Category Archives: SSHRC

Tri-Agency Statement of Principles: Digital Data Management

Canada’s three federal research granting agencies—the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and SSHRC—have adopted the Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management as an important step towards strengthening research data management in Canada and maintaining Canada’s research excellence.

The Statement is the result of targeted community engagement, and will serve as the basis for the continuing work of the agencies on the renewal of their data management policies. It recognizes that different stakeholders in Canada’s research system have different roles and responsibilities, and that all parts of the system must work together in order to ensure that Canada maintains international best practices in the preservation, accessibility and reuse of research data.

What is the Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management?

The Statement outlines the agencies’ overarching expectations for research data management and the roles of researchers, research institutions, research communities, and research funders in supporting data management. It complements and builds upon existing agency policies, and will serve as a guide to assist the research community in preparing for, and contributing to the development of, Tri-Agency data management requirements. The Statement itself does not include mandatory requirements.

Because the research data management environment continues to evolve, the agencies will continue stakeholder engagement and review and revise the Statement as appropriate.

Learn more about the tri-agency data management initiative, and read the Tri-Agency Statement of Principles on Digital Data Management, at science.gc.ca.

SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis Grant–June 2016 competition

How are the knowledge systems, experiences and aspirations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples essential to building a successful shared future for all Canadians?

June 2016 Competition

Value $25,000
Duration One year
Application deadline September 13, 2016
Results announced November 2016

Aboriginal research is a key element identified though SSHRC’s Imagining Canada’s Future initiative—in particular, “How are the knowledge systems, experiences and aspirations of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples essential to building a successful and shared future for all Canadians?” This future challenge area includes issues in areas such as:

  • self-determination;
  • historical and modern treaties;
  • Aboriginal values, oral histories, knowledge systems and connections to the land;
  • endangered languages and cultures; and
  • Aboriginal youth and employment.

The release of the final report of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015 on the impacts of Indian Residential Schools identified more areas for urgent action to support reconciliation. These include, for example, child welfare, education, health, justice and corrections, Aboriginal rights, museums and archives, media, sports, business, and nearly every other aspect of Canadian life.

The report’s calls to action further highlight the critical role Canadian social science and humanities scholars can play in enabling access to knowledge in these and other areas; knowledge that is properly grounded in respect, diversity and reciprocity in the relationships between First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, and academic communities.

These grants will foster a deeper understanding of the current and historical, cultural, social and economic experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada. They will also  support pathways to a vibrant and shared future for all Canadians. The resulting syntheses will help to identify roles that the academic, public, private and not-for-profit sectors may play in seizing future opportunities. This understanding and knowledge will help to develop robust policies, strategies, best practices and tools for a sustainable, equitable and prosperous future.

SSHRC invites all eligible applicants, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to consider addressing one or more of the questions listed within the themes of this call.

This funding opportunity has three objectives that applicants must address in their proposals:

State of Knowledge and Research Gaps:

  • critically assess the state of knowledge of the future challenge area theme under consideration from a variety of sources as appropriate;
  • identify knowledge gaps within the theme; and
  • identify the most promising policies and practices related to the theme.

Research Data:

  • assess the quality, accuracy and rigour of current work in the field; and
  • identify gaps in the quantitative and qualitative data available.

Knowledge Mobilization:

  • mobilize knowledge related to promising policies and practices within the academic, private, not-for-profit and public policy sectors, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal; and
  • facilitate dialogue between academic researchers, cross-sectoral stakeholders (including Aboriginal communities) and policy-makers in government.
  • facilitate the use of resulting findings by Aboriginal Peoples and other stakeholders, with a particular emphasis on reciprocity and benefits for communities.

Value and Duration

Knowledge Synthesis Grants are one–year grants worth up to $25,000. However, all synthesis reports must be completed by May 2017. A minimum of 15 grants will be awarded.

By applying for this funding opportunity, applicants consent, should they be awarded a Knowledge Synthesis Grant, to SSHRC sharing the resulting synthesis report with other interested organizations and individuals.

For more information on this opportunity, including how to apply, please visit the SSHRC Knowledge Synthesis June 2016 opportunity page.

