Membership of Research Centres and Groups

The University of Western Sydney has established nine research centres and four research groups through comprehensive and ongoing review as part of the University’s strategic research plan.

The University has, since 2001, been pursuing research development through focused support in specific areas of research strength. Important principles for our strategic research growth are:

• competitive excellence as identified through open processes, including peer review
• performance-based funding
• evidence-based policy development and performance monitoring, particularly the identification of research active staff.

In 2006, the Australian Universities Quality Agency concluded that 'UWS is pursing a research plan which is well considered and coherent [and] is on a sound trajectory for high quality research in areas that are particularly relevant to its mission'.

1. The following criteria apply for membership of research centres and research groups:
   • research active status (‘qualifies’ or ‘provisional’)
   • research to be conducted offers an appropriate fit with the research program of the centre/group, to the satisfaction of the centre director/group leader
   • minimum levels of achievement in external research income and research publication, as recorded with research services, with the suggested levels being $10000 p.a. over the previous three years and the publication equivalent of three articles published in refereed journals
   • a lower level of achievement should be set for early career researchers.
2. Membership of research centres and research groups will be determined only on the basis of research activity registered annually, by 30 June, with the Office of Research Services.
3. Research centres may also offer associate membership. Such associate members should be able to demonstrate a capacity to contribute to the research program of the centre to the satisfaction of the centre director.
4. The research performance of research centres and research groups will be measured on the basis of full members only.
5. A researcher should be entitled to be the member of only one research centre or research group at any time.

Adjunct appointees to the University may also join research centres or groups. Adjunct and visiting appointments are governed by the Visiting and Adjunct Appointments Policy.

To discuss your interest in being a part of the research activity at any one of the research centres or research groups, please contact the relevant centre director or group leader.

• Centre for Citizenship and Public Policy
• Centre for Complementary Medicine (CompleMED)
• Centre for Cultural Research
• Centre for Educational Research
• Centre for Industry and Innovation Studies
• Centre for Plant and Food Science
• MARCS Auditory Laboratories
• Social Justice and Social Change Research Centre
• Urban Research Centre
• Ecology and Environment Research Group (EERG)
• Nanoscale Organisation and Dynamics Group (Nano)
• Family and Community Health Research Group (FaCH)
• Writing and Society Research Group

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