Faculty Research Program

CANCELLATION OF THE UNDERSTANDING CANADA - CANADIAN STUDIES PROGRAM

Please note that further to the announcements in the 2012 budget, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (DFAIT) has decided to abolish the Understanding Canada-Canadian Studies Program. Therefore, there will be no further grants issued under this program.

Recipients who received a grant recently will have until January 31, 2013 to send to ICCS a final report in order to claim the second instalment of the award.

 

 

 

Guidelines

This program is designed to assist individual academics in higher education institutions to undertake short-term research about Canada or on an aspect of Canada's bilateral relations with the participating countries. The purpose is to increase knowledge and understanding of Canada through publication of pertinent articles in the foreign or international scholarly press. The award assists with direct costs related to the research project, and, when a research trip to Canada is warranted, provides assistance towards international airfare and a weekly flat rate allowance.

 

RESEARCH FIELDS

Awards may be granted for research in any of the following categories:

  1. Although we welcome applications from all disciplines lending themselves most readily to Canadian Studies research development, we are particularly interested in projects that have policy relevance for Canada and Canada’s foreign policy. Topics that are highly relevant to Canada’s foreign policy include Democracy & Rule of Law, Economic Development, Environment, Managing Diversity, North American Partnership, Peace and Security; and   interdisciplinary studies on Canada.
  2. Comparative studies with substantial Canadian content (33% or more).
  3. Aspects of Canada's bilateral relations with participating countries.

Priority may be given to projects that relate to contemporary situations and issues which illuminate options for future developments, or which focus on Canada's bilateral relations with the participating countries. 

(Purely scientific subjects such as physics, chemistry, medicine, engineering, etc. which would not lead to a better knowledge and understanding of Canada per se are not eligible, nor are proposals which focus exclusively on technological or methodological issues).

Eligibility

Applicants must:

  1. be members of the academic staff of a recognized institution of higher education or equivalent degree-granting institute, or scholars at research and policy planning institutes who undertake significant Canadian bilateral relations research projects; professors emeritus may also apply; (part-time lecturers and teaching assistants are not eligible).
  2. hold a degree equivalent to a postgraduate qualification (Master’s or Ph.D.); applications will be considered from applicants without these formal qualifications only if successful research experience can be demonstrated.
  3. be proficient in either English or French.

Recipients of an award under this program are not eligible to apply in consecutive competitions. There will normally also be a period of 3 years between awards, unless the article resulting from the first award is already submitted and accepted for publication. For example, a 2004-05 recipient cannot apply in the 2005-06 competition, but can apply in the 2006-07 competition if the article resulting from the first award is already submitted and accepted for publication; otherwise, one will only be eligible to apply in the 2007-08 competition.

Terms and Conditions

The International Council for Canadian Studies through a contribution of the Government of Canada and with the assistance of the appropriate Canadian Mission, will award grants to successful candidates on condition that the candidate must give a written undertaking on their own behalf that:

  1. the candidate will personally apply for an award and will carry out their own research, which is neither part of contractual or commissioned research, nor part of their formal program of studies leading to a degree.
  2. awards are normally granted only for work to be carried out in either the applicant's country of residence and/or Canada, and are intended to assist in defraying only direct costs related to a project, including return travel to Canada and related expenses, rental of equipment (but not capital purchases), purchase of books and other materials, some secretarial services, and, possibly, some publishing costs; no provision is made for released time stipends nor for overhead costs to the institution.
  3. the candidate will make all arrangements relating to the research project, including: international travel arrangements; visa and passport (if needed); accommodation and travel within Canada; medical insurance while in Canada; visit plans, including inter alia appointments with Canadian academics and other resource persons, access to libraries and other study centres, etc.
  4. two copies of the manuscript, of publishable quality and the length of a normal scholarly journal article, produced as a result of the research award will be sent to the  local Canadian Mission along with a summary in English or French upon completion of the project, and no later than March 1st of the completion year. Failure to provide such a manuscript by that date may result in forfeiture of the final payment of the award. (One copy of the manuscript will be sent by the local Canadian Mission to the awards program administrators, the International Council for Canadian Studies in Ottawa, for possible transmission to the National Library of Canada; the other copy will be retained by the local Canadian Mission for purposes of consultation in the participating country.
  5. the candidate will make every reasonable attempt to publish the research article on Canada produced as a result of an award; while not a condition of an award, sharing of the results in other fora such as conferences and seminars is encouraged.
  6. the rights to the manuscript will remain the exclusive property of the researcher. When it is published the researcher will provide two copies of the article or book to the local Canadian Mission, to be held as described above.

Deadlines

Deadlines vary from country to country. Please click here for country-specific deadline information.

Value of Awards

The award will consist of a contribution towards international air fare (economy class) and an allowance of CAN $900 per complete week in Canada towards internal travel and living expenses for a maximum of four weeks. Smaller awards may also be made.

Contact information

Applicants must contact the local Canadian Mission in one's home country or territory for which a given Canadian Mission has responsibility. Please click here for country-specific contact information.

Application Procedure

Applications must be submitted through the local Canadian Mission in one's home country or territory for which a given Canadian Mission has responsibility. Applications submitted directly to the ICCS cannot be accepted nor redirected. An application dossier, in either English or French, will consist of a filled out application form accompanied by a concise curriculum vitae.

Application forms will be available here as of August 1st, 2012.

Selection and Notification

All applicants will be peer-reviewed by a pre-selection jury established in the participating country/region by the local Canadian Mission. The jury will include representatives of the academic community in the country or region of residence of the applicant (including if possible a representative of the national or multinational association for Canadian Studies) and, when possible, Canadian academics.

Evaluation criteria will be:

  • academic excellence of the proposal.
  • canadian content.
  • relevance of the proposal to identified priorities and Canadian Studies.
  • feasibility of the project.
  • likelihood of publication.

After reviewing applications and the recommendations of the pre-selection jury, the International Council for Canadian Studies in Ottawa will forward its recommendations to DFAIT, which will make the final decision. All applicants will be notified in writing of the results of their application, normally within 90 days of the deadline for submission of applications.

Payment Procedure

Successful candidates will be sent a Grant Agreement detailing the value and conditions of the award, to be signed and returned to the local Canadian Mission within 30 days.

A first installment of 70% of the award will be paid to successful applicants upon receipt of the signed Grant Agreement by the local Canadian Mission, and normally six weeks before departure for Canada. The remaining 30% will be paid upon return from Canada and upon submission to the local Canadian Mission of the related manuscript, of publishable quality and the length of a normal scholarly journal article, and of a completed claim form outlining plans or prospects for publication.