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2008-09
Departmental Performance Report
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
The original version was signed by
The Honourable Minister of Industry
Minister of Industry
Table of Contents
SECTION I: DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEW
Minister's Message
President's Message
Raison d'être
Performance Summary
Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcomes
Expenditure Profile
SECTION II: ANALYSIS OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES BY STRATEGIC OUTCOME
Strategic Outcome 1: People—A First-Class Research Capacity in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Program Activity: Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes
Trend: Increasing
Benefits for Canadians
Performance Analysis
Lessons Learned
Program Activity: Canada Research Chairs
Trend: Not applicable due to allocation based model
Benefits for Canadians
Performance Analysis
Lessons Learned
Strategic Outcome 2: Research—New Knowledge Based on Excellent Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities
Program Activity: Investigator-Framed Research
Trend: Not applicable due to irregular competitions
Benefits for Canadians
Performance Analysis
Lessons Learned
Program Activity: Strategic Research Development
Trend: Increasing
Benefits for Canadians
Performance Analysis
Lessons Learned
Program Activity: Strategic Research Development
Trend: Increasing
Benefits for Canadians
Performance Analysis
Lessons Learned
Strategic Outcome 3: Knowledge Mobilization—The Transfer, Dissemination and Use of Social Sciences and Humanities Knowledge
Program Activity: Research Communication and Interaction
Trend: Increasing
Benefits for Canadians
Performance Analysis
Lessons Learned
Strategic Outcome 4: Institutional Environment—A Strong Canadian Research Environment
Program Activity: Indirect Costs of Research
Trend: Increasing
Benefits for Canadians
Performance Analysis
Lessons Learned
SECTION III: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Financial Highlights
Condensed Statement of Financial Position
Condensed Statement of Operations
Financial Statements
List of Supplementary Information Tables
Other Items of Interest
SECTION I: DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEW
Minister's Message
The past year has been a challenging one for the Canadian economy, as it has been for the economies of all industrialized countries. The global economic crisis put the fiscal and economic frameworks of all countries to the test. But Canada entered the recession with solid fundamentals — balanced budgets, decreasing debt and taxes, a strong financial sector and robust economic policies. Consequently, Canada is in a comparatively good position to effectively respond to this time of economic challenge.
The Industry Portfolio played a significant role in developing Canada's resiliency and ability to weather the current crisis. Composed of 11 departments, agencies, Crown corporations and quasi-judicial bodies, the Portfolio includes major instruments in the Government of Canada's tool kit for building a competitive economy.
In 2008–09, such measures included continued commitment for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Canada's key funding agency for supporting world-class research and the development of talent in the social sciences and humanities, which marked its 30th anniversary in 2008. In 2008–09, SSHRC invested close to $323 million to support research talent, foster research excellence and mobilize the knowledge generated through research activities. The Government of Canada also invested some $328 million in the Indirect Costs Program, which is administered by SSHRC.
In January 2009, the government introduced Canada's Economic Action Plan, which contained stimulative measures to respond to the global recession. Industry Portfolio members played, and will continue to play, a central role in developing and implementing a significant number of these critical initiatives. These measures range from programs to upgrade research infrastructure at Canada's universities and colleges, to helping small businesses bring innovative products to market, to supporting major tourism events, to enhancing community and recreational facilities and other municipal infrastructure in Ontario. For more information, visit the Canada's Economic Action Plan website.
As a country, we are emerging from the recession by creating a climate that encourages innovation, productivity and competitiveness — helping Canadian industry move to the forefront of the global knowledge economy. The Industry Portfolio members, and other federal departments and agencies are working in partnership so that Canada continues to enjoy a high standard of living and a prosperous future.
It is my pleasure to present SSHRC's Departmental Performance Report for 2008–09.
Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
President's Message
The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) marked its 30th anniversary in 2008. As the federal agency that promotes and supports university-based research and training in the social sciences and humanities, SSHRC enables the highest levels of research excellence and is contributing to a strong foundation of Canadian knowledge and expertise that influences policy and practice on a wide range of social, economic and cultural issues. The quality of the social sciences and humanities community in Canada ranks among the top three in the world.
Over the past 10 years (2000-09), SSHRC has funded more than 13,800 research and knowledge mobilization grants, totaling more than $1 billion, on issues such as the family, immigration, literacy, welfare, violence, mental health, climate change, globalization, trade, regional development, monetary systems, employment and the workplace.
Since 1999, SSHRC has provided fellowships and scholarships totaling over $500 million to more than 16,000 of our best and brightest students. The top seven per cent of graduate students and nearly the top 25 per cent of scholars are funded. These students have gone on to be employed in fields such as education, research, management, business, government, media, law, environment, indigenous studies, arts and culture.
The vital role of the social sciences and humanities in the community is repeatedly confirmed:
- Over 64 per cent of students in Canadian universities study social sciences and humanities.
- Two out of three Canadians link social sciences and humanities research to overall quality of life and consider it essential to developing a highly qualified and adaptable workforce.
- Some 76 per cent of Canadians are employed in service industries that are supported by social sciences and humanities research disciplines.
- Industries that rely on the social sciences and humanities represent approximately $700 billion of Canada's annual gross domestic product.
In 2008-09, four evaluations that produced evidence in support of policy and program planning were completed on SSHRC programs. The evaluation of SSHRC's Initiative on the New Economy (INE) program (which had allocated $93 million since 2001), for example, found that half of the 400 projects supported by INE generated more than 6,700 academic and non-academic outputs across 500 public, private and not-for profit research partnerships. Financial and non-financial partnership contributions were estimated to be as high as $24 million. For every $1,000 spent on INE research, $250 was paid to students. Researchers stated that without SSHRC funding, their projects would not have been possible.
I am very proud to present SSHRC's Departmental Performance Report for the fiscal year 2008-09 as a record of our achievements in positioning Canada as a leader in international research excellence, and in building the skilled and talented workforce necessary to foster Canadian innovation and growth.
Chad Gaffield
President
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
Raison d'être
SSHRC enables the highest levels of social sciences and humanities research excellence in Canada, and facilitates knowledge-sharing and collaboration across research disciplines, universities and all sectors of society.
