ARCHIVED - Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council - Report

• Previous Page
• Table of Contents
• Next Page

This page has been archived.

Section II - ANALYSIS OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES BY STRATEGIC OUTCOME

Strategic Outcome 1.0: People—A first-class research capacity in the social sciences and humanities

Canada’s competitiveness in the 21st century will be closely linked to its ability to train and retain talented, skilled leaders and thinkers. With this in mind, SSHRC’s first strategic outcome focuses squarely on ensuring that Canada is able to develop the highly qualified personnel required to succeed.

Through its fellowships and scholarships, SSHRC supports the training of future leaders across all sectors of society by funding the most promising social sciences and humanities research talent at the master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral levels. It also awards prestigious research chairs in the social sciences and humanities to attract and retain world-class researchers, increasing Canada’s research and research training capacity to the benefit of all Canadians.

SSHRC also supports people through its distinguished prizes, which recognize academic achievement of the highest standard. Moving forward, SSHRC will renew the funding opportunities offered through its new Talent umbrella program, further integrating and streamlining funding under this strategic objective to focus more closely on the development, attraction and retention of talent.

Program Activity 1.1: Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes

Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes

Description (as per Program Activity Architecture, or PAA)

SSHRC offers several award programs for advanced study and research in the social sciences and humanities at the master's, doctoral and postdoctoral levels. These programs help train Canada's researchers and the leaders of tomorrow. In addition, SSHRC offers special fellowships to experienced researchers, and supplementary awards to outstanding doctoral and postdoctoral fellowship recipients. Finally, two commemorative prizes recognize the extraordinary dedication and creativity of Canada's best researchers.

Expected results (as per Performance Management Framework, or PMF)

Highly qualified personnel, expert in research, available to pursue various knowledge-intensive careers in universities, industry, government and other sectors.

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
25	120.4	24	116.9	24	117.0

Planning Highlights

• SSHRC will continue its review of its fellowship and scholarship opportunities, in order to further integrate and streamline these under its new Talent umbrella program.
• SSHRC will complete the evaluation of the SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowships funding opportunity. This exercise will inform the design and delivery of future funding opportunities for the development of research talent under SSHRC’s new Talent umbrella program, and will maximize the impacts of SSHRC’s investments in postdoctoral fellows.
• As part of the renewal of its programs, SSHRC will complete the evaluation of its prizes and special research fellowships. The results will inform future SSHRC plans for recognizing and highlighting contributions made to the development of a knowledge culture.
• As part of the continuing implementation of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, SSHRC will continue to support 100 doctoral scholarships through the 2009-10 Canada Graduate Scholarships competition to students undertaking business-related degrees.
• SSHRC will award its first cohort of fellowships through the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program.

Benefits for Canadians

Scholarships and fellowships provide students and postdoctoral fellows with financial support to pursue their graduate-level studies, and foster the development of the skills and qualifications that will enable their continued success over the course of careers in all sectors of society. SSHRC funding also allows them to develop essential skills, such as critical thinking and creative exploration, through opportunities to work with experienced researchers.

The resulting highly qualified workforce will increase Canada’s ability to quickly adapt and respond to challenges in the changing economic and social landscape. SSHRC scholarship funding, including through Canada Graduate Scholarships and Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, benefits all of Canada by developing and retaining its future leaders, and ensuring that they are well-equipped to propose innovative solutions that will contribute to Canada’s economic and social well-being.

Program Activity 1.2: Research Chairs

Research Chairs

Description (as per PAA)

Chairs programs support faculty positions within postsecondary and research institutions by providing funding for salaries and research activities. Chairs programs serve to attract the best and most productive researchers to Canada, and to retain those already here. In turn, these top researchers attract and support the best and most promising new scholars and graduate students. Ultimately, this helps to cultivate centres of world-class research excellence at Canadian universities, and to brand Canada as a top destination for research.

Expected results (as per PMF)

World-class researchers are attracted to enhance research capacity in Canadian universities and research institutes, and to build critical mass of expertise in priority S&T areas.

