Tri-agency Research Training Strategy

The Canada Research Coordinating Committee (CRCC) advances federal research priorities and the coordination of policies and programs of Canada’s three federal research funding agencies and the Canada Foundation for Innovation. It provides a senior strategic forum for sharing information, building consensus and making decisions on forward-looking initiatives that strengthen Canada’s research enterprise, foster world-leading research and advance the social and economic well-being of Canadians.

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is Canada’s federal funding agency for health research. Composed of 13 Institutes, CIHR collaborates with partners and researchers to support the discoveries and innovations that improve our health and strengthen our health systems. CIHR was designed to respond to the evolving needs for health research and seeks to transform health research in Canada by: funding investigator-initiated research as well as research on targeted priority areas; building research capacity in underdeveloped areas and training the next generation of health researchers; and focusing on knowledge translation that facilitates the application of the results of research and their transformation into new policies, practices, procedures, products and services. CIHR’s mission is to create new scientific knowledge and to enable its dissemination and implementation into improved health, more effective health services and products and strengthened Canadian health systems.

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is Canada’s largest funder of science and engineering research, with a sterling international reputation thanks to unwavering support for research excellence. NSERC supports the work of the best and most promising researchers, students and postdoctoral researchers at universities, colleges, CÉGEPs and polytechnics across the country. The research programs and projects NSERC funds can be curiosity-driven, applied, industry-focused, interdisciplinary or high-risk/high-reward, uniformly enriching today’s research ecosystem and our society.

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) supports world-class research in the social sciences and humanities to advance knowledge and understanding to meet Canada’s current and future challenges and promote new opportunities for Canadians. Through grants, fellowships and scholarships, SSHRC helps Canada’s researchers do what they do best: train the next generation of talented, creative thinkers and doers; build knowledge and understanding about people, cultures and societies; and work with partners across all sectors to drive innovations that address the challenges of today and tomorrow.

CRCC and the three federal research funding agencies extend thanks to the members of the research community, including the many who provided their feedback to us in the context of program evaluations, reports, events, panels, forums, etc.—particularly the members of the Tri-agency Research Training Strategy External Advisory Committee—for their valuable insight into the development of the Tri-agency Research Training Strategy.

The agencies are grateful to our institutional partners for their invaluable role in the delivery and improvement of scholarship and fellowship programs.

The agencies acknowledge that our Ottawa headquarters are located on the unceded territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin people, who have been the traditional guardians of this land since time immemorial. We also pay respect to all First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples across Canada and recognize and respect their ancestral treaty rights.

As part of its priority to advance research training, the CRCC tasked the three federal funding agencies (CIHR, NSERC, SSHRC) with the development of a Tri-agency Research Training Strategy to deliver an equitable, inclusive, accessible and effective suite of scholarships and fellowships that help support and prepare a diverse population of undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers for careers requiring strong research skills in all sectors of society.

To address the growing complexity of the Canadian research ecosystem and to meet the changing needs of students and postdoctoral researchers, the strategy is one of several coordinated and evidence-informed efforts that have been undertaken by the three federal research funding agencies. These efforts have resulted in key initiatives that will underpin the development and implementation of activities included in this strategy.

These include:

• the tri-agency strategic plan, Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training and Canada, to advance culturally relevant and respectful models of support for research conducted by, and with, Indigenous Peoples;
• nurturing a more equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible research ecosystem in Canada through the Tri-Agency Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan and the Dimensions Charter;
• a commitment, as signatories of the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA), to responsible research assessment that recognizes a diversity of research outputs and impacts;
• the Management Response and Action Plan to address the recommendations from the recent Tri-agency Talent Evaluation.

While work is already underway on multiple fronts across the agencies that complement the strategy, it is important to acknowledge that more work needs to be done. Funds and direction provided to the agencies in the Federal Budget 2024 will contribute to advancing some of these initiatives.

