Research Services Office
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 1N4
rsogrants@ucalgary.ca
NSERC Strategic Project Grants
2016 Competition
Application Checklist
General Information
The Strategic Project Grants Program aims to increase research and training in targeted areas of national interest that
could strongly enhance Canada’s economy, society and/or environment within the next 10 years. Research must be
proposed in one of four target areas:
1.
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Advanced Manufacturing
Environment and Agriculture
Information and Communications Technologies
Natural Resources and Energy
Award Amount
 No limits are set on the amounts requested. The average annual award in 2015 was $173,100.
Duration
 Strategic Project Grants are awarded for one to three years.
Application Deadlines
 Deadlines:
o January 11: Notice of Intent
o February 16: Draft Application
o March 28: Final Application
 The University of Calgary instituted an extensive internal review process for SPG applications in past years. The
2016 process includes the submission of: (1) a Notice of Intent; and (2) a complete draft for review by
anonymous referees. Applicants who make the required submissions in advance of both deadlines will have the
opportunity to work with a professional grant writer.
o Applications that do not meet internal deadlines will not be eligible for any subsequent reviews,
including access to a professional grant writer.
 The final application package must be submitted to Research Services by March 28 at 4:00 pm. This includes:
o Electronic submission of the application on the NSERC On-line system;
o A completed Research Funding Application Approval form, signed by the applicant, U of C co-applicants,
the applicant’s Department Head, and the applicant’s Dean or Associate Dean (Research).
Required Signatures
 Research Funding Application Approval form: applicant, U of C co-applicant(s), the applicant’s Department
Head, and the applicant’s Dean or Associate Dean (Research). Email to rsogrants@ucalgary.ca as part of your
application package.
 Form 101: co-applicants do not need to physically sign the application, since they “link” to it electronically in the
NSERC On-line system.
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The authorized institutional representative(s) of co-applicant(s) external to the University of Calgary
must sign a copy of pg. 2-2. Email this page to rsogrants@ucalgary.ca as part of your application
package.
Form 183A: a representative of the supporting organization who is authorized to commit resources. A similar
representative should also sign the Letter of Support. Send an original ink signature of this Form and the Letter
of Support to the attention of Morgan Afonso, Research Services Office (address in letterhead above).
o For government organizations, the signature must be provided by the Director General or equivalent.
Links to Additional Information
 Program Guidelines
 Form 101 Instructions (see also Instructions for International Collaborations)
 Form 100 Instructions
 Form 183A Instructions
 Frequently Asked Questions
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Overview: Application Forms and Attachments
Form 101 (Application for a Grant)
Budget Justification (attachment)
Contributions from Supporting Organizations (attachment)
Proposal (attachment)
References (attachment)
Relationship to Other Research Support (attachment)
Intellectual Property – optional (attachment)
Curriculum Vitae (maximum of 6 pages) for each collaborator – if applicable (attachment)
Appendix A (Environmental Impact) – if required (attachment)
Appendix C (Referee Suggestions)
Form 100 (Personal Data Form) – one for applicant and each co-applicant
Contributions (attachment)
Appendix A (Personal Data)
Appendix B (Eligibility Questionnaire) – if required
Appendix C (Description of Applicant’s Activities) – if required
Form 183A (Information Required from Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships Programs) – one for each supporting
organization
Letter of Support from each supporting organization (attachment)
Company Profile (attachment)
Statement on Ownership – if applicable (attachment)
1. Form 101 (Application for a Grant)
Application profile
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Select a target area and research topic from the lists provided. Use the Proposal section to explain why the research you propose is strategic and how it
addresses the research topic. If the research you propose falls outside the priority research topics listed, select “Exceptional Opportunity Outside the
Research Topics” and provide an explanation in the Proposal section.
Areas of research
Certification requirements
Co-applicants
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To invite co-applicants to link their Personal Data Form (Form 100) to the application, enter the e-mail address of the co-applicant as it appears in the coapplicant’s Form 100, as well as the family name. When you select Save, an automated e-mail message will be sent to the person(s) to whom you have
granted access to your application, informing them that they have been invited to participate in your application.
