The Australian Research Council (ARC) is a statutory agency within the Australian Government. It was established as an independent body under the Australian Research Council Act 2001 (the ARC Act). It reports to the Federal Education Minister.

The ARC administers the National Competitive Grants Program, through which it assesses Australian university research and provides advice and support to the Minister on research matters, including the funding of research grants. The ARC Act has not been reviewed since it was established in 2001 and does not reflect the range of activities currently undertaken by the ARC.

On 30 August 2022, the Federal Education Minister, Jason Clare, announced an independent review of the ARC Act to consider the role and purpose of the ARC within the Australian research system so it can meet current and future needs and maintain the trust of the research sector.

This consultation paper provides background to the ARC Review and context to the online survey questions.