The Tri-agency Research Training Strategy is centred around the research training programs of the three federal funding agencies that provide direct support to students and postdoctoral researchers, putting a focus on the renewal and modernization of these programs. Actions stemming from this strategy should be introduced and applied over the next five years. The strategy itself will be examined and/or renewed at the end of this period. Indirect training opportunities whereby students and postdoctoral researchers receive experiential training and funds through a supervisor’s grant were considered out-of-scope. However, the agencies will develop an approach that will consider the whole suite of programs which contribute to research training when implementing this strategy and the Management Response and Action Plan.

Success of the strategy will rely on a coordinated suite of research training programs that is user-friendly and responsive to the needs of the research community.

To support, inspire and empower the next generation of research leaders for the benefit of Canada, today and into the future.

To develop an equitable, inclusive, accessible and effective suite of scholarship and fellowship funding programs in support of a diverse population of students and postdoctoral researchers.

To ensure a sound Tri-agency Research Training Strategy that is relevant and responsive to the current needs of students and postdoctoral researchers, certain elements were deemed essential. A strong system of support will ultimately enrich the research ecosystem and the quality, relevance and impact of research across multiple sectors. The funding agencies must provide leadership in supporting the development of the research and innovation leaders of tomorrow: to do so, they have developed a strategy that adheres to the key principles outlined below.

Shared vision

The strategy is guided by a vision that is shared among the agencies and its collaborative partners. Feedback on the needs and priorities of the community was provided by students and postdoctoral researchers via their respective associations and advisory committees, by early career and established researchers, by program administrators, and by postsecondary and other partners.

Evidence-based

The strategy draws on current evidence, good practices, meaningful consultations and data and ensures that the findings of the Tri-agency Talent Evaluation, the Canada Graduate Scholarships Program Evaluation, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Program Evaluation, the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program Evaluation, the Report of the Advisory Panel on the Federal Research Support System and the House of Commons Standing Committee on Science and Research are considered.

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)

The strategy is grounded in the principles of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the funding agencies relied on Best practices in Equity, Diversity and Inclusion to ensure that engagement was as inclusive as possible. Meaningful engagement with people from equity-deserving and rights-holding groups, a diversity of external partners, communities and subject matter experts informs this strategy. Equity-deserving groups include, but are not limited to, women, persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities. The agencies recognize that First Nations, Inuit and Métis are rights-holding First Peoples in Canada.

Reconciliation

The strategy aligns with the four strategic directions outlined in the tri-agency strategic plan, Setting New Directions to Support Indigenous Research and Research Training and Canada: self-determination, decolonization of research, accountability and equitable access.

Transparency

The strategy undertakes to foster openness, engagement and accountability through open communication, engagement with and updates to the community.

Trainee-centric

Students and postdoctoral researchers are at the heart of the strategy. An external advisory committee was formed of students, postdoctoral researchers, early career and established researchers who have demonstrated their commitment to improving conditions for students and postdoctoral researchers. The membership of this committee represented a broad spectrum of diverse backgrounds, research areas, and lived and living experiences.

Building on the guidance provided by the CRCC, the evidence and data collected, as well as the feedback received from the community, the three federal funding agencies identified themes and are committed to exploring the following related action items.

Many of the action items apply to more than one theme, but they are included in the theme where they will have the most impact. As the strategy is implemented, the agencies will further engage with partners and communities to collaborate and co-develop specific actions. The implementation of the strategy will be developed employing EDI best practices, including Gender-Based Analysis plus (GBA Plus) principles and an intersectional lens to ensure equitable outcomes that take into account the diverse needs of the community.

The goal of this theme is to adapt the learning objectives of tri-agency awards to better reflect current career trajectories. This theme links to the CRCC priority of Supporting early career researchers.

Career paths for students and postdoctoral researchers are increasingly leading to options outside academia and research-intensive careers: research training and career mentorship should evolve accordingly. An important part of the solution is to incorporate opportunities to further develop professional skills into the training experience and highlight transferable skills, both of which would enable award holders to expand their career options.

