The RMIT Asia Trade and Innovation Hub is pleased to announce that applications are now open for Round 1 of the ASEAN Research Collaboration Project, commencing between 2 June 2025 to 29 August 2025. This project is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education through the International Education Innovation Fund (IEIF).
This program aims to support the careers of Early Career Researchers (ECRs). ECRs are researchers who have completed their postdoctoral studies within eight years of applying to participate.
This program will deliver ECR placements for ASEAN member states in Australian research institutions in shared priority areas. Through this initiative, selected recipients will receive up to AU$20,000 each to complete a one to three-month research placement at an Australian research institution.
Recipients will have the opportunity to expand their professional networks and have access to leading academics, facilities, and equipment in Australia to develop their own research interests and competencies. This opportunity will build long term commercially oriented research partnerships between ASEAN members and Australia.
About the program
The IEIF ASEAN Research Collaboration Project aims to support high-achieving international post-doctoral ECRs to participate in commercially focused research in Australia, reflecting areas of mutual interest with the ASEAN region.
The initiative will support the hosting of researchers by an Australian institution for a period of one to three months to build and deepen institutional linkages, create professional networks, support professional development, and exchange expertise with Australian researchers.
One of ASEAN’s key goals is to support economic and technical cooperation to address the many challenges and opportunities that face the region. Enhanced research and education cooperation among ASEAN countries fosters innovative growth as students, researchers and education providers build scientific, technological, and linguistic communities.
Financial benefits
Up to AU$20,000 per internship (up to 3-month duration).
Internship recipients
All internship recipients will receive any benefits in Australian Dollars:
- Establishment allowance: $3,500 (paid once to cover for travel and visa costs)
- Monthly stipend: $4,000 (paid up to the maximum program duration on a pro-rata basis)
- Monthly family allowance: $1,500* (paid up to the maximum program duration on a pro-rata basis) *if applicable
Host organisations
Host organisations are eligible for a $1,000 subsidy per intern to cover potential research consumables such as laboratory equipment, subscriptions, service level agreement (SLA) fees for desks/IT access and field works costs for the ECRs interning with the organisations. This amount will be transferred upon receipt of agreed KPIs and milestones.
Eligibility
Please review the eligibility criteria carefully, as only those who meet the minimum requirements will be considered for the internship.
Requirements
To be eligible for internship funding, applicants must:
- Be a citizen and/or permanent resident of an ASEAN member state
- Not be an Australian citizen and/or permanent resident
- Have completed a PhD degree or equivalent within the eight years prior to applying to participate in this initiative (i.e., PhD was conferred from March 2017 onwards)
- Be available to commence their proposed program in Australia after 2 June 2025 and complete the internship by 29 August 2025
- Provide a research proposal which falls under one of the eligible research focus areas
- Provide all relevant supporting documentation in English
- Obtain a placement offer from an approved host Australian research organisation (list provided in the IEIF – ASEAN Research Collaboration Project 2025 Guidelines (PDF 753 KB))
- Meet the eligibility requirements to apply for and hold the relevant visa issued by the Department of Home Affairs
Eligible Countries
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cambodia
- Indonesia
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- The Philippines
- Singapore
- Thailand
- Timor Leste
- Viet Nam
- Any country that joins ASEAN during the project.
Eligible Research Focus Areas
- Agriculture and Food
- Resources and Energy
- Infrastructure
- The Green Economy
- Another priority area that will bolster Australia's competitiveness and drive commercialisation outcomes.
For any questions on eligibility, please contact ieif.asean@rmit.edu.au
Application process
Application submission
To apply for the internship, complete the 2025 Application Form and have your host organisation to complete the 2025 Applicant Sponsor Nomination Form.
Please also prepare required supporting documents, ensuring translations and certifications are complete, and name your files according to the specified format below.
Email all completed forms and supporting documents to ieif.asean@rmit.edu.au
We welcome eligible applicants to refer to the below process when applying for the program.
Please review the International Education Innovation Fund (IEIF) – ASEAN Research Collaboration Project 2025 Guidelines (PDF 753 KB) for more specific instructions, including required application responses, visa information and how to certify documents as valid copies. This must be done for the proof of citizenship or permanent residency documents.
To be eligible, applicants must provide English translations of the required documentation if the original documents are not in English. Applicants will also need certification of documents that have been translated unless they are translated documents for evidence of community service or employment records.
- Completed 2025 Application form (PDF 2.2 MB)
- Completed 2025 Applicant Sponsor Nomination form (PDF 573 KB)
- Copy of citizenship or permanent residency
- PhD Testamur/Conferral Letter/Certificate of Completion - A certified copy of a PhD Testamur/Conferral Letter/Certificate of Completion
- Two Referee Reports
- Evidence of support and language suitability from the host
- Research CV and list of publications
Before submitting, please make sure to follow the format below when naming your documents.
Naming format example: Sarah Thorpe
- Sarah T App Form
- Sarah T Sponsor Form
- Sarah T CZ/PR
- Sarah T Academic Transcript
- Sarah T Ref Reports
- Sarah T Lang Support
- Sarah T CV
Our team is here to help. If you require assistance in reaching out to Host Institutions for support, require accessibility assistance, or if you face any barriers to completing your application or internship, please contact our team at ieif.asean@rmit.edu.au
Selection criteria
Please review the selection criteria carefully, as only applications that meet the minimum requirements will be considered for the internship.
The following are the selection criteria and their relative weighting:
- A record of high-level academic achievement and research experience in the applicant’s chosen field of study (30%)
- Well-defined research program and statement on how the research internship opportunity will benefit Australia and build the applicant’s potential to foster ongoing collaboration, cooperation and commercialisation opportunities between Australia and the home economy (40%)
- The extent of alignment between the applicant’s chosen field of study/research and priority sectors offering the greatest potential for shared commercial engagement opportunities for both Australia and the ASEAN region (20%)
- Statement on how the research internship opportunity would further the applicant’s academic and/or professional career (10%)
Indicative key dates
Application submission
Please note the below indicative key dates and related documentation required to be submitted via email ieif.asean@rmit.edu.au
Dates |
Details |
3 March 2025 |
Applications open at 10:00AM (AEST). Applicants are required to complete online PDF forms and submit supporting documents via email |
10 April 2025 |
Applications close at midnight (23:59 AEST) |
April – May 2025 |
Applicants shortlisted and assessed |
2 May 2025 |
Successful and unsuccessful applicants are notified |
16 May 2025 |
Successful recipients complete and return detailed project outline with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), milestones and copies of passport |
From 2 June 2025 onwards |
Recipients commence internship program (Internships must be completed by 29 August 2025) |
A second round of the IEIF ASEAN Research Collaboration Project will open for applications in July 2025.
Contact
Our team is here to help. For enquiries or require assistance with your application, please contact us at ieif.asean@rmit.edu.au
