SSHRC wishes to thank everyone who completed the survey about SSHRC's peer-review system that was undertaken by an independent blue ribbon panel.
Among the key 2008-10 strategic priorities noted in Framing our Direction, the panel is assessing the quality of our peer-review practices with a view toward ensuring we are world leaders in the expert evaluation of funding proposals. The blue ribbon panel reflects SSHRC's commitment to continuous improvement while we pursue the three ambitions of quality, connections and impact.
The panel's recent survey extends their consultation to the community by surveying researchers across Canada and requesting their opinions on SSHRC policies and practices. We are pleased to report that more than 6,000 researchers participated, resulting in an excellent response rate of over 35 per cent
The panel will meet later this month to review and discuss the survey results. A formal report of these results will be prepared by the spring of 2009.
The panel features a list of international experts in merit review, namely:
- Michèle Lamont (Chair), Robert I. Goldman Professor of European Studies; Professor of Sociology and African and African American Studies, Harvard University;
- Don Aitkin, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Canberra (Australia);
- Michael Gibbons, Honorary Professor, Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex;
- Linda Hutcheon Professor, English and Comparative Literature, University of Toronto;
- Ursula Lehmkuhl, First Vice President, Freie Universität Berlin;
- Toni Scarpa, Director of the Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health (USA); and
- Mark Weiss, Division Director, National Science Foundation (USA).
