Research Talent for a Knowledge-Based Society

Advanced research training, for people in all sectors, provides an essential foundation for Canada’s ever-growing knowledge-based society and economy.

The Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) asked the three federal research funding agencies to develop a Tri-Agency Training Strategy, to deliver an equitable, accessible, and effective suite of scholarships and fellowships that help support and prepare a diverse population of students and post-doctoral fellows for careers requiring strong research skills in all sectors of society.

The strategy aims to be trainee-centric, evidence-based, and transparent, while communicating a shared vision among the tri-agencies and upholding the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion. An extensive environmental scan was performed, which highlighted a clear consensus on five main themes that will form the basis of future program design and initiatives:

• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Granting agencies will strengthen their efforts to embed EDI in their policies and programs, and monitor the participation and award rates of applicants from equity-seeking or underrepresented groups.
• Evolving Career Paths: Granting agencies will explore ways to support and incentivize professional skills training opportunities and experiential learning.
• Harmonization and Streamlining Efforts: Granting agencies will continue to explore efficiencies and opportunities to coordinate their programming and policies where appropriate.
• Indigenous Research and Training: Granting agencies will work with Indigenous rights holders to identify ways to embed Indigenous Knowledge into their programs, and remove barriers that limit access to full participation by Indigenous students and post-doctoral fellows.
• International Mobility and Globalization: Granting agencies will review their current suite of training programs with a view to encouraging mobility, international collaborations, and student experience in international settings.

Implementation of the strategy will be guided by an external advisory committee, to ensure it addresses the current and future needs of the students, postdoctoral fellows and postsecondary institutions, and to ensure a robust representation from trainees, past and present, familiar with the research and training environment.