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
9	61.0	9	61.0	9	60.9

Planning Highlights

• Following on the 10th-year summative evaluation of the Canada Research Chairs Program completed in 2010-11, the program’s terms and conditions will be renewed, and, where warranted, program changes will be implemented.

Benefits for Canadians

Canada’s competitive advantage in the global community relies heavily on its ability to attract and retain world-class research talent. To this end, the Canada Research Chairs Program supports Canadian universities to attract and retain, in the universities’ areas of strategic priority, some of the world’s most accomplished and promising minds in the social sciences and humanities.

SSHRC support for Canada Research Chairs enhances Canada’s international profile for innovative research findings in the social sciences and humanities, and increases Canada’s reputation as a destination of choice for research talent across the social sciences and humanities and at all career stages. For example, Chairs expand the capacity of Canadian graduate schools to provide research training and to recruit and retain research talent, as graduate students choose to study in Canada for the opportunity to train with these world-renowned scholars.

The development of Canada as a destination for research talent in the social sciences and humanities, coupled with its reputation for research innovation, will increase Canada’s competitive advantage in the global community to the benefit of all Canadians.

Strategic Outcome 2.0: Research—New knowledge based on excellent research in the social sciences and humanities

SSHRC’s investments in research stimulate new approaches to, and perspectives on, complex problems. SSHRC-supported research enables Canada’s social sciences and humanities scholars to develop the knowledge foundation that will improve prosperity and allow Canada to respond to the forces of change—be they social, economic or cultural.

SSHRC’s new Insight program will bring together funding opportunities that support this strategic outcome, enhancing SSHRC’s ability to fund high-quality social sciences and humanities research and research training conducted by individuals, teams and formal partnerships. These funding opportunities will foster innovative ideas and bring a diversity of perspectives to research on issues of importance to Canadians.

Program Activity 2.1: Investigator-Framed Research

Investigator-Framed Research

Description (as per PAA)	SSHRC research grants support individual and team projects and programs of research for which the applicant(s) proposes/propose the research topic and methodology. These range from individuals or small groups working in libraries and archives to large, multidisciplinary, collaborative projects with researchers, partners and assistants conducting fieldwork across the country.
Expected results (as per PMF)	Investigator-framed research creates a synergy contributing to observable knowledge advancement and dissemination of research results throughout the academic community and beyond.

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
33	87.5	31	87.2	31	87.1

Planning Highlights

• Through its new Insight umbrella program, SSHRC will renew its commitment to supporting research, launching and delivering funding opportunities dedicated to both funding research in its initial stages (through Insight Development Grants) and more comprehensive research projects (through Insight Grants).
• As part of its new Insight Development Grants funding opportunity, SSHRC will increase its support for the current generation of new scholars in Canada, thereby strengthening Canada’s research capacity in the social sciences and humanities.
• SSHRC will analyze the results of the evaluation of its Standard Research Grants and Research Development Initiatives funding opportunities to inform further development of its new Insight umbrella program.
• SSHRC will review its peer-review processes to better reflect the objectives of the new Talent, Insight and Connection programs, while maintaining the highest standards of excellence in peer review.

Benefits for Canadians

SSHRC builds knowledge and stimulates research findings that better equip Canadians to deal with the complex situations encountered in their daily lives, in the workplace, in the community, and internationally. Research grants support both individual and collaborative research, and stimulate discussion on critical intellectual, social, economic and cultural issues.

This program activity often supports researchers working on topics highly relevant to decision-makers in all sectors, both in Canada and abroad. Areas of research can include, for example, governance, public policy, labour regulation in the global economy, or intellectual and cultural property in the digital age. SSHRC funding also provides students with opportunities for first-hand research experience, enabling them to participate in projects overseen by highly qualified faculty. Approximately 40 per cent of SSHRC grants funding is paid to students as remuneration for their work as research assistants.

Program Activity 2.2: Targeted Research and Training Initiatives

Targeted Research and Training Initiatives

Description (as per PAA)

SSHRC develops and funds programs to support strategic research programs, both on its own and in partnership with other fund providers, including government, private and community organizations. These programs generate new knowledge on pressing social, economic and cultural issues of particular importance to Canadians. One particular stream of strategic programs supports research that will contribute to better understanding of the impacts of the knowledge-based economy on Canada's economic, social, political and cultural life, and will help to improve Canadians' ability to influence the future for the common good.