Canada's research community includes nearly 22,000 full-time professors who teach social sciences and humanities at Canadian universities, and 62,000 full-time social sciences and humanities undergraduate and graduate students. SSHRC supports the building of a strong foundation of social science and humanities knowledge and capacity in Canada. Social sciences and humanities research excellence and talent fuel Canadian innovation and expertise on social, economic, and cultural issues, as well as on the human dimension of technology, the natural sciences, and health sciences.
Responsibilities and Operational Context
SSHRC is the federal agency that promotes and supports university-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences. Created by an act of Parliament in 1977, SSHRC is governed by a council that reports to Parliament through the minister of industry. For more information about SSHRC, including its governance and other organizational information, see http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/site/about-crsh/about-crsh-eng.aspx. SSHRC's legislative mandate is to "a) promote and assist research and scholarship in the social sciences and humanities; and b) advise the Minister in respect of such matters relating to such research as the Minister may refer to the Council for its consideration."
For 30 years, SSHRC has pursued this mandate by:
- investing in Canada's best and brightest minds to develop the talent needed across society ("people");
- fostering research excellence that advances knowledge and builds understanding ("research"); and
- supporting the partnerships, interactions and knowledge-sharing that bring the benefits of research in the social sciences and humanities to larger society ("knowledge mobilization").
SSHRC's activities largely consist of funding Canadian postsecondary institutions and individuals through grants. SSHRC awards grants, fellowships and scholarships in national competitions on the basis of excellence. Demand for grants, fellowships and scholarships within the social sciences and humanities community is high. In 2008-09, SSHRC received applications from approximately 13,000 applicants—an unprecedented number, and a six per cent increase over the previous year—to whom 4,320 new grants, fellowships and scholarships were awarded. As shown in the Financial Highlights chart in Section III, $72.5 million, or about 23 per cent, of SSHRC's 2008-09 budget (excluding the Indirect Costs Program) was committed to research in areas linked to S&T strategy priorities.
Decisions about which applicants to fund are made through rigorous, independent peer review. Selection committees recommend which projects to fund based on academic excellence and the importance of the research to the advancement of knowledge. In 2008-09, more than 560 Canadian and international scholars and experts volunteered to serve on SSHRC selection committees. Nearly 5,000 other Canadian and international experts provide written assessments of proposals to help the selection committees in their decision-making.
SSHRC continues to play a key role in implementing the Government of Canada's S & T strategy by helping to meet the increasing demand for talented graduates, for new knowledge and ideas built on research excellence, and for strategies for building successful societies. The three S & T advantages—people, knowledge and entrepreneurial—relate well to the contributions that research and training in the social sciences and humanities provide to Canada and the world.
| Strategic Outcome | |
|---|---|
| Program Activity | Program Sub-Activity |
| People—A First-Class Research Capacity in the Social Sciences and Humanities | |
| Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes | Canada Graduate Scholarships |
| Doctoral Fellowships | |
| Postdoctoral Fellowships | |
| Prizes and Special Fellowships | |
| Canada Research Chairs | Canada Research Chairs Program |
| Research—New Knowledge Based on Excellent Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities | |
| Investigator-Framed Research | Standard Research Grants |
| Major Collaborative Research Initiatives | |
Targeted Research and Training Initiatives |
Strategic Research Grants |
| Strategic Joint Initiatives | |
| Initiative on the New Economy | |
Strategic Research Development |
Research Development Initiatives |
| Community-University Research Alliances | |
| SSHRC Institutional Grants | |
| Aid to Small Universities | |
| Other Strategic Research Development | |
| International Opportunities Fund | |
| BOREAS | |
| Knowledge Mobilization—The Transfer, Dissemination and Use of Social Sciences and Humanities Knowledge | |
Research Communication and Interaction |
Aid to Scholarly Publications |
| Aid to Research Workshops and Conferences in Canada | |
| Aid to Research and Transfer Journals | |
| Aid and Attendance Grants to Scholarly Associations | |
| Strategic Knowledge Clusters | |
| Networks of Centres of Excellence | |
| Knowledge Impact in Society | |
| Institutional Environment—A Strong Canadian Research Environment | |
| Indirect Costs of Research | Indirect Costs Program |
SSHRC's Program Activity Architecture and Performance Measurement Framework
SSHRC continues to improve and make significant modifications to its Program Activity Architecture. This is a comprehensive and inclusive exercise, and a key priority identified by SSHRC in Framing our Direction. This effort involves SSHRC staff at all levels, and
is part of SSHRC's Continuous Improvement initiative. The objective is to simplify and streamline SSHRC's program architecture by removing unnecessary complexity, overlaps in objectives, and logistical barriers. The aim is to provide a more efficient and effective application and adjudication process for the SSHRC community.
Because of this exercise, and to maintain consistency with the 2008-09 Report on Plans and Priorities, performance indicators and targets do not appear in this Departmental Performance Report. These will be developed as part of the current program architecture improvement exercise. The new program architecture and its performance measurement strategy will be effective as of spring 2011.