The three federal funding agencies are committed to supporting the development of transferable professional skills and ensuring that access to these opportunities is equitable and inclusive. The agencies will work to:

• expand and develop collaborative opportunities for students and postdoctoral researchers that support the acquisition of professional skills, facilitate the development of professional networks, encourage mentorship and/or enable experiential learning opportunities in private, public and/or not-for-profit sectors;
• collaborate with institutions in their development and implementation of institutional-level learning plans for agency-funded award holders that aim to encourage the acquisition of professional skills suitable to a wider range of work environments, and the mechanisms through which they will report their progress to the agencies;
• update program literature, application and review processes, and policies to address barriers related to non-linear career paths.

The goal of this theme is to support international mobility of Canadian students and postdoctoral researchers through increased portability of awards and to develop options for broadening opportunities for international applicants, including those from equity-deserving groups.

Students and postdoctoral researchers can greatly benefit from opportunities for international research and mobility as part of their research training programs. International experience can help develop some of the skills and experience needed for the jobs of the future, such as initiative, adaptability, problem solving, intercultural cooperation and language skills. Mobility—both Canadians going abroad and international researchers coming to Canada—helps Canadian research teams stay connected to the very best research taking place around the world.

The three federal funding agencies commit to increasing the international portability of scholarships and fellowships. The agencies will work to:

• enable all awards to be transferred to other eligible institutions within Canada;
• allow doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers to hold their awards abroad.

It can be more difficult to recruit and provide equitable and accessible programs and opportunities to international students and postdoctoral researchers because of additional costs, logistics, visa processing time, and other complications and barriers. Likewise, current indicators of past success, such as a record of competitive awards or records of past activities, are sometimes not available in other countries.

The agencies commit to expanding opportunities and removing barriers for continued study and research in Canada for international students and postdoctoral researchers. The agencies will work to:

• broaden eligibility of the doctoral and postdoctoral programs to include applications from international candidates and determine the proportion of awards to be offered to meritorious international applicants;
• review program literature, application and review processes, and policies to identify and address barriers for international students and postdoctoral researchers and those with international experience;
• collaborate with international partners and organizations to further support and facilitate initiatives that foster the global mobility of students and postdoctoral researchers;
• raise awareness among international students and postdoctoral researchers of the opportunities available to them.

The three federal funding agencies also recognize the importance of research security in the conduct of research and research training, as well as in research funding opportunities and policies. Best practices in this regard will be considered where appropriate and following the guiding principles of the tri-agency guidance on research security as the funding agencies advance the above commitments.

This theme has the goal of providing the research community with harmonized, streamlined and user-friendly programs, and reducing the administrative burden on applicants, reviewers and institutional partners while addressing barriers to full and equitable participation.

The three federal research funding agencies have been working to harmonize program components for some time. However, the scholarship and fellowship program landscape, with multiple types of awards being offered at both tri-agency and individual agency levels, remains complex.

The agencies welcome the new investments in Canada’s research ecosystem provided by the Federal Budget 2024 and are committed to harmonizing and simplifying programs at all levels for directly funded students and postdoctoral researchers, as well as addressing barriers that hinder equitability and accessibility. The agencies will work to:

• increase the value of all scholarships and fellowships to ensure international competitiveness;
• continue to simplify and harmonize the suite of programs offered by the funding agencies by merging existing agency-specific scholarships and existing national- level programs while retaining opportunities for international applicants;
• simplify end-to-end administration, in part by adopting a new Tri-agency Grants Management System.

The agencies acknowledge the influencing role of direct scholarship and fellowship funding on stipends/salaries of all students and postdoctoral researchers, including those supported indirectly by the agencies. In implementing this strategy and other initiatives, including the new investments provided by the Federal Budget 2024, the agencies will be mindful of the connections between programs that fund students and postdoctoral researchers directly and those that provide funding indirectly through a supervisor’s research funds.

Academic institutions partner with the agencies to administer scholarship and fellowship competitions from the review process to the distribution of award funding. Review processes at both tri-agency and institutional levels are not always clear or transparent: this can lead to confusion with and/or misunderstanding of the system. Similarly, funding reallocation practices, where institutional funds are redirected away from students and postdoctoral researchers once they receive an agency award, may not be transparent or well-publicized and may cause confusion or financial stress on award recipients. In collaboration with institutional partners, the agencies will work to:

• improve the transparency and clarity of institutional policies and practices related to funding reallocation;
• ensure the transparency and fairness of institutional- and agency-level review processes.

