Celebrating research growth at ACU

A message from Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Enterprise), Professor Abid Khan.

A warm welcome back to all our ACU colleagues with best wishes for the new year.

Despite some challenges during 2024, the ACU community has made remarkable strides in advancing the university's research agenda.

The progress reflects our mutual commitment to knowledge creation and our unique focus on human flourishing as a guiding principle for research.

The year saw ACU excel across a broad spectrum of research activities, further solidifying its position as a leader in impactful and innovative scholarship.

Notably, ACU continued its exceptional performance in high-quality publications and citation impact, demonstrating the exceptional calibre of our academic output. Indeed, ACU’s continued knowledge creation excellence was recognised in various international rankings in 2024 and positions us as among the best performing universities in Australia on this metric.

Critically, however, ACU has built on this foundation and grown across a wider scorecard of research. Key achievements include the successful expansion of higher degree research (HDR) programs, with increased student numbers and international collaborations. ACU also secured its first placement on Indonesia’s prestigious masters and doctoral scholarship program, opening new pathways for international students to join our thriving research community.

Additionally, ACU achieved significant grant successes, including ARC Discovery Grants in education, history, and theology, NHMRC funding for Indigenous health research, and substantial Category 3 grants. These accomplishments underscore ACU’s growing capability in socially impactful research.

Considerable growth in commercial income through tenders, grants, philanthropic funding, sponsorship and consultancy was also a feature of 2024. ACU also launched the Enterprise Clinic through a Pitch Prize for staff.

Through these efforts, ACU continues to demonstrate that our excellence in research is extending beyond our foundation in exceptional knowledge creation with an ever-growing capability in addressing real-world challenges. By integrating research with teaching and engagement, we are building a dynamic ecosystem that benefits both the university community and society at large.

Looking ahead: shaping the future of research

As we move into 2025, ACU is poised to lead the way in responding to the changing research landscape. Our Vision 2033 emphasises "Flourishing Lives, Thriving Communities, and Ethical Futures," with human flourishing at its core. This approach recognises that addressing contemporary global challenges requires research that balances technological innovation with human needs.

ACU will continue to champion interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships with other universities, government, industry, and our stakeholder communities. Our commitment to human-centric solutions will guide our efforts to tackle pressing societal issues such as sustainability, human development, health care, and education. By leveraging our strong foundation in fundamental science and integrating ethics and community engagement into our research strategy, we aim to develop graduates equipped to advance sustainable development goals.

Through these initiatives, ACU reaffirms its dedication to being a mission-oriented university that not only creates knowledge but also translates it into meaningful action for the common good.

The DVCRE portfolio will continue to support you all in a transparent and open manner this year as we all work to deliver our research and education to the benefit of our global society.