| 2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions) | 2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | Planned | Actual | Difference |
| 645.7 | 680.8 | 679.5 | 194 | 199 | +5 |
| Program Activity | 2007-08
Actual Spending |
2008-2009 | Alignment to Government of Canada Outcome | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Estimates | Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | |||
| Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes | 100.2 | 104.0 | 104.1 | 105.7 | 108.1 | An innovative and knowledge-based economy |
| Canada Research Chairs | 58.6 | 61.8 | 61.8 | 63.1 | 59.2 | |
| Total | 158.8 | 165.8 | 165.9 | 168.8 | 167.3 | |
| Program Activity | 2007-08 Actual Spending |
2008-2009 | Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Estimates | Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | |||
| Investigator-Framed Research | 91.1 | 91.0 | 91.0 | 91.6 | 89.7 | An innovative and knowledge-based economy |
| Targeted Research and Training Initiatives | 27.4 | 19.0 | 19.0 | 26.1 | 28.1 | |
| Strategic Research Development | 28.8 | 27.3 | 27.3 | 31.5 | 29.4 | |
| Total | 147.3 | 137.3 | 137.3 | 149.2 | 147.2 | |
| Program Activity | 2007-08 Actual Spending |
2008-2009 | Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Estimates | Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | |||
| Research Communication and Interaction | 61.0 | 27.3 | 27.4 | 33.4 | 36.2 | An innovative and knowledge-based economy |
| Program Activity | 2007-08 Actual Spending |
2008-2009 | Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Estimates | Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | |||
| Indirect Costs of Research | 313.8 | 315.1 | 315.1 | 329.4 | 328.8 | An innovative and knowledge-based economy |
| Operational Priorities | Status | Linkages to Strategic Outcome(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Priority 1: Optimize Program Design and Delivery to Strengthen Canada's People and Knowledge Advantages |
Met all expectations All SSHRC commitments set out in the 2008-09 Report on Plans and Priorities were met. SSHRC developed a framework for the Continuous Improvement initiative; underwent a blue ribbon panel assessment of its peer-review practices; developed a long-term strategy to support research in management, business and finance; and completed a number of significant initiatives to consolidate and align SSHRC programs, procedures and policies with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). SSHRC participated in the 2008-09 Strategic Review process. As a follow-up, SSHRC indicated that as of April 1, 2009, it would no longer fund research related to the CIHR mandate. SSHRC will continue to fund health-related research that has a social sciences-related focus. SSHRC's total Strategic Review reallocation commitments will be phased in over a three-year period. |
Continuous improvement in program design and delivery supports the ongoing relevance and coherence of SSHRC's programs (see Other Items of Interest, in Section III, for more information on SSHRC's Continuous Improvement initiative). |
| Type
New |
||
| Priority 2: Strengthen SSHRC's Contribution to Canada's Entrepreneurial Advantage | Met all expectations SSHRC met its 2008-09 Report on Plans and Priorities commitment to develop a knowledge mobilization strategy over the 2008-10 period. A logic model and principles for a knowledge mobilization strategy were developed in 2008-09. In May 2008, the division of Knowledge Mobilization and Program Integration was established and staffed. As part of the development of SSHRC's knowledge mobilization strategy, the Public Outreach program was offered in support of special federal initiatives in Management, Business and Finance and Northern Communities |
SSHRC is integrating knowledge mobilization across its program suite to help make the results of SSHRC-funded research increasingly accessible to a wide range of audiences, thereby further contributing to Canada's knowledge, people and entrepreneurial advantages. While Knowledge Mobilization is primarily about effective "connections", it is also intimately related to SSHRC's other two ambitions of quality and impacts, as defined in the 2009 report, Framing Our Direction: Quality, Connections and Impact. |
| Type
New |
||
| Priority 3: Ensure Value for Money in Public Investments in Social Sciences and Humanities Research |
Met all expectations SSHRC's 2008-09 Evaluation Plan met the requirements of the Federal Accountability Act and the new federal Policy on Evaluation. Completed evaluations include the Initiative on the New Economy program; Canada Graduate Scholarships; and the Indirect Costs Program. SSHRC's other impact studies include The Economic Role and Influence of the Social Sciences and Humanities; How is Social Sciences and Humanities Research Being Used?; and Public Views on Social Sciences and Humanities Research. SSHRC's special competition, Capturing the Outcomes and Impacts of Publicly Funded Research, is intended to develop new tools, approaches, and indicators to assess impact of research. |
Effectively capturing, evaluating and reporting the impacts and results of social sciences and humanities research a) demonstrates the importance of ongoing public investment in social sciences and humanities research; and b) ensures that the best research is funded through relevant and effective programs and resource allocations. SSHRC is engaged in research and collaboration with other organizations, nationally and internationally, to measure and report the impacts of research. |
| Type
Ongoing |
Risk Analysis
In 2008-09, SSHRC's Internal Audit Division undertook an exercise to update SSHRC's risk profile. A key risk facing SSHRC is the quality, credibility and viability of decision-making for the allocation of grants and scholarships funding through its peer-review process. It is crucial for the credibility of SSHRC that its adjudication processes be transparent and rigorous. As a key initiative in 2008-09, and as a mitigation strategy to the mentioned risk, SSHRC established a blue ribbon panel of international experts to assess the quality and integrity of its peer-review process. The panel concluded that SSHRC's peer-review system is "overall, up to the best practices and highest international standards. It is a system that works well and that is very healthy in its fundamentals." The full report is available at http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/site/about-crsh/publications/peer-pairs_e.pdf. SSHRC has developed an action plan to address the panel's recommendations.
An ongoing challenge for all research funding agencies, in Canada and abroad, is the ever-increasing demand for support. Since 2000, applications to SSHRC's Postdoctoral Fellowships program increased by 72 per cent, while SSHRC's budget for this program remained relatively stable. Applications to the Standard Research Grants program increased by 77 per cent over the same period. SSHRC is not able to fund many of the excellent research proposals it receives, despite the fact that they meet the eligibility requirements and are of high quality.
Expenditure Profile
During the 2008-09 fiscal year, SSHRC spent $679.5 million in order to meet the expected results of its program activities and contribute to its strategic outcomes. The figure below illustrates SSHRC's spending trend from 2006-07 to 2008-09.
Spending on SSHRC's core programs (which excludes funding for the Indirect Costs Program) increased by nearly $26 million in the last two years due to an additional $13.8 million received through Budget 2007 (including funding for the Canada Graduate Scholarships program) and an additional $12 million received through Budget 2008.
In addition to these core funding increases, SSHRC received and spent $32.6 million in 2007-08 and $2.3 million in 2008-09 for the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research program. Spending for the Indirect Costs Program increased by $15 million in 2007-08 and by an additional $15 million in 2008-09, as a result of direct cost funding increases announced in Budget 2007 and Budget 2008.
| Vote # or Statutory Item (S) | Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording | 2006-07 Actual Spending | 2007-08 Actual Spending | 2008-09 Main Estimates | 2008-09 Actual Spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | Operating expenditures | 19.9 | 21.5 | 21.3 | 25.2 |
| 85 | Grants and contributions | 603.1 | 657.3 | 622.0 | 651.7 |
| (S) | Contributions to employee benefit plans | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.3 | 2.6 |
| Total | 625.2 | 681.0 | 645.6 | 679.5 | |
SECTION II: ANALYSIS OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES BY STRATEGIC OUTCOME
Strategic Outcome 1: People—A First-Class Research Capacity in the Social Sciences and Humanities
SSHRC's results under the strategic outcome "People" contribute to the Government of Canada outcome of "An Innovative and Knowledge-based Society," and help generate Canada's people advantage. The social sciences and humanities community comprises Canada's largest research population and forms a significant proportion of Canada's pool of highly qualified personnel, an internationally recognized societal indicator of performance, excellence and quality of life.