 

SSHRC’s 2016-20 Strategic Plan

SSHRC’s 2016-20 Strategic Plan: Advancing Knowledge for Canada’s Future is now available.

The strategic plan was approved by SSHRC’s governing Council in March and articulates the agency’s vision for the next four years. Its purpose is to guide SSHRC’s collective efforts as they work to enable excellence, create new opportunities for research and training, connect research to Canadians and, ultimately, advance knowledge for a better Canada.

The plan has three strategic objectives:

  1. To enable excellence in a changing research landscape
  2. To create opportunities for research and training through collaborative initiatives
  3. To connect social sciences and humanities research with Canadians

To position Canada as a world leader in social sciences and humanities research and research training, SSHRC will continue to collaborate closely with partner institutions in academia, as well as communities and organizations across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

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SSHRC Launches New Insight and Connection Achievement Reports

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) has been developing a new approach to end-of-grant reporting that is more user-friendly. As part of this process, they have created a revised and more concise achievement report. This replaces the existing final research and activity reports.

The information provided in these reports is of great value to SSHRC as it is a vital input to future planning and strategy setting. It also allows SSHRC to:

  • promote social sciences and humanities research, and show how it contributes to a better future for Canada and the world;
  • demonstrate the impact and outcomes of the research it funds, and how the findings from this research are used to improve our quality of life, enrich cultural expression, and drive prosperity, equity and sustainability through innovation;
  • monitor the performance of its funding opportunities;
  • report to government; and
  • provide input for decision-making on and the evaluation of funding opportunities.

Beginning June 6th, 2016, new achievement reports will be available to Insight Development Grant and Connection Grant recipients. They will be in a survey format on Fluidsurveys, a secure web platform, and must be submitted within six months of the end of the grant period.

To demonstrate the impact of SSHRC-funded research, the information from the reports may be shared with Parliament, the research community and the public. SSHRC is committed to the protection of the personal information under its control. Refer to the attached Achievement Report Privacy Notice for more information on how SSHRC collects, uses and discloses personal information.

SSHRC will notify grant recipients when the reports are available on the SSHRC website.

If you have any questions or comments, contact corporate-performance@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca

Connection Grants – Connecting for Canada’s 150th

As part of its Connection Grant program, SSHRC is offering the following opportunity as a way to mark Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017:

“SSHRC is proud to mark Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017. All across the country and in a variety of ways, Canadians will be celebrating this historic occasion. We believe this anniversary is an opportunity to acknowledge and support scholarly or research-related activities which mobilize research about Canada at 150: its past, its present and its future.

Many milestones—social, political, cultural, economic—helped shape Canada as we know it today, and they continue to influence our leaders and impact our citizens from one generation to the next. Understanding these milestones, and their consequences, is the domain of the social sciences and humanities.

It is in that spirit that SSHRC is pleased to offer Connecting for Canada’s 150th, a unique series of Connection Grants to support one hundred and fiftieth anniversary-related initiatives organized by postsecondary institutions and scholars. These events or outreach activities should mark or celebrate this historic anniversary, enhancing our understanding of the social, cultural, technological, environmental and economic issues we face at 150.

This funding opportunity also provides support for connection activities which exemplify the contributions of Canadian institutions and researchers in social sciences and humanities, either to a discipline or to global fields of study.”

Application Process:

To be considered for funding under the Connecting for Canada’s 150th initiative, applicants must complete the application form and follow the accompanying instructions, as outlined in the Connection Grant funding opportunity description.

SSHRC will accept applications for this initiative for one of the following deadlines:

  • August 1, 2016;
  • November 1, 2016; and
  • February 1, 2017.

Click here for full details on the opportunity

 

Changes to SSHRC Communication of Competition Results

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) has improved and harmonized the communication of competition results given to applicants and institutions. These changes are a result of a review aimed at determining what type of post-adjudication feedback could:

  • Provide applicants with the decision (offered/not offered);
  • Allow applicants and institutions to situate the individual results within a larger context; and
  • Allow institutions to situate the results of their cohort of applicants within a larger context.

