Research Performance Index (RPI)
The Research Performance Index (RPI) is an initiative run annually to reward researchers for research excellence and scholarship. The RPI scheme allocates funds based on both performance inputs (external research grants) and outputs (publications, successful postgraduate research supervision etc) in the preceding year.
The RPI also provides a mechanism for collecting data that must be submitted by Curtin to the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR) under the Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC), and submissions under future rounds of the Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) initiative.
All Australian universities report research performance to the Australian Government in order to access Commonwealth research block grants. In 2012, $1.63 billion was provided to eligible higher education providers as block grants for research and research training, through several performance-based schemes.
Login to the SCRIPT Database for the RPI System.
Curtin Expectations
The Curtin Expectations for Academic Performance is an Appendix of the Work Planning and Performance Review Policy, which may be found on the Policy website.
The link to the new Curtin Expectations 2006 - 2011 RPI Performance table can be found here.
RPI Updates
RPI Update is a publication from the Office of Research and Development to keep you up to date with progress regarding the RPI. RPI Updates are emailed to staff and are available from RPI Update section of the ORD Publications webpage.
Guidelines
The RPI is open to Curtin researchers who have made a quantifiable research contribution in the preceding year, and who are either part of an existing, or newly formed, RPI Group. Only activity that can be classified as research, and which occurred in the preceding calendar year, can be claimed under RPI.
For the purposes of the RPI, research is defined as creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications. Such activity necessarily involves an appreciable element of novelty (innovation), uncertainty with respect to outcomes, potential for publication of outcomes in peer-reviewed scholarly media and/or a high level of technical risk.
Detailed information on the RPI is available in the RPI 2012 Specifications. These specifications should be read in conjunction with the 2012 Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) specifications.
All groups wishing to participate in the 2012 round of RPI must register with the Office of Research and Development prior to Friday 3rd February 2012. Registration of pre-existing RPI Groups (i.e. those active in the 2011 RPI Round) can be done on SCRIPT in the Research Groups Module (registration opened on 23rd January). Instructions on how to register new and pre-existing RPI Groups are outlined in the Tip Sheet - How to Register an RPI Group.
The 2012 Round of RPI opens on 6th February 2012 and closes on 31 March 2012.
Staff can be entering 2011 publications and research projects into SCRIPT throughout the year in preparation for RPI.
Training Guides for the Research Groups/RPI, Research Project and Publications modules are available.
The RPI System
The RPI functionality was transferred fully to the SCRIPT Database for the 2008 round onwards. The SCRIPT Database can be accessed here. Only registered users may access the system, and information will be restricted based on permission levels.
Results from pre-2008 RPI rounds
Results from pre-2008 RPI rounds are available on the old RPI system. This system read only and is for archival purposes only. If you wish to access your pre-2008 RPI performance information for the purposes of WPPR or Academic Promotions, please contact Juliana Tang on 9266 3231 or via Juliana.Tang@curtin.edu.au
Spending RPI Funds
Funds generated by RPI points may effectively be regarded as Institutional Grants Scheme (IGS) funds. In accordance with the advice from the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research (DIISR), IGS funds may be used on any activity that is related to research.
All funds generated by RPI points will be allocated to special RPI cost centres (Fund type RP) which will be confirmed by the Office of Research and Development prior to allocation. RPI groups should endeavour to expend all funds allocated under the RPI within the calendar year that they were awarded.