SSHRC's investments in people help to ensure that Canada benefits from highly qualified research-trained personnel, available to pursue various knowledge-intensive careers within universities, industry, government, and other sectors of the economy.
According to Statistics Canada, social sciences and humanities disciplines (including education, fine and applied arts, humanities, and social sciences) accounted for nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of total university enrolment in 2007-08 (The Daily, March 11, 2009). Fifty-four per cent of full-time faculty at Canadian universities work in social sciences and humanities disciplines.
Program Activity: Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes
This program activity addresses the need for highly qualified personnel trained in the social sciences and humanities to work with the private, public and not-for-profit sectors, as well as the need for faculty renewal at universities.
| 2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions) | 2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | Planned | Actual | Difference |
| 104.1 | 105.7 | 108.1 | 28 | 24 | -4 |
| Expected Results | Performance Status | Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Highly qualified personnel, expert in research, are available to pursue knowledge-intensive careers within universities, industry, government and other sectors. | Met expectations | SSHRC awarded 2,576 master's, doctoral and postdoctoral fellowships and awards in 2008-09 to some of the best and brightest in the social sciences and humanities. SSHRC met the established targets for the Canada Graduate Scholarships.
In addition, SSHRC allocated 100 doctoral Canada Graduate Scholarships and 300 master's Canada Graduate Scholarships in the field of business. The evaluation of the Canada Graduate Scholarships program and SSHRC doctoral awards found that these programs are enhancing the quality of graduate training, and increasing the number of highly qualified personnel graduating from Canadian universities. |
Trend: Increasing
*Applications and Awards do not include prizes and special fellowships.
Benefits for Canadians
Activities under Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes directly contribute to meeting the need an innovative, knowledge-based society has for a pool of talented people capable of learning, analyzing and sharing knowledge, and sparking innovation. A SSHRC-commissioned study by The Impact Group, entitled The Economic Role and Influence of the Social Sciences and Humanities: A Conjecture, suggests that industries based mainly on social sciences and humanities knowledge account for a significant percentage of total employment in Canada. These people add to Canada's highly educated, highly skilled workforce in all sectors of the economy. In addition to fellowships and awards, SSHRC recognizes outstanding social sciences and humanities scholars through several internationally recognized prestigious prizes.
Performance Analysis
SSHRC's fellowships, scholarships and prizes help address the demand for people with high levels of postsecondary education in all sectors of the economy. In 2008-09, SSHRC offered a total of 2,576 fellowships and scholarships to talented people. These people will ultimately pursue careers in all sectors of the economy, contributing to Canada's knowledge-based, innovative society.
The Canada Graduate Scholarships program is a key sub-activity under this program activity. Administered by the three federal research granting agencies, this program has a master's and a doctoral component. Two new tri-agency programs, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program and the Canada Graduate Scholarships—Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements program, were announced and implemented in 2008-09. When fully operational, Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships will support 500 Canadian and international doctoral students with two- or three-year scholarships worth $50,000 per year.
An evaluation of the Canada Graduate Scholarships and SSHRC doctoral programs conducted in 2008-09 established that there is a continuing need for Canada Graduate Scholarships and related programs. The evaluation found that access to funding had an impact on the decision to enroll in graduate studies. There was a correlation between the award and students' involvement in significant research. The programs are meeting two key goals: to enhance the quality of graduate training, and to increase the number of highly qualified personnel graduating from Canadian universities to the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors.
According to a large majority of the 9,000 students surveyed, graduate studies improved the students' prospects of getting permanent jobs in areas relevant to their chosen disciplines. At both the master's level (89 per cent) and doctorate level (93 per cent), Canada Graduate Scholarship recipients were significantly more likely to share this perspective than respective non-award groups.
Lessons Learned
The Canada Graduate Scholarships evaluation found a need for more rigorous performance measurement indicators and processes. Areas for possible improvement include further research to determine the optimal level of support extended to graduate students, and the effectiveness of need-based support and excellence-based awards.
In order to best meet the strategic objective of the new Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program, the three agencies publicly committed to achieve a seamless harmonization of the program in year two of the implementation. Key measures included a common website, similar agency program descriptions, harmonized program delivery and platforms, and an interim coordinating function. The three federal research granting agencies implemented these as "best practices" in fall 2009.
Program Activity: Canada Research Chairs
The Canada Research Chairs Program invests $300 million a year across the three funding agencies to attract to Canada, and retain, some of the world's most accomplished and promising scholars in all areas of research. The program's objective is to enable Canadian universities, together with their affiliated research institutes and hospitals, to achieve the highest levels of excellence and become world-class research centres in the global, knowledge-based economy. SSHRC administers the program and hosts the Canada Research Chairs Secretariat on behalf of the three federal research granting agencies—SSHRC, NSERC and CIHR.
| 2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions) | 2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | Planned | Actual | Difference |
| 61.8 | 63.1 | 59.2 | 21 | 23 | +2 |
| Expected Results | Performance Status | Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|
| A world-class research capacity is enhanced in the social sciences and humanities at Canadian universities and research institutes through the attraction and retention of excellent researchers. | Met expectations | There are currently 1,831 Canada Research Chairs at 70 universities across Canada, of which 584 (31 per cent) have been filled by researchers recruited from abroad, including 265 Canadian expatriates. Over 22 per cent of Chairs are in the social sciences and humanities. In 2008-09 a total of 384 new or renewed Chairs were announced at Canadian universities.
According to a web survey conducted as part of the Blue Ribbon Panel on Peer Review, chairholders themselves note that their research is used both nationally and internationally, in non-academic sectors of the economy as well as in academic settings. |
Trend: Not applicable due to allocation based model
Benefits for Canadians
As noted by federal Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear, "The Canada Research Chairs Program helps universities attract and retain the best researchers in the world, which promotes job creation, enhances the quality of life of Canadians and strengthens the economy for future generations."
