An interactive discussion table facilitated by Dr Maggie Wang and Dr Ling Siviengphanom at the Australasian Research Management Society (ARMS) 2026 Conference in Perth sparked practical, generous and sector-wide conversations about global research funding.
International research funding in focus
Image
Maggie and Ling invited delegates to address the topic: “Navigating the Unknown: An Interactive Session on International Research Funding”. Using the opportunity of the ARMS conference to meet with research management professionals from across Australia, Asia and the Pacific, delegates shared experiences, asked questions and traded practical strategies for supporting international funding success.
Three groups took part in a 30-minute discussion per group, with the new discussion table format initiated to create space for focused, peer-led exchange.
Rather than listening passively to a traditional presentation, participants were invited to join a conversation. Discussion groups explored what is working, what remains difficult and explored how different institutions are helping researchers identify, pursue and manage international funding opportunities.
Colleagues from universities including University of Auckland: Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Queensland (UQ), the University of Melbourne, La Trobe University, the University of Sydney and University of NSW (UNSW) contributed openly to the discussions, sharing examples of funder engagement, researcher engagement, international partnerships, Horizon Europe, professional development and the benefit of using tools such as Pivot-RP and successful grant libraries.
“I have always wanted more opportunities to connect and engage directly with research management colleagues. While oral presentations at a conference are useful for sharing knowledge, they rarely provide the space for genuine conversation and exchange. The discussion table format made that possible,” said Maggie, adding that one of the strongest features of the session was the generosity of the exchange.
Participants shared successes, challenges and practical solutions with openness, reinforcing the value of professional networks and the collaborative spirit of the ARMS community. Around the table, the conversation was not about competition; it was about learning from one another and strengthening practice across the sector.
While oral presentations at a conference are useful for sharing knowledge, they rarely provide the space for genuine conversation and exchange. The discussion table format made that possible.
“It was so wonderful to see how well our discussion table was received by the participants, and I really enjoyed the conversations around the table as well,” added Ling, who appreciated hearing how other institutions approach common challenges in international funding support.
Improving international funding support models
The discussion surfaced many practical examples that could inform future improvements, including UQ’s opt-out model for adding successful grant proposals to its internal grant library. This approach could reduce administrative burden and support more consistent collection of successful proposals while still allowing researchers to withhold sensitive or confidential material.
The session included useful reflections on the role of discovery tools such as the Pivot-RP database, with participants noting that researchers in some institutions appear to use these tools to identify relevant funding opportunities more actively than in others. These insights offered a valuable benchmark for considering how institutions might better promote, embed and support such funding intelligence tools.
Another key theme was professional development. The International Network of Research Management Societies Congress was discussed as an important opportunity to build global research management networks, strengthen international connections and support shared learning across institutions.
Overall, the international funding discussion demonstrated the value of creating structured opportunities for research management professionals to exchange practical knowledge. In a rapidly changing international funding environment, these conversations are important and help the sector move from uncertainty to shared capability, supporting researchers more effectively while strengthening the professional networks that make this work possible.
What’s next?
- Visit the International Grants SharePoint.
- Create a profile and set up your personalised funding alert on Pivot-RP.
- Start Building an International Research Strategy.