Definition of research
Research and experimental development (R&D) comprise creative and systematic work undertaken in order to increase the stock of knowledge – including knowledge of humankind, culture and society – and to devise new applications of available knowledge.
For the purposes of both internal and external reporting and related funding formulae, income and publications must fall within the above definition of 'research', as defined by HERDC and the OECD.
For an activity to be designated a research or R&D activity, it must satisfy ALL five core criteria:
- Novel - to be aimed at new findings,
- Creative - to be based on original, not obvious, concepts and hypotheses,
- Uncertain - to be uncertain about the final outcomes,
- Systematic - to be planned and budgeted, and
- Transferable and/or Reproducible - to lead to results that could be possibly reproduced.
A range of specific inclusions and exclusions must also be considered. For full details see the latest Higher Education Research Data Collection (HERDC) Specifications.
Activities that meet the definition of R&D include:
- professional, technical, administrative or clerical support staff directly engaged in activities essential to the conduct of R&D
- the activities of HDR students enrolled at the HEP
- the development of HDR training and courses
- the supervision of HDR students enrolled at the HEP
- R&D into applications software, new programming languages and new operating systems
- prototype development and testing
- construction and operation of a pilot plant where the primary objective is to make further improvements
- trial production where there is full scale testing and subsequent further design and engineering
- phases I to III of clinical trials
- non-traditional research creative arts including original creative works, live performance of creative works, recorded or rendered works, and curated exhibitions or events.
Activities that do not meet the definition of R&D include:
- scientific and technical information services
- general purpose or routine data collection
- standardisation and routine testing
- feasibility studies (except into R&D projects)
- specialised, routine medical care
- literature reviews that are predominantly a summary of the current knowledge and findings of a particular R&D field or topic and do not include any critical assessment or report any new findings or original experimental work
- commercial, legal and administrative aspects of patenting, plant breeders rights, copyright, material transfer agreements or intellectual property licensing, option and assignment activities, and royalties
- routine computer programming, systems work or software maintenance
- stages of product development that do not meet the five R&D criteria above
- pre-production development
- market research
- construction of fully tested prototypes for marketing purposes
- after sales service and trouble-shooting
- industrial engineering and design for production purposes
- creative activities that do not meet the five core R&D criteria above
- R&D financing and support services
- consultancies or framework analysis activities that are designed to analyse or evaluate processes at external operators
- teaching services based on existing knowledge which do not constitute entirely new advancements in knowledge.
This classification allows research and experimental development (R&D) activity to be categorised according to the type of research effort. Where possible, a research project should be allocated to a single ToA:
Pure basic research
Basic research carried out for the advancement of knowledge, without seeking long-term economic or social benefits or making any effort to apply the results to practical problems or to transfer the results to sectors responsible for their application.
Strategic basic research
Experimental and theoretical work undertaken to acquire new knowledge directed into specified broad areas in the expectation of practical discoveries. It provides the broad base of knowledge necessary for the solution of recognised practical problems.
Applied research
Original investigation undertaken in order to acquire new knowledge with a specific application in view. It is, however, directed primarily towards a specific, practical aim or objective.
Experimental research
Systematic work, drawing on knowledge gained from research and practical experience, and producing additional knowledge which is directed to producing new products or processes, or to improving existing products or processes.