In September 2008, the federal government formally launched the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program, a tri-agency initiative administered by the Canada Research Chairs Secretariat. The new Canada Excellence Research Chairs program will strengthen Canada's ability to attract the world's top researchers and develop ambitious research programs in the four priority research areas noted in the Government of Canada's S&T strategy: environmental sciences and technologies, natural resources and energy, health and related life sciences, and information and communication technologies.
| Find an expert A database of over 1,800 profiles of Canada Research Chairs and the relevance of their research is available on the Chairs website for those looking for an expert in the social sciences, the humanities, health, the natural sciences or engineering. |
Helping children succeed "If we want less violence in our society, our target must be early intervention and support for pregnant women and families who are at risk of raising aggressive children. Our research points to a pressing need to offer a range of resources to these families." —Richard Tremblay, psychology, Université de Montréal |
Performance Analysis
In a web survey of over 6,000 Canadian social sciences and humanities scholars, Canada Research Chair holders (representing 50 per cent of all social sciences and humanities chairs in Canada) were compared with non-chairholders. In the academic sector a significantly higher proportion (98 per cent) of senior Canada Research Chairs stated that their research was used internationally compared to non-chairholders (80 per cent). Moreover, this difference was even larger in terms of non-academic, international use of social science and humanities research.
Through the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program, up to 20 successful chairholders, and their research teams, will each receive up to $10 million over seven years to establish ambitious research programs in research areas that are of strategic importance to Canada. In December 2008, Phase 1 of the new Canada Excellence Research Chairs competition saw a total of 135 proposals submitted to the Canada Research Chairs Secretariat by eligible Canadian universities. Phase 1 was successfully completed, and 44 institutions were invited to proceed to Phase 2.
Lessons Learned
Because small universities performed at a much higher level than the original Canada Research Chairs Program design had anticipated, the demand for chairs designated for small universities exceeded the allotment. As a result, the Canada Research Chairs Secretariat introduced a competitive allocation method for distributing this allotment that embodies the principles of consistency, fairness and transparency. Modifications included a new deadline for nominations, a phase-out funding mechanism, and a competitive allocation method for the allocation of chairs to smaller universities.
Strategic Outcome 2: Research—New Knowledge Based on Excellent Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities
SSHRC is Canada's key instrument for supporting world-class research and excellence in the social sciences and humanities. Three program activities contribute to SSHRC's second strategic outcome: Investigator-Framed Research, Targeted Research and Training Initiatives, and Strategic Research Development. Together, these program activities help create a broad spectrum of knowledge and capacity in such areas as anthropology, law, social work, urban and regional studies, linguistics, literature, business, economics, education, and fine arts. This capacity for creating knowledge and understanding is critical for Canada's quality of life and competitiveness in the knowledge economy, and for ensuring Canada's knowledge advantage.
SSHRC-funded research is being used. Researchers funded by SSHRC report higher levels of research use in both academic and non-academic settings, nationally and internationally, than non-funded SSHRC researchers. How is Social Sciences and Humanities Research Being Used? Science-Metrix, 2009.
In response to funding announced in the 2008 federal budget, SSHRC developed and introduced two new funding suites focusing on national priorities: Northern Communities: Towards Social and Economic Prosperity, and Canadian Environmental Issues. Together, these funding suites will contribute to advancing work by the social sciences and humanities community on strategic priorities. They also advance the objectives of the Government of Canada's S&T strategy and Canada's Northern Strategy. These initiatives were developed in collaboration with a range of stakeholders and scholars from a broad range of disciplinary backgrounds.
Program Activity: Investigator-Framed Research
SSHRC's Investigator-Framed Research grants support individual and team projects and programs of research through two key programs: Standard Research Grants and Major Collaborative Research Initiatives.
| 2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions) | 2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | Planned | Actual | Difference |
| 91.0 | 91.6 | 89.7 | 51 | 53 | +2 |
| Expected Results | Performance Status | Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Investigator-framed research creates a synergy contributing to observable knowledge advancement and dissemination of research results throughout the academic community and beyond. | Met expectations |
In 2008-09, a sample of some of the researchers funded by SSHRC's Investigator-Framed Research programs reported 1,014 research publications and 922 different dissemination activities, such as websites, journal articles, databases, articles in popular media, conference papers, etc. The proportion of applications from research teams for Standard Research Grants has increased from 32 per cent in 1998-99 to 42 per cent in 2009-10. The proportion of multi-authored Canadian social sciences publications doubled to 70 per cent from 1980 to 2002.
Canada is among the most prolific countries for publishing scientific papers in English. It is the third most quoted country behind the US and UK, and ahead of Australia implying good international visibility of Canadian researchers in their fields. (A.J. Nederhof, T.N. Van Leeuwen, and R.J.W. Tijssen [of the Centre for Science and Technology Studies], Bibliometrics and the benchmarking of UK research performance in the social sciences). |
Trend: No change
Benefits for Canadians
Investigator-Framed Research supports the Strategic Outcome "Research" by generating new knowledge; building research capacities; enhancing partnerships and networks of world-class researchers; and providing mentoring, research training, skills, and professional development to graduate and undergraduate students.
Both Standard Research Grants and Major Collaborative Research Initiatives support the creation of knowledge, generation of partnerships and collaborations, and dissemination of research results on pressing social, economic and global issues. Over the past five years, Standard Research Grants have been awarded to more than 8,900 researchers (principal investigators and co-applicants) in the social sciences and humanities. For detailed data on all SSHRC grants awarded since 1998-99, including Standard Research Grants and Major Collaborative Research Initiatives, please consult http://www.outil.ost.uqam.ca/CRSH/RechProj.aspx
Reshaping the workplace in a global era
"Globalization is rewriting the rules of the workplace. People are insecure in this climate of profound change, they need help understanding the implications of what's happening. Our international team is rethinking work and employment—developing new tools and capabilities and envisioning new institutions so that policy-makers, business leaders, unions and other players can see current trends as an opportunity to shape the kind of society they want to live in."
—Gregor Murray, industrial relations, Université de Montréal
Performance Analysis
In 2008-09, the Standard Research Grants program received 2,731 applications and awarded 904 grants. These awards are listed http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/site/winning-recherche_subventionnee/results-resultats/2009/srg.pdf (pdf document).
While SSHRC has seen a 23 per cent overall increase in demand across its programs, the most pronounced increase has been in demand from junior faculty in the Standard Research Grants program. From 1998 to 2008, applications for Standard Research Grants from new scholars increased by 127 per cent. Applications by regular scholars grew by 44 per cent over the same period. In 2008-09, the growth in demand for Standard Research Grants amounted to nearly eight per cent.