When completing Form 100, academic researchers outside the natural sciences and engineering may provide the requested information related to
“Contributions” in an alternate format within the five-page limit.
Supporting organizations
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Includes: co-applicant institutions (if different from the University of Calgary) and supporting organizations (Canadian-based companies or government
organizations that can apply the results of the research).
Enter information about each co-applicant organization's signing officer. For supporting organizations such as an industrial partner or a government
department, enter information about the authorized representative(s) (this should correspond to the representative signing the Form 183A and Letter of
Support).
The applicant must ensure that the co-applicants from other institutions obtain the appropriate signature on pg. 2 of Form 101 from the authorized officer
of their organization prior to submitting the application to NSERC.
IMPORTANT: The signed forms can be emailed to rsogrants@ucalgary.ca or faxed to Research Services at (403) 289-0693.
Collaborators
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List each collaborator’s name, personal identification number (if known) and organization name, as well as the time (in hours per month) each collaborator
will devote to the proposed research/activity or the use of equipment or facility.
A collaborator is a member of the research team that is applying for a group grant. The collaborator will not have access to the grant funds and must be
qualified to undertake research independently. Collaborators are expected to contribute to the overall intellectual direction of the research project or
program of research and to bring their own resources to the collaboration. Examples of collaborators are: government scientists, academic researchers,
company staff members or research scientists.
Only identify collaborators in this section if their role in the project is similar to that of a co-applicant. Use the Other Documents section to attach a
curriculum vitae (maximum six pages) for each collaborator. Other researchers providing specialized expertise can be briefly described in the Proposal
section.
Summary of proposal (text box)
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The summary is intended to explain the proposal in language that the public can understand. Using simple terms, briefly describe the nature of the work to
be done. Indicate why and to whom the research is important, the anticipated outcomes and how your field and Canada will benefit. Your summary must
not exceed twenty-one lines on the printed copy.
Activity schedule
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List the activities/steps required to achieve the objectives for each year of the grant. A project planning chart (e.g., Gantt chart) may be included in the
Budget Justification section.
Indicate the start and end dates for the activities leading to the milestones, as well as the major results expected.
ROLE IN EVALUATION: This section is assessed under Criterion 3 - Project Work Plan, in conjunction with the Proposal attachment.
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Proposed expenditures
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Before completing this page, read the instructions and consult the “Use of Grant Funds” in the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide.
Provide a separate budget page for each major theme area or sub-project (if applicable). The budget for the entire project will print automatically.
Applicants who require equipment to conduct the research must incorporate their request for equipment (up to a maximum of $150,000 for major items
or systems) into the research proposal and justify the need for the equipment to conduct the research.
Certain expenditures related to project management are now eligible as a direct cost of research up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total direct costs
(see the Guidelines for Research Partnerships Programs Project Management Expenses).
ROLE IN EVALUATION: This section is assessed under Criterion 3 - Project Work Plan, in conjunction with the Budget Justification and Proposal
attachments.
Contributions from supporting organizations
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List the resources the supporting organization will provide to support the proposed activities including:
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the cash contribution to direct costs of research. This amount will be transferred to the appropriate line on the Proposed Expenditures page;
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the in-kind contribution to direct costs of research (donations of services, materials and equipment). This amount will be transferred to the Proposed
Expenditures page (if applicable);
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the in-kind contributions to indirect costs. This amount is not transferred to the Proposed Expenditures page; and
ROLE IN EVALUATION: This section is assessed under Criterion 6 – Interactions with the Supporting Organizations, in conjunction with the Proposal
attachment.
Formatting of all attachments meets NSERC presentation standards for free-form attachments
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Margins must be a minimum of ¾”; text is single-spaced; font is 12 pt. Times New Roman; pages are numbered sequentially; the applicant’s name is in the
top right-hand corner of each page; images are in black and white (colour images will be reproduced in black and white for reviewers).
Budget justification (attachment)
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Before completing this page, read the instructions and consult the “Use of Grant Funds” in the Tri-Agency Financial Administration Guide.
Provide a detailed explanation and justification for each budget item identified in the Proposed Expenditures page.
