High quality review process/ review comments History of the conference Quality of Conference Committees Conference acceptance rate (< 30%) The paper is considered for publication in an ERA Tier A/B journal after the conference. Evidence of publication in the journal must be provided and endorsed by the Research Centre Director or HoS. When it is necessary to assess track record, all academic staff and HDR students must have at least one paper accepted or published in a high impact journal (top 25% of JCR ranked journals in a subject category or ERA Tier A/A* Journal) in the last 12 months. Conference travel resulting directly from the high quality journal publications has the priority. Note: that a journal paper can be used for one application only. Top tier journals are typically widely recognised, therefore establishing the fact is self-evident across disciplines. The following links are helpful: To check Journal Impact Factor, one may go to UTS Library (Search for Journal Citation Reports (JCR), hover over Available and click on Electronic resource, select JCR Science Edition 2012 & submit, select field(s) and submit) 7.1.3 The Faculty will only support travel funding once per year for each HDR student or staff member. 7.2 Misleading applications 4 Applications with misleading information in general, including wrongfully claiming the journal s ranking and impact factors will be rejected and will not be eligible to apply for travel funding during that particular year.

7.3 For situations where there are multiple FEIT authors for one paper requesting to attend the same conference only one will be supported for each conference unless applicants request that funding for one applicant be shared between multiple authors. 7.4 Applicants must list the actual or estimated cost of registration fees and travel, and provide evidence of costs as part of their application. 7.5 Applicants must use Faculty Conference Travel funds in an appropriate and cost effective manner. 7.6 Due to limited funding availability applications are considered on a strategic basis using evidence provided in the application. The School (or School Travel Committee) at its discretion, may favour applications from early career researchers (ECRs) or those seeking support for highest quality publications if facing a fiscal challenge. 7.7 Registration Only applications for conferences may be funded, but the author must provide evidence that someone else will be presenting the paper. Multi-registration for the same conference may also be considered but only for different paper presentations. 7.8 A successful application does not confer an automatic right to travel. The applicants must always ensure that their HoS and Supervisors are aware of the application and willing to approve the travel involved. All travel must be approved by the Dean before it is undertaken. 7.9 One application can cover multiple conferences up to the maximum level of funding per conference. Applicants can attend several conferences on a single application provided the costs do not exceed the maximum level of funding. 8. Staff Funding Availability The amount of funding provided for each conference travel is strictly limited to $4,000 for a conference in Europe, the Americas, Africa or Middle-East; strictly limited to $3,500 for a conference in South and East Asia; and strictly limited to $1,600 for a conference within Australia, New Zealand or the Pacific Islands. Staff applicants who have been invited to attend prestigious international conferences and to assume duties beyond those attached to presenting a paper will be considered for a higher level of funding (maximum additional funding of $500). Examples of such duties include: conference convener; keynote speaker; chairperson of a plenary of a significant international conference. Important roles at conferences such as Program Chair and Invited Speaker will be supported in principle and applications will be assessed case-by-case on the basis of strategic contribution to the Faculty Research Profile. Funding priority will be given to staff who have an existing ARC project whose budget for travel was outlined in their successful grant application(s). 5

9. HDR Student Funding Availability The amount of funding provided for each conference travel is strictly limited to $1,600 for international conferences and $800 for conferences within Australia and New Zealand. If a HDR student has not been supported financially for travel by the Faculty at any stage of his/her candidature, he/she may be eligible for travel to one overseas/domestic exceptional quality conference during the final year at a higher level of funding support ($3,200 to present a paper at a conference in Europe, the Americas, Africa or Middle East; $3,200 for a conference in South and East Asia; and $1,600 for a conference within Australia, New Zealand or the Pacific Islands). Evidence is required to support the applicant s claim for the first and only trip of his/her candidature, and the conference paper must demonstrate exceptional quality. HDR Students should note that Faculty Conference Travel funding is competitive. The HDR Student Faculty Conference Travel budget is limited. In order to apply for Faculty Conference Travel Funds HDR students are expected to have applied to the Vice Chancellor s Postgraduate Conference Fund or an equivalent fund. 10. Obligations Following Travel Travel expense claims should be lodged within one month of return. Staff should do this through NEO and HDR Students should complete a Financial Acquittal Report and provide it to the Financial Officer in the Dean s Unit. 10.1 Conference Travel Report Staff members and HDR students who receive support from the Faculty Conference Travel Fund are under an obligation to submit an FEIT Travel Funding Report (see item 3 under Staff/Student in link provided) to the Head of School within one month of returning to UTS. The information in the report may be used by the Marketing and Communication Unit for news items. 6

Staff Research Related Travel Fund Summary No. Region Maximum amount for each trip 1 Europe, the Americas, Africa or Middle-East $4,000* 2 South and East Asia $3,500* 3 Australia, New Zealand or Pacific Islands $1,600 *Add $500 for a conference convener; keynote speaker and so on. HDR Students Travel Fund Summary No. Region Maximum amount for each trip Maximum amount in the final year* 1 Europe, the Americas, Africa or Middle-East $1,600 $3,200 2 South and East Asia $1,600 $3,200 3 Australia, New Zealand or Pacific Islands $800 $1,600 *Applicable only if the HDR student has not been supported financially for travel by the Faculty at any stage of his/her candidature. 7