The head of a top Australian university – Nobel laureate and Australian National University Vice-Chancellor Brian Schmidt – says political interference in the award of research grants is an “existential threat” to the sector. 

In a state of the university address on Monday, Professor Schmidt referenced acting federal Education Minister Stuart Robert’s decision to veto several projects recommended for grant funding by the independent Australian Research Council.

The decision was announced on Christmas Eve and has been criticised by academics. 

Professor Schmidt says political interference in grant awards is supported by both major parties and can “corrupt knowledge”.

“My strong view – a view held by many university leaders, whether they say it out loud or not – is Australia needs an apolitical system to allocate research funding and a review of the Australian Research Council,” he said. 

“(The ARC) is so foundational to our future and the nation’s future and it’s clearly not working.” 

The projects vetoed by the acting minister were all in the humanities and included research on the climate and China. 

Professor Schmidt says academic autonomy allows universities to research a broad spectrum of ideas. 

“We don’t just focus on what is known or thought relevant or acceptable at the time,” he said.

“The impetus here for the university is to resist the restrictions of the present and focus confidently on the future.”

By Maeve Bannister in Canberra, AAP

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