Salaries and stipends:
o
Student funding rates should be consistent with the typical levels of funding in your Department;
o
Human Resources advises that benefits for AUPE staff generally fall in the range of 20%-25% of salary.
The maximum request for major equipment or systems is $150,000. Quotations are no longer required for equipment over $25,000.
Travel: the University of Calgary per diem rates are $45/day for domestic travel, $63/day for international travel
Project management: up to 10% of the project’s budget may be allocated to project management expenses (e.g., a project coordinator).
ROLE IN EVALUATION: This section is assessed under Criterion 3 - Project Work Plan, in conjunction with the Proposal attachment.
Contributions from supporting organizations (attachment)
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IMPORTANT: Your supporting organization must be engaged in the research. The valuation of the in-kind contributions should clearly illustrate this.
Provide an explanation of the cash and/or eligible in-kind contributions committed by the supporting organization(s).
Consult the Guidelines for Organizations Participating in Research Partnership Programs to determine the eligibility and value of in-kind contributions (e.g.,
for contributions of the time of staff, NSERC will recognize a maximum of $100/hour).
ROLE IN EVALUATION: This section is assessed under Criterion 6 – Interactions with the Supporting Organizations, in conjunction with the Proposal
attachment.
Proposal (maximum of 11 pages) (attachment)
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IMPORTANT: In the Introduction section of the proposal, you must explain why the research you propose is strategic and how it fits the target area
description. If the research you propose falls within the Context section of a target area but outside the priority research topic descriptions, you must
provide justification for it to be considered. Insufficient information on this aspect can result in the rejection of a proposal.
Organize this part of the application in the sections described below, using a maximum of 11 pages. Any additional pages will be removed. Consult the full
instructions for details of what to include in each section, and the selection criteria referenced.
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INTRODUCTION (approx. one page, addressing how the proposed research fits the target area);
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SECTION 1 (approx. seven pages, addressing Selection Criteria 1 to 4);
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SECTION 2 (approx. one page, addressing Selection Criterion 5);
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SECTION 3 (approx. one page, addressing Selection Criterion 6);
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SECTION 4 (approx. one page, addressing Selection Criterion 7).
References (maximum of 2 pages) (attachment)
Relationship to other research support (attachment)
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Explain any financial and conceptual overlap with other active or applied for sources of research funding (from NSERC or otherwise).
Intellectual Property – optional (attachment)
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If available, attach a copy of the research/IP agreement between the University of Calgary and any supporting organizations.
Other documents – if required (attachment)
Collaborators’ curriculum vitae (maximum of 6 pages each) – if required (one attachment)
o
ROLE IN EVALUATION: This section is assessed under Criterion 4 – Quality of the Applicants as Researchers, in conjunction with the Proposal
attachment and Form 100.
Appendix A (Environmental Impact) – if required (attachment)
Appendix C (Referee Suggestions)
Cover letter – optional (attachment)
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Use a cover letter only if you wish to provide NSERC with additional information that will not be shared with external reviewers or selection panel
members, e.g., to request that a certain individual or group not be involved in the review of your application.
The cover letter must contain your name, the NSERC grant to which you are applying and the title of your application.
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2. Form 100 (Personal Data Form)
Personal profile
Current employment
Address
Academic background
Academic, research and industrial experience
Areas of expertise (research subject codes and keywords)
Research support
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List all sources of support (including NSERC grants and university start-up funds) held in the past four (4) years, currently held, or applied for, as an
applicant or as a co-applicant.
Contributions (maximum five pages) (attachment)
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Before completing this section, read the full instructions.
Using the headings below and a maximum of five (5) single-sided pages, describe your contributions to research, industrial R&D and highly qualified
personnel training over the last six (6) years up to the deadline date for the submission of the current application.
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Most Significant Contributions to Research and/or to Practical Applications;
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Research Contributions and Practical Applications;
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Other Evidence of Impact and Contributions;
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Delays in Research Activity;
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Contributions to the Training of Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP).
ROLE IN EVALUATION: This attachment and all the data of the Form 100 is assessed under Criterion 4 – Quality of the Applicants as Researchers, in
conjunction with the Proposal attachment.
Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP)
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Provide data about the HQP that you currently, or over the past six years, have supervised or co-supervised.
Appendix B (Eligibility Questionnaire) (if required)
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Complete this section if you are an applicant or co-applicant holding a position at a Canadian university that is not a tenured, tenure-track or life -time
professor emeritus position at the time of application. The information you provide must be for the position you will hold at the time the grant is awarded.
If you are not currently in that position, you must have a written offer.
IMPORTANT: If you complete Appendix B, it must be signed by your Department Head.
Appendix C (Description of Applicant's Activities) – if required

Complete this appendix if :
A) you hold a part-time academic appointment at a Canadian post-secondary institution. This includes applicants or co-applicants holding an adjunct
professor, professor emeritus, or part-time position; or
B) you hold an academic appointment at a Canadian post-secondary institution which is not a tenured or tenure-track appointment.
3. Form 183A (Information Required for Organizations Participating in Research Partnerships Programs)
Each supporting organization must attach a completed Form 183A, Letter of support and any other required documents
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To allow a supporting organization the ability to link a Form 183A to your application in the NSERC On-line system, use the Access Manager page of Form
101. For details on how to use this function, refer to the Access Manager instructions.
For applicants who are filling out the Form 183A on behalf of the participating organization, use the Link Manager page of the Form 183A (in the NSERC
On-line system) to link to your application. For details on how to use this function, refer to the Link Manager instructions.
General information on the organization
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Enter the name and title of the person at the organization whom NSERC should contact, if necessary, regarding the application and subsequently, if a grant
is awarded, regarding the administration of the award.
Addresses
Research and Development activities
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Indicate if your organization has an R&D department, the number of R&D staff in Canada, and the annual R&D expenditures.
Applicant Information
Contributions
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Indicate the organization’s contributions applied to the direct costs of research, as well as the name of the organization’s authorized representative.
The Form 183A must be signed by a representative of the organization who is authorized to commit resources. This signature certifies agreement with the
content of the application and commitment to provide the listed resources, and agreement to release the public summary of the award and publication of
the organization’s name as a supporter of the project.
o
For government organizations, the Letter of Support must be signed by the Director General, or equivalent level.
Statement of ownership – if required (attachment)
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If an applicant or co-applicant has ownership in a sponsoring company, include a statement that demonstrates how the relationship complies with the
NSERC guidelines for researcher-owned companies.
Letter of support (attachment)
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The letter of support from the organization must be attached to Form 183A and must include:
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the organization's support for and agreement with the proposal submitted to NSERC;
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the reasons for being involved in the proposed collaboration;
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how the organization expects to integrate the results into its operations or to otherwise benefit from the anticipated outcomes;
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(for projects) the further effort required to exploit the results in Canada;
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the potential for benefit to the Canadian economy and the relevant time frame;
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the anticipated interaction of the organization's personnel with researchers from postsecondary institutions;
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the contribution to the direct costs of the research, in cash and in-kind, as stated in the research proposal; and
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if applicable, a description of the R&D programs with details of any public funding received that is directly related to the application.
The letter must be signed by a representative of the organization who is authorized to commit resources. This signature certifies agreement with the
content of the application and commitment to provide the listed resources, and agreement to release the public summary of the award and publication of
the organization’s name as a supporter of the project.
o
For government organizations, the Letter of Support must be signed by the Director General, or equivalent level.
The original letter, bearing signatures, must be retained at the institution and made available to NSERC upon request. The letter must be on the
organization's letterhead and signed by an authorized representative of the organization.
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IMPORTANT: Please forward an original copy of the letter of support, bearing ink signature(s), to Research Services.
Company profile (attachment)
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Provide a concise profile of the company (not exceeding ½ page) and attach it to the application. Describe the nature of its operations (including
production, manufacturing, provision of services, or similar commercial activities) in Canada and its existing or planned capacity to use project results.
Please note that reference to the company’s Web site is not acceptable in lieu of the ½ page company profile.
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REVIEW CRITERIA
1.
