ARCHIVED - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

1. People: A first-class research capacity in the social sciences and humanities
2. Research: New knowledge based on excellent research in the social sciences and humanities
3. Knowledge Mobilization: Facilitating the use of social sciences and humanities knowledge within and beyond academia

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Grants and Scholarships (voted)

Start date: 1978

End date: No end date

Description: This transfer payment program consists of grants and scholarships awarded for research, research training, and research dissemination activities in the social sciences and humanities

Expected results¹:

• Highly qualified personnel, expert in research, are available to pursue various knowledge-intensive careers within universities, industry, government and other sectors
• A world-class research capacity is enhanced in social sciences and humanities in Canadian universities and research institutes through the attraction and retention of excellent researchers
• Investigator-framed research creates a synergy contributing to observable knowledge advancement and dissemination of research results throughout the academic community and beyond
• Excellent SSHRC-funded research is targeted in areas of importance to Canadians (as defined by SSHRC, in consultation with the research community and various stakeholders)
• Research institutions are supported to conduct research development, and new research and researchers are attracted in strategic and critical areas
• Research results are effectively disseminated both within and beyond academia
• Researchers interact and work with each other, across disciplines and sectors, and with potential users of research in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors

^1. As presented in SSHRC, SSHRC Performance Measurement Framework, Ottawa, April 2008.

People: A first-class research capacity in the social sciences and humanities

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) (voted)

Start date: 2003

End date: No end date

Description: This transfer payment program supports 1,300 doctoral students and 1,300 master’s students in the social sciences and humanities

Expected results²:

• Increased incentives for students to enrol in and complete master’s degrees and/or PhDs in a timely manner
• Improved access to scholarships to complete master’s degrees and/or PhDs
• Increased retention of the next generation of researchers by Canadian universities
• Highly qualified personnel, expert in research, available to pursue various knowledge-intensive careers within universities, industry, government and other sectors

^2. As presented in SSHRC, The Canada Graduate Scholarship Program Results-Based Management and Accountability Framework, Ottawa, June 2003.

People: A first-class research capacity in the social sciences and humanities

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) (voted)

Start date: 2008

End date: No end date

Description: SSHRC’s portion of this tri-agency class grant transfer payment program provides financial support to Canadian and international students who have achieved outstanding success in their studies and will pursue a doctoral program at a Canadian university in an area of the social sciences and humanities

Expected results³:

• Establishment of a Canadian doctoral scholarship that is internationally competitive and internationally recognized, similar to other international scholarships such as the Fulbright and Rhodes
• Enhanced capacity of Canadian universities to attract the best and brightest students from Canada and the world with the potential to become leaders in the next generation of researchers in Canada
• Attract to Canada top students from other countries who will bring with them new knowledge and ideas and enrich the Canadian learning environment
• Retain Canada’s top doctoral students in the face of intense international competition for the brightest researchers
• Promote and brand Canada as a home of research excellence and Canadian universities as world-class institutions of research and higher learning, e.g. by improving their standing on the list of the 100 top universities internationally
• Establish effective research collaborations and networks between Canada and the recipients’ home countries
• Create an alumni of “ambassadors” for Canada worldwide who will promote Canada as a destination for research excellence and higher learning

^3. As presented in Class Grant Terms and Conditions for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Program, approved by Treasury Board in July 2008.

Institutional Environment: A strong Canadian science and research environment

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Indirect Costs of Research (voted)

Start date: 2003

End date: No end date

Description: This transfer payment program supports a portion of the indirect costs associated with the conduct of academic research in institutions that receive research grant funds from any of the three federal granting agencies. Grants are awarded to eligible institutions using a progressive funding formula based on the average revenues from research grants received from CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC

Expected results⁴:

• The provision of well-equipped research facilities, including the operation and maintenance of these facilities, and the technical support of equipment
• The provision of world-class research resources, including support for multi-disciplinary research and international collaboration
• The effective management and administration of the research enterprise
• Increased ability to meet regulatory requirements related to international accreditation standards in research, including standards that govern animal care, the handling of hazardous materials, environmental protection, and ethical treatment of human subjects in medical and social sciences research
• The effective transfer of knowledge, including commercialization activities and the management of intellectual property generated by research activities

^4.As presented in SSHRC, Grants Program to Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions to Defray a Portion of the Indirect Costs of Federally Supported Research at Colleges, Universities and their Affiliated Research Hospitals and Institutes Results-based Management and Accountability Framework and Risk-based Audit Framework, Ottawa, June 2003.

Knowledge Mobilization: Facilitating the use of social sciences and humanities knowledge within and beyond academia

Name of Transfer Payment Program: Networks of Centres of Excellence

Start date: 1997

End date: No end date

Description: This federal class grants transfer payment program is administered jointly by the three federal granting agencies in partnership with Industry Canada. It supports research in complex areas of critical importance to Canadian universities and hospitals in partnership with private and public sectors. The networks funded through this program are multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral partnerships that stimulate leading-edge, internationally competitive research in areas critical to Canadian economic and social development

Expected results⁵:

• Acceleration of the exchange of research results within funded networks and the use of this knowledge within Canada by organizations that can harness it for Canadian economic and social development
• Attraction and retention of world-class researchers and highly qualified personnel in areas essential to Canadian economic and social development
• Creation of functional multi-regional interdisciplinary research teams
• Development of a pool of highly qualified personnel in areas essential to Canadian economic and social development
• Increase in Canada’s international visibility and reputation

^5.As presented in Class Grant Terms and Conditions for the Networks of Centres of Excellence Program administered jointly by NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC in partnership with Industry Canada, approved by Treasury Board in 2008.