Expected results (as per PMF)

Excellent SSHRC-funded research targeted in areas of importance to Canadians (as defined by SSHRC, in consultation with the research community and various stakeholders).

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
12	9.7	11	9.2	11	9.2

Planning Highlights

• SSHRC will integrate its joint initiatives within its renewed program structure by developing future directions and frameworks for these initiatives in keeping with SSHRC’s strategic objectives. As part of this, it will review previous joint initiatives to identify best practices and to ensure continuous improvement.
• SSHRC will continue to integrate support for aboriginal research and research/creation into its new Insight and Connection umbrella programs, increasing the opportunities for funding available to scholars working in these areas.

Benefits for Canadians

Through targeted research and training initiatives, SSHRC directly supports the development of research inquiry in specific areas identified as being of interest to Canadians. These research and training initiatives often extend across themes, such as innovation, leadership and prosperity, while others focus on particular areas of interest, such as the support provided for artist-researchers through Research/Creation Grants in Fine Arts.

In promoting these research and training opportunities, SSHRC engages other stakeholders, including government, community organizations and think-tanks, to develop strategic joint initiatives that address particular issues of interest. This process maximizes the impacts of the research by fostering connections between SSHRC, policy-makers and researchers to address identified areas of importance.

Program Activity 2.3: Strategic Research Development

Strategic Research Development

Description (as per PAA)

Strategic grants through programs in this program activity are available to faculty, postsecondary institutions, scholarly associations and non-profit organizations to explore, develop and define new perspectives, challenges, and priorities in conducting research, in disseminating research results, and in training new researchers. Strategic research development programs also help develop related research capacity through the promotion of new modes of research collaboration and partnerships.

Expected Results (as per PMF)

Research institutions are supported to conduct research development. New research and new researchers are attracted in strategic and targeted areas.

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
6	31.0	6	30.8	6	30.8

Planning Highlights

• As part of its new Insight and Connection programs, SSHRC will continue to deliver
  two recently launched funding opportunities, Partnership Development Grants and Partnership Grants, to develop and support multidisciplinary and multisectoral formal research partnerships.
• SSHRC will continue to integrate its identified priority areas of Aboriginal Research; Canadian Environmental Issues; Digital Media; Innovation, Leadership and Prosperity;
  and Northern Communities: Towards Social and Economic Prosperity, across its
  funding opportunities.
• In 2011-12, SSHRC will develop a framework to renew its priority areas in consultation with stakeholders from across Canadian society. This review exercise will ensure that SSHRC’s priorities maximize the intellectual, economic, social and cultural impacts of social sciences and humanities research for the benefit of Canadians.

Benefits for Canadians

The Strategic Research Development program activity helps researchers explore new methods and lines of inquiry and develop new perspectives, new partnerships and new international opportunities. In this way, the program activity inspires an entrepreneurial spirit among researchers, paving the way for future breakthroughs.

The program activity’s focus on collaboration and co-creation of knowledge promotes a research process that benefits Canadians in all sectors of society. For example, the Community-University Research Alliances funding opportunity brings community and university stakeholders together, to their mutual benefit. Through these collaborative processes, focused on building capacity at the community level, the community stakeholders become better equipped to deal with the challenges they face, and the academics, in turn, are able to draw on the knowledge of practitioners, and to participate in applying new knowledge at the community level.

Moving forward, SSHRC’s Partnership Development Grants and Partnership Grants, under the new Insight and Connection umbrella programs, will build upon the experiences gained at SSHRC over the years through delivering previous partnership programs. The two funding opportunities will further increase benefits to Canadians by bringing together stakeholders from across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors to collaborate in the research process. The result will be increased capacity at all levels of society to respond to pressing challenges being addressed through social sciences and humanities research.