Originality of the Research: the project must promise to generate new knowledge or to apply existing knowledge in an innovative manner.
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2.
Quality of the Research: the project must be scientifically sound and technically feasible. It must fall within a specific target area.
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the fit between the project objectives and the priorities of the supporting organizations;
the capacity of the supporting organizations to exploit the research results, or the possibility of the creation of a Canadian-based organization to do so;
the degree of involvement of the supporting organizations in: (a) developing the proposal; and (b) during the course of the project;
the plan for knowledge and technology transfer to the supporting organizations and/or the user sector, and a description of how any intellectual property
will be protected (if applicable); and
the researchers’ track record in transferring research results to a user sector.
Benefits to Canada and the Supporting Organizations: the proposal must identify how the work will benefit the supporting organization and
must demonstrate that exploitation of the research results will benefit Canada within a ten-year time frame.
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8.
the potential to provide highly qualified personnel with skills relevant to the needs of Canadian organizations;
the quality and track record of the researchers in training highly qualified personnel;
the training that will be achieved relative to the budget and the nature of the project;
the roles of the students, postdoctoral fellows, research associates, technicians and, if applicable, the research staff of the supporting participants;
the extent to which all participants, including the supporting organizations, are involved in the training; and
the suitability of the research environment for training.
Interactions with the Supporting Organizations: the supporting organizations must have the capacity to apply the results of the research and
must be actively involved in all stages of the project.
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7.
the research record of the applicant(s) or, in the case of new researchers, their potential to make contributions;
the recognition of the collective research contributions of the applicants by their peers or, in the case of new researchers, the recognition of their potential
by others in the field;
the appropriateness of their expertise in the proposed research areas of the project; and
the breadth and complementarity of expertise available for the project.
Training Potential: the project must provide opportunities to train students and other highly qualified personnel with skills relevant to the
needs of Canadian organizations.
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6.
the clarity of the project description;
the coherence of the activities, milestones, timelines and deliverables on the Activity Schedule section;
the probability of achieving the objectives in the proposed time frame;
the availability of the equipment and infrastructure required;
the appropriateness of the roles and time commitment of the applicants and the personnel from the supporting organization(s);
the need for the funds requested and the justification of the line items in the budget sections;
the plans for collaboration and communication among the researchers; and
the details of how the team and project will be managed (appropriate to the complexity of the project).
Quality of the Applicants as Researchers: The research team must have all the expertise to address the defined objectives competently and to
complete the project successfully.
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5.
the focus and clarity of the objectives of the project, both short and long term;
the appropriateness of the research methodology;
the justification of the approach based on the background research;
the feasibility of the proposed research; and
the degree to which the project fits the Strategic Projects target area and research topic.
Project Work Plan: the project must have a clear and coherent work plan that demonstrates a high probability of achieving the objectives in
the proposed time frame.
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4.
the novelty of the overall concepts and approach;
how the research relates to the current scientific and/or technical developments in the field with references to the current literature and patents;
the potential for developing new knowledge or technology, including innovative techniques, processes or products;
the extent to which new knowledge or technology is expected to impact on the field of research; and
the significance of the scientific issues and technical challenges.
economic benefit arising from a new or improved product or process;
social, environmental or health benefits;
an enhanced knowledge base for public policy development; and
increased highly qualified personnel in an area of importance for Canada.
International Collaborations only: has the applicant sufficiently addressed the following elements?
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a rationale for the collaboration and the integration of the activities planned in both countries and the total budget for the joint project;
a clear description of the planned research collaboration including the responsibilities of both teams and the distribution of work and methods of
implementation;
a description of the added value and a demonstration of benefits to be expected from the international collaboration;
the joint project’s significance to researcher training and the development of the research environment;
the ongoing activities and specific advantages of the Canadian and international groups respectively, that form the basis for the proposed joint project;
how the project is expected to strengthen research cooperation between the two countries over the long term;
the nature and extent of the collaboration including the roles of all participants, their pertinent expertise and expected contributions;
how the proposed joint project compares with other comparable activities worldwide; and
how the intellectual property and know-how arising from the accomplishment of the joint research project will be handled.