New this year:

  • Applications will be “offered”, “conditionally offered” or “not offered” funding;
  • Elimination of the “recommended, not funded” category;
  • Collection of all applications into one overall group by rank and divided by relative rank into sextiles;
  • Results for applicants will be provided on a one-page form that includes individual, committee and overall results and statistics, including the sextile in which their application placed;
  • Institutions will receive overall and institutional competition statistics on the secure site (not for public dissemination until the official public announcement has occurred) in addition to their applicants’ results by sextiles (presented in alphabetical, not rank order) and the award decisions.

At this time, changes will be made in the communication of results to the Insight Grants (IG), Insight Development Grants (IDG), Partnerships Grants Letter of Intent (PG – LOI), and Partnership Development Grants (PDG) funding opportunities.

These changes are based on feedback received from the research community that the number of applications that were “Recommended, not funded” had increased in most funding opportunities over the past years and the proportion of applications deemed “Recommended, not funded” was inconsistent from one funding opportunity to another which made results difficult to interpret. Furthermore, it was found that the large number of “Recommended, not funded” applications sent mixed messages to individual applicants since only a small proportion of these applications are funded by SSHRC on an annual basis.

Effective immediately, the “Recommended, not funded” category has been eliminated. Applicants will now be informed that their application was either “Offered”, “Conditionally Offered” or “Not Offered” an award.

“Conditionally offered” refers to awards to successful applicants who must meet certain conditions in order to receive the award. Individuals receiving a conditional offer will be made aware of the specific condition as part of the correspondence they receive concerning their results. Below are two scenarios that illustrate situations in which a grant would be conditionally offered:

  • Example 1: A Postdoctoral researcher applies and is successful in the Insight Grant funding opportunity. This applicant is conditionally offered an award. In order for SSHRC to release grant funds, the applicant must: – formally establish an affiliation with an eligible Canadian postsecondary institution within three months of the grant start date (i.e., by September 2016 for the current competition); AND – maintain such an affiliation for the duration of the grant period.
  • Example 2: A PhD candidate has applied and is successful in the Insight Development Grant funding opportunity. This applicant is conditionally offered an award and must: – meet all requirements for the PhD before the grant is awarded (i.e., before June 1, 2016, for the current competition), including all course work and successful defense of their dissertation, AND – establish a formal affiliation with an eligible Canadian postsecondary institution within three months of the grant start date (i.e., by September 2016 for the current competition), AND – maintain such an affiliation for the duration of the grant period.

The results of all applications within each funding opportunity will be collected, grouped based on overall relative rank and divided into sextiles. The fifth and sixth sextiles (or bottom third) will be combined into one group. Applicants, as well as their institution, will be informed into which sextile category their application fell, in relation to all applications submitted to that competition. Applicants will continue to receive information on where their application ranked (by committee).

Applicants will receive the following:

a. Overall competition statistics
b. Results for their specific application:

i. Decision (Offered/Conditionally Offered/Not Offered)
ii. Final Scores
iii. Rank within the committee
iv. Sextile category in overall ranking
v. Committee comments (if applicable)
vi. External Assessments / Expert Panel Reports (if applicable)

SSHRC will also provide institutions with more information regarding the results of the applicants from their institution and their overall standing in the competition. Institutions will receive the following:

a. Overall competition statistics
b. Institution competition statistics
c. Results for all applications submitted via the institution:

i. Decision (Offered/Conditionally Offered/Not Offered)
ii. Recommended Amount (for those offered an award)
iii. Sextile category in overall rankings (the list of applicants will appear in alphabetical order within the sextile category)

Image credit: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/943693 

Subscribe to Dialogue, SSHRC’s e-newsletter

Dialogue, SSHRC’s eNewsletter, brings you the latest news about SSHRC, its funding programs, and social sciences and humanities research in Canada.