In a recent survey by SSHRC on how research is being used, funded researchers noted that the impact of their research can be measured in several different ways. Some researchers consider that their research has made an impact on civil society, either through informing people of social phenomena or helping social groups to articulate their claims. Other researchers consider their research as a key element in the elaboration of public policies at the three levels of government, either municipal, provincial or federal, through very active collaboration with stakeholders. The private sector also seems to benefit from SSHRC-funded research since several researchers have been very active in the creation of new technologies and the improvement of management processes.
The internationalization of the research enterprise is recognized in SSHRC's Major Collaborative Research Initiatives, forging together the work of many researchers from around the world under the banner of single, large-scale research projects. Over the past three years, foreign-based researchers have represented approximately 40 per cent of Initiatives research team membership. In 2008-09, a total of nine Major Collaborative Research Initiatives grants were awarded (see http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/site/whatsnew-quoi_neuf/pr-communiques/2009/mcri-grtc-eng.aspx and http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/site/whatsnew-quoi_neuf/pr-communiques/2008/mcri-grtc-eng.aspx).
Lessons Learned
As part of its strategic priorities in support of its ambition of quality, SSHRC convened a blue ribbon panel of internationally recognized individuals highly respected for their knowledge of and expertise in peer-review processes. The panel concluded that SSHRC's peer-review processes are of the highest international calibre. The panel's final report, as well as the report on the related web survey is available at http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/site/about-crsh/publications/pub_consultations-eng.aspx.
The Blue Ribbon Panel's recommendations conveyed three interlinked key messages: 1) lighten the workload of peer reviewers, and encourage and better recognize their efforts and those of program officers; 2) clearly distinguish issues pertaining to SSHRC policy from those properly attributed to peer-review evaluators; and 3) make all processes more public and transparent to the research community in order to improve understanding of SSHRC's operations and maintain trust and goodwill.
SSHRC has taken several steps as a means of addressing and implementing these lessons. The adjudication process for Standard Research Grants has been shortened and the use of e-submission of peer-review assessments has been expanded with the goal of lightening the workload of peer-reviewers. SSHRC has taken the task of increasing transparency for the academic community by publicizing several items on the website, including the SRG adjudication scoring grid as well as the adjudication committee membership lists. Lastly, SSHRC continues to take into consideration important policy issues as part of ongoing program improvement.
Program Activity: Targeted Research and Training Initiatives
Targeted Research and Training Initiatives focus on intensifying research efforts in particular areas. This activity includes SSHRC's Strategic Research Grants, which support research on identified themes, and Strategic Joint Initiatives, through which SSHRC partners with public, private and not-for-profit organizations to co-fund targeted research and research training support programs.
| 2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions) | 2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | Planned | Actual | Difference |
| 19.0 | 26.1 | 28.1 | 40 | 42 | +2 |
| Expected Results | Performance Status | Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent SSHRC-funded research is targeted in areas of importance to Canadians | Met expectations |
Program evaluations in 2008-09 indicated that Targeted Research and Training Initiatives activities helped researchers produce a substantial body of multidisciplinary research, and helped increase the number of highly qualified personnel in issue areas of national priority.
SSHRC developed and introduced two new funding suites focusing on national priorities—Northern Communities: Towards Social and Economic Prosperity, and Canadian Environmental Issues—in response to funding announced in the 2008 federal budget. These special calls for proposals will contribute to advancing the objectives of the Government of Canada's S&T strategy and related priorities. |
Trend: Not applicable due to irregular competitions
Benefits for Canadians
Targeted Research and Training Initiatives offer mechanisms to support research in areas deemed strategically important and areas identified as national priorities, such as management, business and finance; the environment; and the North. By targeting research in areas of social, cultural and economic national priority, SSHRC is contributing directly to building Canada's knowledge advantage. Researchers who received funds under this program activity reported, on average, two publications and engagement in, on average, three dissemination activities.
According to a 2008-09 study conducted for SSHRC by the Council of Canadian Academies, Canadian research in management, business, and finance ranks above the world average. The panel noted that opportunities exist to much more effectively connect scholars in these areas with collaborators across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors for mutual benefit, and the panel recommended that resources be focused on cultivating those horizontal connections.
Performance Analysis
The new Northern Communities and Canadian Environmental Issues funding suites attracted 258 applications of excellent quality, resulting in 163 awards valued at a total of $10 million. In addition, SSHRC used funds from this special allocation to support 26 one-year awards to new scholars within the 941 Standard Research Grants awarded in 2008-09, and 20 of SSHRC's 153 newly awarded Postdoctoral Fellowships.
The Initiative on the New Economy was the largest new funding initiative in SSHRC's history. SSHRC-funded INE research has received many research excellence awards/prizes for research on a wide range of topics, including cybercartography, e-commerce, cost flexibility in automobile manufacturing, large-small firm partnerships, wage inequality, information privacy, pension funds, web and Canadian competitiveness, governance, forensic accounting, and value creation. The 2008-09 evaluation of the program noted that it resulted in a substantial body of multidisciplinary research, and helped to increase the number of personnel who are highly qualified in new economy issues within Canada. The level of appropriate resources allocated to the dissemination of research findings at the program-level was an issue. However, knowledge mobilization of research results at the project level appears to have been more extensive than in other, comparable SSHRC programs.
The evaluation of the Aboriginal Research Pilot Program, completed in 2008, found that the pilot program "effectively nurtured the development of an Aboriginal research paradigm rooted in interdisciplinarity and intercultural exchange." It contributed to the identity of Aboriginal communities in areas such as land claims, and reinforced in academia the value of other ways of knowing. The evaluation demonstrated that the program offered significant research training opportunities for Aboriginal students.
A summative evaluation of the Metropolis Project Phase II knowledge transfer activities and impacts conducted in 2008-09 with Citizenship and Immigration Canada indicated that this initiative is contributing significantly to new knowledge on immigration and integration. The program's research projects, launched in collaboration with community partners, provided relevant information and tools to develop and assess policies and improve services. Evidence demonstrated that Metropolis research has informed government policy-making.
Lessons Learned
A key lesson emerging from the INE evaluation indicated that SSHRC was ableto operationalize the INE program quickly by using established program models (e.g., Major Collaborative Research Initiatives and Joint Initiatives). This model has been replicated in implementing other budget announcements. The evaluation also noted that knowledge mobilization appears to have resulted in more extensive dissemination of research results than in other, comparable SSHRC funding mechanisms.
