This paper is part of the development of the the federal government's new Research Quality Framework (RQF) and outlines possible approaches to assessing the quality and impact of original research in Australia. The features of assessment described in the paper reflect a desire, according to the government, to identify high quality and high impact research in an international context, while also recognising the research priorities for Australia in the future.

The Expert Advisory Group for the RQF, chaired by Professor Sir Gareth Roberts, developed this paper after consultation with the higher education sector. The model is built on the responses to the RQF Issues and Advanced Approaches Papers and the outcomes of the National Stakeholder Forum held in June 2005.