Strategic Outcome 3.0: Knowledge Mobilization—Facilitating the use of social sciences and humanities knowledge within and beyond academia

A knowledge-based society requires multidirectional approaches to the flow of research knowledge, particularly between knowledge producers and knowledge users. SSHRC-funded knowledge mobilization activities build links between the research community and the larger community, and allow for fruitful exchanges and the cross-fertilization of ideas. This outreach and co-creation of knowledge fosters an entrepreneurial spirit and strengthens Canada’s competitiveness as a knowledge-based society. In keeping with the renewal of its programs, SSHRC will be reframing its knowledge mobilization activities under the new Connection umbrella program, increasing opportunities for engaging stakeholders from outside of the research community in the creation and dissemination of knowledge.

Program Activity 3.1: Research Dissemination and Knowledge Translation

Research Dissemination and Knowledge Translation

Description (as per PAA)

This program activity supports the effective dissemination of social sciences and humanities research results, both within and beyond academia. Through grants to researchers and research institutions, it helps to ensure that research results are accessible to potential users, through both dissemination and engagement activities. Accessibility includes both the availability of research results to a range of audiences through publications (research publishing), as well as the tailoring of research results to the needs of potential users (knowledge translation).

Expected results (as per PMF)

Effective dissemination of research results both within and beyond academia.

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
5	7.6	4	7.6	4	7.6

Planning Highlights

• SSHRC will deliver the Partnership Grants funding opportunity as part of SSHRC’s new Connection program.
• SSHRC will continue its integration of knowledge mobilization activities in the design and launch of its new Insight and Connection programming.
• SSHRC will design and launch Connection programming for individuals and teams.

Benefits for Canadians

SSHRC’s support for knowledge mobilization activities maximizes the impact of publicly funded research. Canadian and international policy-makers, business and community leaders, educators, media representatives, and countless others benefit from SSHRC-funded activities such as workshops, policy briefs, public debates, interactive technology and software, and artistic exhibitions and performances. To this end, SSHRC enables research knowledge to flow both within the academic world and between academic researchers and the wider community.

SSHRC will continue to better integrate knowledge mobilization activities across its suite of programs, particularly through the new Connection umbrella program, thereby enhancing the profile of knowledge mobilization activities at SSHRC and further benefiting all users and co-creators of social sciences and humanities knowledge in Canada.

In 2011-12, SSHRC’s ongoing communication regarding the new Connection umbrella program will highlight the importance of knowledge mobilization within the 21st-century research landscape, by encouraging all researchers, whether working as individuals, in teams or in formal partnerships, to consider the implications of their research for the broader Canadian community.

Program Activity 3.2: Research Networking

Research Networking

Description (as per PAA)

This program activity supports interactions between researchers (in academia and other sectors) and between researchers and users of research results (in a range of sectors). These interactions enable researchers, research trainees and others to share and collaborate on research plans and results. Research networking is an important part of the research enterprise that is difficult to fund through traditional research grants. Dedicated funding for networking activities acknowledges its important role in fostering high-impact research and innovation. Research networking is supported through grants to researchers and research institutions to fund both discrete events such as conferences and workshops as well as more sustained collaborative relationships such as research networks and clusters.

Expected Results (as per PMF)

Researchers interact and work with each other, across disciplines and sectors, and with potential users of research in a range of sectors outside of academia in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
5	24.3	5	19.8	5	19.8

Planning Highlights

• SSHRC will evaluate key facets of its knowledge mobilization funding opportunities. The resulting knowledge will inform the transition of its knowledge mobilization and networking activities to within the new Connection and Insight umbrella programs.
• SSHRC will continue to develop web-based knowledge mobilization resources for applicants and adjudicators across all SSHRC funding opportunities.

Benefits for Canadians

Canadian researchers are able to cultivate relationships with their peers from other disciplines and partners from the private, public and not-for-profit sectors in Canada and abroad. SSHRC’s support of networking activities allows Canadians to connect across sectors and to demonstrate leadership on the world stage in the development of practical solutions to complex issues.

Through these connections, research results flow more easily between stakeholders and the research community, bringing results to Canadians and maximizing the impacts of the collaborative process. The benefits to Canada from this collaboration are two-fold: it increases Canada’s international reputation in social sciences and humanities research and research training, and fosters the development of the collaborative inquiry essential for improving Canada’s competitiveness in the global economy.