The Metropolis project evaluation noted that, while federal policy-makers may be accessing Metropolis research, access to and use of Metropolis research may be limited by receptor capacity and institutionalized support. Phase III of the Metropolis project will require the development of knowledge uptake plans from participating centres.
Finally, the Joint Initiatives program evaluation provided SSHRC staff with valuable information for negotiating new joint initiatives with potential partners. The evaluation underscored the importance of clearly describing the roles and responsibilities of SSHRC, its partners, the research community and other involved stakeholders.
Program Activity: Strategic Research Development
SSHRC's Strategic Research Development activities are aimed at exploring and developing new perspectives, directions, modes and institutional capacity for research in the social sciences and humanities. SSHRC's program activity in this area also includes special activities that enable SSHRC to strategically position the social sciences and humanities within Canada and internationally.
| 2008-09 Financial Resources ($ millions) | 2008-09 Human Resources (FTEs) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Spending | Total Authorities | Actual Spending | Planned | Actual | Difference |
| 27.3 | 31.5 | 29.4 | 35 | 30 | -5 |
| Expected Results | Performance Status | Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Research institutions are supported to conduct research development; new research and researchers are attracted in strategic and critical areas. | Met expectations | Programs collectively supported innovative research and training in various areas of strategic importance. In 2008-09, SSHRC awarded a total of 279 Strategic Research Development grants to 88 Canadian postsecondary institutions. Seventeen partnerships were created.
SSHRC's International Opportunities Fund has funded more than 150 projects, with participants in 64 countries. SSHRC awarded 40 grants in 2008-09. In 2008-09, 269 grants totalling $38 million were allocated in management, business and finance. In addition, SSHRC issued special calls for research on environment and northern communities issues, and is working with sister agencies nationally and internationally to develop more collaborative approaches to strategic research. SSHRC issued a call for proposals to host a national forum in fall 2009. Advancing Canada's Competitive Advantage—A Forum on Management will bring together researchers, graduate students and partners from across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. |
Trend: Increasing
Benefits for Canadians
SSHRC's Strategic Research Development activities provide both established and emerging social science and humanities scholars with opportunities to collaborate on groundbreaking research of national and international interest. These efforts address rapidly evolving societal, cultural and economic realities, the increasing collaborative nature of research, and cross-disciplinary and multidisciplinary endeavours.
Partnerships in capacity-building
The Partnerships in Capacity Building: Housing, Community Economic Development and Psychiatric Survivors Community-University Research Alliance with The University of Western Ontario was formed in 2003 to evaluate models of housing for patients discharged from psychiatric wards, who frequently became homeless without additional support structures. The Alliance reported that its research impacted decision-making, including changes in government policy, with the Ontario Disability Support Program altering its payment policies to allow direct deposits to landlords to ensure discharged patients could maintain a home.
Performance Analysis
According to a June 2008 report by the Competition Policy Review Panel entitled Compete to Win, Canada has an entrepreneurial deficit, making research all the more critical. Entrepreneurship, knowledge and people are all advantages Canada needs in order to thrive in the new global economy. As a key part of SSHRC's management, business and finance strategy, the Council issued a call for proposals to host a national forum, Advancing Canada's Competitive Advantage—A Forum on Management. The successful application came from HEC Montréal, a leading institution ranked as one of the world's top 100 business schools in a global study by the University of Texas. The purpose of the forum, which will take place from September 29 to October 2, 2009, is to identify opportunities for research, training and knowledge mobilization in management, business, and finance.
In 2008-09, SSHRC partnered with the International Development Research Centre to launch a $6.2-million initiative to link research teams in Canada and the developing world. These International Community-University Research Alliances address S&T priority areas, including environment and natural resource management, and information and communication technologies for development. The four projects awarded in 2008-09 partner Canadian teams with organizations and universities based in Colombia, China, South Africa, Belize, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Brazil, Ghana, and Tanzania.
SSHRC also partnered increasingly with other organizations, communities and scholars in 2008-09. For example, under the auspices of its international strategy, and in keeping with the objectives of the International Opportunities Fund, SSHRC joined with agencies in the US and the UK to create and launch the Digging into Data Challenge. This initiative helps cyberscholarship researchers in the humanities and social sciences develop and deploy innovative research techniques in large-scale data analysis. The Challenge gathered significant interest, receiving 143 letters of intent in the first round of competition.
SSHRC is also partnering with New Opportunities for Research Funding Agency Co-operation in Europe (NORFACE). This network of 15 funding agencies, including partners from Canada, has formed to collaborate on research support and research support policies. NORFACE has jointly launched a four-year transnational research program that focuses on migration issues. The program is an excellent opportunity for Canadian scholars to share their already globally recognized expertise in migration while contributing to a major research agenda alongside leading European scholars.
As well, SSHRC's Research Development Initiatives program provides support to innovative research in its initial stages that will lead to the development of mature research projects. In 2008-09, the program issued a special call on Canadian Environmental Issues to support high-quality interdisciplinary research.
Lessons Learned
The success and lessons learned from 10 years of the Community-University Research Alliances (CURA) program provided momentum for the creation of an international CURA program, jointly developed by SSHRC and the International Development Research Centre. Through a process of ongoing collaboration and mutual learning, Canadian and international partners will foster comparative research, training and the creation of new knowledge in areas of shared importance for the social, cultural or economic development of communities in Canada and in low and middle income countries.
Strategic Outcome 3: Knowledge Mobilization—The Transfer, Dissemination and Use of Social Sciences and Humanities Knowledge
The implementation of a knowledge mobilization strategy to advance SSHRC's ambitions of connections, quality and impact, and move knowledge from academia into realms where it can be applied more directly to the benefit of Canadians, is a priority in SSHRC's strategic planning. By implementing such a strategy, SSHRC is integrating knowledge mobilization across its entire program suite to facilitate and enable the flow of knowledge between the campus and larger community, thereby contributing to Canada's knowledge, people and entrepreneurial advantages as described in the federal S&T strategy.
| Expected Results | Performance Status | Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Interactions occuring between researchers and between researchers and users of research. | Met expectations | SSHRC is implementing a knowledge mobilization strategy focused on the application of social sciences and humanities knowledge across diverse fields of inquiry and in sectors outside academia (government, not-for-profit, business).