Gaining research experience early in an academic path can increase the likelihood of students pursuing research careers. There are fewer awards for students at the undergraduate level than at the graduate level at the agencies, limiting the attraction of students to pursue higher level research degrees. The agencies will work to analyze options to allocate funding across research training levels, including at the undergraduate level, to optimize the impact of investment in building research capacity, and develop a plan based on the results of the analysis.

In coordination with the Tri-agency Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan and the agencies’ individual Accessibility Plans, this theme aims to achieve a more equitable, diverse, accessible and inclusive Canadian research enterprise, focusing on the agencies’ research training award programs.

Toward this goal, as announced in the Federal Budget 2022, the three federal research funding agencies are offering designated awards for Black scholars through the agencies’ existing funding opportunities. The agencies have also integrated EDI Considerations in Research Design elements into award application processes.

Certain programs, policies, procedures, requirements, technology, established norms and biases can perpetuate barriers that disproportionately and cumulatively affect equity-deserving and rights-holding groups. Some applicants face systemic barriers and unconscious bias long before they apply for an award, reducing the opportunities available to highly qualified individuals to meet current selection criteria.

Designing funding agency policies to address systemic barriers that limit the full participation of talented individuals is essential to creating the excellent, innovative and impactful research necessary to advance knowledge and understanding, that can respond to local, national and global challenges.

The agencies are committed to addressing barriers to equitable and inclusive access to scholarships and fellowships. The agencies will work to:

• update program literature, application and review processes, and policies to address barriers, including financial barriers, impacting equity-deserving and rights-holding groups;
• explore the feasibility of expanding the time for which an applicant is eligible to apply for doctoral and postdoctoral awards programs;
• confirm accessibility compliance of any new application systems and procedures, and/or review existing systems and procedures to incorporate best practices in accessible and universal design;
• collaborate with partner institutions to enhance the recruitment, participation and retention of individuals from equity-deserving and rights-holding groups;
• continue to build and maintain connections with associations or networks of individuals from equity-deserving groups to better promote and engage on designated and general funding programs;
• enhance self-identification data collection, reporting and analysis to evaluate progress related to participation and outcomes pertaining to scholarship and fellowship programs;
• encourage mentorship opportunities that build connections between researchers from equity-deserving and rights-holding groups at all career stages.

This theme aims to further success, recognizing the Indigenous-specific research context, and supporting broader access to programs for Indigenous students and postdoctoral researchers. Many of the proposed elements of Theme 4: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will also benefit Indigenous students and postdoctoral researchers.

The three federal research funding agencies are committed to building on ongoing initiatives to strengthen Indigenous research capacity through the strategic plan Setting new directions to support Indigenous research and research training in Canada. In alignment with this plan, SSHRC and NSERC launched the Indigenous Scholars Awards and Supplements Pilot Initiative in September 2022.

Indigenous students and postdoctoral researchers have faced challenges and barriers in pursuing successful education pathways leading to inequitable participation in the Canadian research enterprise. First Nations, Inuit and Métis are rights-holding First Peoples: initiatives must be co-developed with these communities to ensure that their needs and priorities are met.

The agencies are committed to reducing barriers and increasing access to their programs. The agencies, in collaboration with Indigenous partners, will work to:

• review program literature, application and review processes, and policies to identify and address barriers for Indigenous students and postdoctoral researchers;
• continue to adapt processes to ensure that opportunities intended for Indigenous students and postdoctoral researchers are held by them by implementing the tri-agency policy on Indigenous Citizenship and Membership Affirmation when it takes effect, recognizing the harm caused by false claims of Indigenous heritage;
• expand the list of eligible reasons for award deferrals and interruptions to include leaves of absences for award holders to pursue Indigenous cultural or language training as well as to respect cultural and community responsibilities;
• seek opportunities to broaden the reach of programs intended for Indigenous students and postdoctoral researchers across the agencies;
• continue to build connections with Indigenous communities, ensuring that the agencies’ promotion and outreach activities reach Indigenous students and postdoctoral researchers.