Gender equity achieved for major $379 million health research grant program

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) has achieved gender equity in its flagship Investigator Grant scheme for the first time, reaching its target of 50:50 funding for men and women researchers, across all levels of experience and seniority.

 

Last year, the Albanese Government tasked the NHMRC to set a target to award equal numbers of Investigator Grants to women and men, in a new commitment to address gender inequities in research funding.

 

The Investigator Grant scheme is NHMRC’s largest funding scheme and a major investment in Australia’s health and medical research workforce, providing a 5-year fellowship and research support for outstanding researchers at all career stages.

 

Setting targets has previously helped address gender inequities in grant funding at junior levels of the scheme, but the same success has not been replicated at senior levels of the scheme where barriers are leading to attrition of women from the research workforce.

 

The result is that, between 2019 and 2021, men applicants received about 35% more grants and 67% more total funding (about $95 million extra per year) than women applicants.

 

In 2023 – the first year the new gender equity targets have been implemented – the NHMRC awarded roughly equal numbers of women and men researchers, with women receiving more funding overall, for the first time in the history of the scheme.

 

The NHMRC has delivered on its target without compromising excellence. Every applicant funded this year, and into the future, submitted research proposals that were, at a minimum, assessed as ‘excellent’ through independent scientific peer review.

 

More information can be found on the gender equity page on NHMRC’s website. Full details of the grants awarded will be announced in early December.

 

Quotes attributable to Minister Butler:

 

“The structural barriers that prevent women from contributing fully and advancing careers in medical research are many.

 

“The NHMRC’s 50:50 funding target for senior researchers is starting to address this loss of talent and give more women the opportunity to take their research forward, to benefit all Australians.”

 

Quotes attributable to Minister Gallagher:

 

“This is a great result that shows that clear commitments and targets for gender equality drive real change.

 

“These new measures help recognise and reward the outstanding work of women in health and medical research. 

 

“Equal representation of women in health and medical research contributes to higher impact research informed by a diversity of experience and focus, and this benefits us all.”

 

Quotes attributable to NHMRC CEO Professor Steve Wesselingh:

 

“As Australia’s largest funder of health and medical research, NHMRC has a responsibility in supporting a gender diverse and inclusive workforce through the research it funds.

 

“As we build a diverse research sector, it’s important that we continue to support gender equity and diversity.

 

“The outcome of this initiative was to see more women and non-binary researchers apply for and win these significant grants.

 

“We look forward to seeing more gender diversity at the most senior levels of Australian health and medical research in the years ahead, and reduced need for intervention.”