Strategic Outcome 4.0: Institutional Environment—A strong Canadian science and research environment

SSHRC supports Canadian institutions in maintaining an institutional environment conducive to research excellence. This environment, in turn, assists institutions in attracting and retaining world-class research talent working in areas critical to strengthening Canada’s science, technology and innovation system.

Program activities in support of the institutional environment assist Canadian institutions by providing support for costs associated with conducting research. This assistance ensures that Canada has well-equipped, appropriately staffed research facilities that meet regulatory requirements and international accreditation standards. Other activities allow institutions to administer research projects and to provide the legal, marketing or financial services associated with commercialization.

Program Activity 4.1: Indirect Costs of Research

Indirect Costs of Research

Description (as per PAA)

In Canada, the provincial and federal governments jointly support academic research. The provinces provide the basic physical infrastructure and, supported in part by the Canada Health and Social Transfer, direct and indirect operating costs. The federal government funds the direct costs of research, mainly through the three national research granting agencies—CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC. The term "indirect costs" refers to the central and departmental administrative costs that institutions incur to support research, but are not attributable to specific research projects. In its 2003 budget, the Government of Canada announced a new program to support 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. This grant program recognizes the growing indirect costs of conducting publicly funded academic research. The program was created to help postsecondary institutions maximize the investments in research in one of two ways: secure additional support for the indirect costs of conducting research or support their mandates to teach and provide community services. By financing a portion of the indirect costs incurred by postsecondary institutions and their affiliated research hospitals and institutes, the federal government both supports world-class research facilities and addresses the needs of smaller Canadian postsecondary institutions. The Indirect Costs Program is administered by the SSHRC-hosted Canada Research Chairs Secretariat on behalf of the three national research granting agencies.

Expected results (as per PMF)

Universities and colleges have the necessary resources, research facilities and services to carry out and mobilize world-class research.

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
5	322.7	5	322.7	5	322.8

Planning Highlights

• In response to a recommendation from the Indirect Costs Program evaluation carried out in 2008, SSHRC will complete the development of a methodology to assess the state of the research environment in Canada and will launch a process to collect and analyze the resulting data.

Benefits for Canadians

The Indirect Costs Program allows SSHRC to enhance the research environment, ensuring continued capacity for research excellence in Canadian universities. This support benefits Canadians in both the short and long term, as it ensures the resources to provide a solid foundation on which future ideas and innovations can grow and flourish.

Internal Services

SSHRC and NSERC use a common administrative services model for their general administration and for services relating to human resources, finance, awards administration, and information and technology management. The two councils also share audit function services through a separate mechanism. This shared-services approach has proven effective in addressing both councils’ needs. SSHRC has its own, dedicated resources for providing other corporate services, including those related to governance, policy, planning, statistics, program evaluation, performance measurement, communications and international affairs.

Internal Services

Internal Services

Description (as per PAA)

Internal Services are groups of related activities and resources that are administered to support the needs of programs and other corporate obligations of an organization. These groups are: Management And Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; Acquisition Services; and Travel and Other Administrative Services. Internal Services include only those activities and resources that apply across an organization and not to those provided specifically to a program.

Human Resources (FTEs) and Planned Spending ($ millions)
2011-12		2012-13		2013-14
FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending	FTEs	Planned Spending
108	16.4	105	16.4	105	16.4

Planning Highlights

• SSHRC will implement revised delegation of authority frameworks for financial and human resources management, and will develop the associated accreditation program.
• SSHRC will adapt its planning and reporting tools and processes to its new management resources and results structure, including its revised program activity architecture.
• SSHRC will assess the effectiveness of its internal controls over financial reporting, in conjunction with the implementation of the Treasury Board Policy on Internal Control.
• SSHRC will continue implementing activities to strengthen its information management and technology systems capacity, in order to better serve SSHRC’s needs.
• SSHRC will continue to implement a multiyear information management / information technology strategy in order to identify opportunities for supporting its needs through technology and better business processes.
• SSHRC will develop a risk-based security plan.
• SSHRC will renew its business continuity plan.

• Previous Page
• Table of Contents
• Next Page