Research

University post graduate proposals

University Post Graduate Proposals

The primary focus of the university post graduate proposals programme is research.  However, it will also advance the development of human resources and higher education.  Those supported post-graduates who later move to overseas research centres have the potential to increase New Zealand links to advanced overseas research.

What is regarded as research

For the purposes of evaluating proposals submitted under the biennial grants programme, EQC considers research to be:

A process of systematic and critical inquiry in order to discover, collate and interpret, facts, events or behaviours, leading towards increased understanding and new or improved applications of information, know-how or technology.

Criteria to be applied to projects

The following criteria are intended as a guide for whether a project qualifies for consideration in the biennial grants programme, regardless of the topic under which the proposal may be assessed. The meeting of one of the criteria in the first set will be sufficient qualification, so long as none of the second set of factors is present.

Qualifying Criteria:

  • Is of relevance and importance to the specific research field and likely either to add significantly to the body of knowledge or have a positive influence on matters relevant to natural disaster damage or methods of reducing or preventing natural disaster damage.
  • The research is addressing issues of national or local significance to the general understanding of natural disaster risk, with outcomes likely to yield significant benefit to New Zealand communities.
  • Usefully collates existing work in a form more accessible to, or applicable by, other researchers and practitioners.
  • Helps develop new applications or extends existing techniques or methods relevant to natural disaster damage or for reducing or preventing natural disaster damage.

Disqualifying criteria:

  • Does not meet EQC’s definition of research.
  • About “natural disaster damage” which is outside the scope of the Earthquake Commission Act (see Section 2 of the Act, definitions of "natural disaster", "natural disaster damage", "natural disaster fire" and "natural landslip").
  • Inadequate research and development content.
  • To be carried out entirely outside New Zealand.
  • Work only likely to better inform one applicant on his/her/their topic.
  • An actual or close replication of work already completed.
  • Work that the applicants are not prepared to place in the public domain.
  • Research, the funding of which could oblige EQC to provide separate funding for further, or parallel, projects.
  • Detrimental to EQC’s reputation as a facilitator of high quality research.
  • Work that more relevantly falls to an organisation other than EQC to fund.
Applicants are also asked to note the following:
  1. Take care to establish a definitely achievable project duration. 
  2. Applicants with proposals selected for further evaluation will be provided with the required forms and guidelines which cover requirements for supporting documentation, intellectual property matters and peer review regime.
  3. Successful applicants will be offered a funding agreement with the Commission.

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