To view previous editions and to subscribe to Dialogue,  go to: http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/about-au_sujet/publications/dialogue-eng.aspx 

SSHRC Connection Grant – February 1, 2016 Competition

SSHRC Connection Grant –February 1st Competition

SSHRC’s Connection Grants support events and outreach activities geared toward short-term, targeted knowledge mobilization initiatives. These events and outreach activities represent opportunities to exchange knowledge and to engage on research issues of value to those participating. Events and outreach activities funded by a Connection Grant may often serve as a first step toward more comprehensive and longer-term projects potentially eligible for funding through other SSHRC funding opportunities.

Description: Connection Grants support workshops, colloquiums, conferences, forums, summer institutes or other events or outreach activities that facilitate:

  • disciplinary and/or interdisciplinary exchanges in the humanities and social sciences;
  • scholarly exchanges between those working in the social sciences and humanities and those working in other research fields;
  • intersectoral exchanges between academic researchers in the humanities and social sciences and researchers and practitioners from the public, private and/or not-for-profit sectors; and/or
  • international research collaboration and scholarly exchanges between researchers, students and non-academic partners from other countries.

Matching Funds: SSHRC will not fund the full cost of any Connection event or outreach activity. Additional support in the form of cash and/or in-kind contributions (excluding registration fees), equivalent to a minimum of 50 per cent of the amount requested from SSHRC, must come from sponsoring organizations. For example, an applicant requesting $10,000 in funding from SSHRC, will have to provide additional support equal to $5,000. SSHRC will consider only those funds stemming from sponsoring organizations in its calculation of matching funds; individual contributions will not be considered in the calculation of matching funds.

Amount: The maximum value for a SSHRC Connection Grant is now dependent on whether it is an “event” Connection Grant OR if it is a Connection Grant with “outreach activities”. Event Connection grants are a maximum of $25,000 for one year ($7,000 – $$25,000). Outreach Activities Connection grants are a maximum of $50,000 ($7,000 – $50,000) for one year.

Agency Deadline: February 1, 2016, by 8:00pm EST.
Brescia Research Officer: January 28th, 2016, 5:00pm. If you require institutional support, or wish to have feedback on your application, please submit to RO at least 2 weeks before agency deadline.

Brescia Deadline SSHRC Deadline Decision Date
January 28th, 5:00PM (ET)  February 1st, 2016, 8:00pm (ET)  by March 31st, 2016

Submission process: uses SSHRC web-based forms including Web CV.

For more information, visit the SSHRC Connection Grant opportunity page.

image credit: imelenchon, morguefile

Government of Canada Announces Investments for the Humanities and Social Sciences Research

Investments in social sciences and humanities research will foster collaboration across sectors and create a strong basis for informed decision-making
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December 16, 2015 – Ottawa, Ontario—The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, today announced investments of more than $266 million for 2015-2016, supporting research and research training in the fields of social sciences and humanities.

The funded research projects, taking place at institutions across Canada, examine a variety of topics. For example:

  • With her Partnership Grant, York University’s Jennifer Jenson leads an international network of partners from industry and academia, examining the participation and visibility of women as both players and creators of digital games.
  • Betty Bastien from the University of Calgary is using her Insight Grant funding to develop culturally informed training practices for social services workers in Indigenous communities, with the goals of strengthening natural support systems, reducing levels of violence and improving general well-being.
  • The University of British Columbia’s Ildiko Kovacs will use Canada Graduate Scholarships doctoral funding, awarded under SSHRC’s Talent program, to engage Vancouver teens in developing youth-friendly recommendations for municipal transportation planning strategies.

The funds are administered by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) under its Talent Program, and its Partnership, Partnership Development, Insight and Insight Development Grants.

Quotes:

“Through investments like those announced today, the Government of Canada is demonstrating its commitment to science and research. These grants will contribute to building a strong social sciences and humanities research base in Canada while enriching knowledge and fostering partnerships.”

—The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science

“By funding these research initiatives and large-scale partnerships, SSHRC is supporting research and talent that are central to quality of life and innovation, and to developing Canada’s future leaders in all sectors of society. These initiatives, many of them leveraging public, private and not-for-profit involvement and investment, will generate insights into pressing societal issues, ensuring a better future for Canada and the world.”

—Ted Hewitt, President, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

image credit: morguefile