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QUEEN ELIZABETH II FELLOWSHIPS
On the occasion of the visit of Her Majesty earlier this year,
the Commonwealth Government announced its decision to commemorate the
Royal Visit by the foundation in perpetuity of post-doctoral Fellowships
in the physical and biological sciences. With Her Majesty's consent,
these Fellowships will be known as the Queen Elizabeth II Fellowships.
Physical and biological sciences have an increasingly vital
role in national growth and welfare and the Government wishes the present
foundation to make a worthy contribution to scientific progress in this
country and to the professional resources of our universities and
scientific institutions. It is proposed that ten Fellowships may be
awarded each year. They will be tenable in Australian universities
or approved scientific institutions and will be open to Australian and
U. K. citizens. The Government's intention is that these Fellowships will be
awarded only to applicants of quite exceptional merit, young scientists
who have demonstrated outstanding promise and capacity for original work.
Fellowships will normally be tenable for a period of two years in an
Australian university or approved scientific institution. In exceptional
circumstances, a Fellowship may be extended for an additional year.
A Standing Committee to be known as the Queen Elizabeth
Fellowships Committee will be established to consider applications and to
administer awards. The Committee will be appointed by the EBrime Minister
and will comprise principally representatives of the Australian scientific
body drawn from a panel nominated by the Council of the Australian Academy
of Science. The Committee may, asx it sees fit, establish sub-committees
or make other arrangements to assist it in the performance of its functions.
A Secretariat will be provided by the Prime Minister's Department.
Awards will be announced by the Prime Minister on the
recommendation of the Standing Committee.
Apt) ica tions.:
1. Applications will be invited by the Committee from
Australian or U. K. citizens who have completed a
Ph. D., or have obtained equivalent qualifications,
in one of the physical or biological sciences. For
the award of the Fellowships, physical and biological
sciences will be deemed to include mathematics and
the scientific aspects of statistics, engineering,
metallurgy, agriculture and medicine.
2. Applicants should be not more than 30 years of age.
( In exceptional circumstances, an older applicant may
be considered.)
3. Normally an applicant should be sponsored by his
university and his application submitted by that
university on his behalf. An applicant should
therefore submit his application to the Registrar
of the University at which his higher qualifications
were obtained. If the university elects to sponsor
the application, it will forward it to the Queen
Elizabeth II Fellowships Committee with appropriate
endorsement. If in any case it is appropriate for
the application to be sponsored by a scientific
institution at which he has undertaken research, the
application may be made through that institution.
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4. An application should state the general nature and scope
of the research which the applicant wishes to undertake
and may be supported by copies of scientific or other
papers which the applicant has published or which are in
the course of publication.
Where an applicant indicates the Australian university
or scientific institution at which he wishes the Fellowship
to be tenable, the Queen Elizabeth Fellowships
Committee will require an indication on the part of the
university or institution that in the event of an award it
will be ready to accommodate the Fellow and accept
responsibility for such supervision of hfis projected work
as is necessary and for disbursing, on behalf of the
Commonwealth, stipend and other payments associated with
the Fellowship. The Committee will stand ready to help
where necessary to secure suitable placement for successful
applicants.
6. The applicant shall arrange for three referees to furnish
statements to the Committee in support of his application.
7. Applica-tions should be lodged with the Secretary of the
Queen Elizabeth Fellowships Committee, Prime Minister's
Department, Canberra. Dates for the lodging of applications
and for the announcement of awards will be determined from
time to time by the Standing Committee,
8. Each successful applicant will be required to sign an
u~ dertaking to accept and observe the conditions on which
his Fellowship is to be held.
Conditions: 1. For the time being, Fellowships will carry a stipend at
the rate of œ 22,500 per annum. In special cases where the
post-graduate experience of a Fellow would justify it, the
Fellowships Committee may approve a higher stipend up to a
maximum rate of œ E3.000 per annum. Dependants' allowances
will also be paid on the basis of œ. 250 per annum for a wife
and œ 2100 per annum in respect of each child under 16 years
of age.
2. Where a Fellowship is awarded to an overseas resident, the
Commonwealth will meet the cost of tourist air fares, including
an agreed luggage allowance, for the Fellow and his family to
Australia and return on completion of the Llowship. In the
case of an award to an Australian resident, the Commonwealth
will meet any reasonable transfer expenses for the Fellow and
his family which may be involved in undertaking the Fellowship.
3. An allowance at the rate of œ. 500 per annum will be paid to
the University or scientific institution where a Fellowship
is tenable in recognition of expenses which may be incurred
by the University or scientific institution incidental to a
Fellow's research work. Any reimbursement of expenses to a
Fellow underthis head will be at the discretion of the
institution in which the Fellow is working.
4. The Commonwealth will make a contribution of up to 10% A of the
annual stipend towards a Fellow's superannuation provisions
under F. S. S. U. or equivalent arrangements.
A Fellow will normally be expected to take up duty within six
months of the announcement of the award and will be entitled
to payment of stipend and allowances as from the date on which
he takes up duty.
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6 A Fellow shall devote his whole time to the specified
research and may not accept any additional appointment
or emolument without the approval of the Standing
Committee and the University or scientific institution
concerned. A limited amount of time, however, may with
the approval of the Committee be spent in delivering an
advanced course of lectures.
7. At the end of his first year's research, a Fellow will be
required to report to the Standing Committee as to the
progress of his work. The Committee will also receive a
report from the Head of the Department in which the Fellow
is working. If the Committee is of the opinion that the
Fellow has not made good use of his opportunities, it may
at its absolute discretion terminate the Fellowship.
8. At the end of the tenure of a Fellowship, a Fellow will
submit to the Committee a complete report on the research
carried out.
9. A Fellow will be expected to conform to such of the
regulations ( including disciplinary provisions) of the
University or scientific institution in which he is
holding the Fellowship as are applicable to him and the
Committee may terminate his Fellowship if he fails to
conform.
A Fellow shall not be entitled to relinquish his Fellowship
except on and subject to such conditions as are determined
by the Committee.
Prime Minister's Office,
CANBERRA. A. C. T.