Guidelines for partnered research training initiatives

These guidelines are for institutions (such as universities, colleges and some not-for-profit organizations) that submit proposals to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), in collaboration with partner organizations, to establish partnered research training initiatives that are aligned with the Partnership Grants funding opportunity.

On this page

• Purpose
• Approaches to partnered research training initiatives
• Funding information
• Eligibility
• Addressing Partnership Grants evaluation criteria

Purpose

Bringing together institutions from the academic, public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors, partnered research training initiatives seek to support the creation of innovative approaches that build an effective research training experience for registered students and postdoctoral researchers in the social sciences and humanities, while facilitating their transition to academic or non-academic workplace settings. Partnered research training initiatives must foster the acquisition and development of important research and/or professional skills among students and postdoctoral researchers that complement their qualifications and subject matter expertise, and improve their readiness for careers in industry, government, non-governmental organizations and/or academia.

Proposed initiatives should:

• support the development of well-rounded social sciences and humanities students and/or postdoctoral researchers through innovative research training programs that promote:
  • the acquisition of research, professional and career-readiness skills related to, for example, communication, teamwork, leadership, project management, peer review and/or knowledge translation
  • the transition of students and/or postdoctoral researchers to the workplace, whether in the public, private, academic or not-for-profit sectors
  • the creation of a mentoring and research training environment in which students and/or postdoctoral researchers can thrive
• foster a climate conducive to networking between students and/or postdoctoral researchers and potential employers
• facilitate the development of collaborative research training programs that bring together accomplished researchers, potential employers, students and postdoctoral researchers to address major research challenges in the social sciences and humanities
• create sustainable partnered research training initiatives

Approaches to partnered research training initiatives

Applicants can propose partnered research training initiatives that build on existing collaborations, or new collaborations and innovative models that promote research and the development of research and professional skills at the diploma, undergraduate, graduate and/or postdoctoral levels. Institutions are encouraged to explore interuniversity consortiums and multipartner approaches with the public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors.

Specific activities designed as part of partnered research training initiatives may include, but are not limited to, innovative internships with a mentoring component, co-op programs, professional skills workshops and related web tools, or outreach programs that bring together students and/or postdoctoral researchers and prospective employers, or involve linkages to community services learning. Initiatives may also involve any combination of the above, and/or other creative, collaborative research training activities.

Funding information

It is expected that the majority of the partnered research training initiatives funding requested in a proposal will be dedicated to effective research training activities for registered students and postdoctoral researchers. A portion of the Partnership Grant (approximately 25%) may be earmarked for costs associated with the development and co-ordination of the research training program.

SSHRC’s policies, regulations and guidelines and the regulations set out in the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide provide more information about eligible and non-eligible expenses.

Eligibility

Institutions (such as universities, colleges and some not-for-profit organizations) that meet the requirements for institutional eligibility are invited to submit proposals in collaboration with partner organizations  to establish partnered research training initiatives that are aligned with the Partnership Grants funding opportunity description.

Partnered research training initiatives proposals are expected to target Canadian and international students registered in diploma, undergraduate, graduate or professional degree programs, or postdoctoral researchers, in social sciences and/or humanities disciplines.

The host institution (applicant) will be responsible for managing the funds and for overall partnership arrangements.

Applicants submitting partnered research training initiatives proposals must select the Research Training and Talent Development program when completing their application form. While these proposals should focus primarily on research training and respond directly to the objectives of the Research Training and Talent Development program, the training should happen in a partnership context and involve elements related to the Research Partnerships program .

Addressing Partnership Grants evaluation criteria

Partnered research training initiatives are subject to the Partnership Grants evaluation criteria and scoring scheme. Special consideration will be given to the merit of the proposed program for effective research training. In addressing the Partnership Grants evaluation criteria, partnered research training initiatives proposals should:

• demonstrate the extent to which the proposed partnership uses innovative approaches to research training to provide an enriched experience for students and/or postdoctoral researchers
• demonstrate the benefits that students and/or postdoctoral researchers will gain through their participation in the initiative, including:
  • the extent to which the initiative will facilitate their transition to the Canadian workforce, and promote their interaction with the public, private, academic and/or not-for-profit sectors
  • the extent to which the initiative will provide opportunities for students and/or postdoctoral researchers to develop research and/or professional skills
• include a recruitment strategy and selection process for attracting a diverse, high-quality group of trainees, and demonstrate the appropriateness of the types of students and/or postdoctoral researchers involved
• include a qualitative assessment of how the initiative will contribute to improving job prospects for the students and/or postdoctoral researchers involved