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Queensland Defence Science Alliance has announced expressions of interest are now open for grants up to $250,000 for projects related to Defence priority areas.
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The expressions of interest for the 2024 Queensland Defence Science Alliance (QDSA) Collaborative Research Grants (CRG) are now open and will close 9 September this year.
Successful projects are eligible to receive up to $250,000 for projects related to Defence priority areas. These projects must be collaborative in nature and be completed within 12 to 18 months.
The CRG is QDSA’s signature competitive grants program designed to pull through emerging technology from university research to prototype stage.
The program drives collaboration between Queensland and the Northern Territory member universities, industry partners and non-member universities across the nation to deliver sovereign capability that will serve Defence personnel.
QDSA director Stu Blackwell said the QDSA CRG program has continued to go from strength to strength each year. Following the addition of Charles Darwin University to the alliance in July, QDSA is anticipating a high calibre of collaborative project proposals from across northern Australia and aligned to innovation, science and technology (IS&T) priorities.
“After a hugely successful 2023 CRG program that saw 50 per cent of the detailed proposals received funded in 2023, we are confident that this year will yield an even stronger pool of project proposals,” Blackwell said.
“As the name suggests, collaboration across research and industry is key to successfully securing funding. In 2024, we are not focused on volume of EOIs, but rather high-quality projects with proof of concept that can be accelerated into Defence capability through innovative partnerships between research and Defence industry.”
While the project must be led by a QDSA member university (Griffith University, James Cook University, University of Queensland, Charles Darwin University), it is desirable that eligible applications will also have co-investment from a Defence industry partner or QDSA member university.
“The intent is to provide an injection of funds to accelerate emerging research towards a level of maturity where a demonstration can be provided for further development into a capability by a larger party (such as federal funding scheme or Defence prime). Therefore, the project must have a clear plan for transition to capability beyond the 12-month project,” Blackwell said.
For the first time in the CRG’s three-year history, QDSA will hold a Briefing and Networking Evening on Thursday, 22 August 2024 to help fast-track connections between QDSA member universities and industry, helping to identify potential partnerships beneficial to CRG project proposals.
In 2024, project proposals must fall into one of five themes, aligned to IS&T initiatives. The 2024 QDSA CRG research priorities and topics were drawn from the 2024 National Defence Strategy, 2024 Integrated Investment Program, and wide consultation with Defence stakeholders.
The theme include undersea warfare (comprising undersea surveillance and detection capabilities), cyber (enhanced cyber capabilities, electronic warfare), amphibious capable combined‑arms land system (autonomous aerial and ground systems, protection and lethality for ADF personnel, battlefield aviation), theatre logistics (logistics support, health capabilities), and theatre command and control (warfighting networks and strategic communications, decision advantage and intelligence).
For individuals wishing to participate, QDSA may be able to connect industry partners and non-member universities with QDSA member universities upon request. Please contact
Key dates for the 2024 QDSA Collaborative Research Grants include a 2024 QDSA CRG Briefing and Networking Event on 22 August. EOI applications close on 9 September; EOI’s shortlisted and ranked on 4 October; notification of success and request for detailed applications open on 8 October 2024 and detailed applications close on 8 November.