Public Outreach grants were offered in support of special federal initiatives in management, business and finance (15 awards), Canadian Environmental Issues (18 awards) and Northern Communities (13 awards). Two rounds of awards were held for scholarly workshops and conferences, with a total of 72 events funded. SSHRC's program in scholarly journals funded 142 journals over the coming three years, in fields such as fine arts, religious studies, criminology, education and political science. |
Trend: Increasing
Benefits for Canadians
The creation of new knowledge, capacity and talent produces direct and indirect social, economic, and cultural benefits for Canadians. Effectively mobilizing knowledge and applying research results is as essential to research impact as is the research itself. SSHRC is playing an important role in supporting the research, talent development and knowledge mobilization activities that promote innovation in management, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic development practices. SSHRC-funded graduate students—entering the labour market with the latest, research-based knowledge and research-honed skills—are a primary vehicle of knowledge mobilization and knowledge transfer.
The management, business and finance Research Network for Business Sustainability Strategic Knowledge Cluster has been successfully building partnerships between academia, industry and community organizations. The network, which includes 300 researchers and 1,000 practitioners, works with Canadian business to better understand and address sustainability issues.
Performance Analysis
The new Knowledge Mobilization and Program Integration division is responsible for some of the Council's most well-known programs in scholarly dissemination—Aid to Scholarly Journals and Aid to Research Workshops and Conferences in Canada. The division is also responsible for pilot initiatives to explore new ways of supporting knowledge mobilization, such as Public Outreach grants, Strategic Knowledge Clusters and Knowledge Impact in Society. For 2008-09, SSHRC awarded Public Outreach grants to increase connections between university campuses and the community through knowledge translation, knowledge synthesis, media presentations and other forms of knowledge mobilization. SSHRC received 73 Public Outreach applications and awarded 46 grants.
In 2008-09, SSHRC partnered with NSERC and CIHR in a tri-agency initiative to support knowledge syntheses on complex interactions between the environment and one or more other sectors. The initiative funded six projects.
Lessons Learned
SSHRC's current suite of knowledge mobilization programming reflects a recognition both that there is a wide variety of types of knowledge mobilization and that attention needs to be directed to effectively applying social sciences and humanities knowledge, both within academia and between the academic and other sectors. Consultation with managers of scholarly journals, for example, led in 2008-09 to revisions to SSHRC's journals program. These changes allow scholarly journals to engage open access and online distribution strategies, with the overall objective of fostering wider, more rapid dissemination of research results within academia and, especially, internationally.
Strategic Outcome 4: Institutional Environment—A Strong Canadian Research Environment
The Indirect Costs Program supports the institutional environment for research in all fields, not only the social sciences and humanities. SSHRC administers the program on behalf of the three federal research granting agencies. As a result, a sustainable and competitive Canadian research environment is maintained, and smaller postsecondary institutions are supported in their efforts to increase their research capacity.
| Expected Results | Performance Status | Performance Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Universities and colleges have the necessary resources, research facilities and services to carry out and mobilize world-class research, and have the ability to meet their institutional teaching and citizenship mandates while carrying out world-class research. | Met expectations | Since 2001, SSHRC has allocated $1.3 billion in Indirect Costs grants to eligible Canadian postsecondary institutions, including $328.3 million in 2008-09. This funding has provided vital support to the academic research environment in Canada.
A summative evaluation of the Program in 2008-09 showed that Indirect Costs funding is still relevant and needed, and that the current level of funding is not excessive. A survey of recipient institutions indicated that the institutional support for research had improved from below average to above average since the program's inception in 2003-04. |
Trend: Increasing
Benefits for Canadians
In 2008, universities were the second-largest producer of research in Canada, accounting for 34 per cent (roughly $10 billion) of research and development activities—well above the OECD average.
Technology, Entrepreneur and Company Development (TEC) Edmonton—a joint partnership that was developed in 2004 between the University of Alberta and the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation—was born with the help of ICP funds. According to one of the key informants interviewed during the site visit at the University of Alberta, TEC Edmonton has increased its profile in the province such that companies are now approaching the university to work in collaboration and to develop new products. One of the emerging initiatives is the 'Entrepreneurs in Residence,' which helps move technology from the university to spinoff companies, and has people in these spinoff companies come back to the university to help others with the further creation of spinoff companies. These people help see spinoff companies succeed, and make a tangible impact on the economy.
The Indirect Costs Program provides for the indirect costs of conducting publicly funded academic research. All recipient institutions describe the Indirect Costs Program funding as essential, saying, for example, "Research cannot be carried out and cannot have an impact without adequate support in all five areas represented by the eligible expenditures categories." The link between available resources and the quantity and quality of research activity is stressed continually by institutions.
Performance Analysis
The Indirect Costs Program supports the Government of Canada's direct investment in research. Indirect Costs grants totaling $328.3 million were awarded to eligible Canadian postsecondary institutions in 2008-09. Since 2001, SSHRC has allocated $1.3 billion in indirect cost support to postsecondary institutions. This funding has contributed to more researchers conducting more research of a higher quality. This research is increasingly being used, and continues to improve Canada's comparative and competitive advantage on the world stage.
The 2008-09 summative evaluation of the Indirect Costs Program states that "Research administrators indicated that the amount of research conducted in their institution increased markedly between 2003 and 2008, that the quality of the result improved and that the number of active researchers increased. Research administrators also report positive change in the extent of use of research results and in the competitiveness of their organization on the world stage. While these outcomes cannot be attributed solely to the Indirect Costs Program, the evidence is that the program addresses an important need of the postsecondary research system and that it has produced positive and desirable outcomes."
Overall, the evaluation results were positive. They showed that Indirect Costs funding is still relevant and needed, and that the current level of funding is not excessive. The evaluation also found that the program's administrative costs are quite low: only $2,900 (0.3 per cent) is spent on program administration for every $1 million in grant expenditures. The evaluation found that the institutional support for research had overall improved from below average to above average since the inception of the program in 2003.
According to the 2008-09 outcomes reports submitted by recipient institutions, enhanced research environments not only contribute to institutions' ability to attract researchers, but also to attract outstanding students, research associates, technicians, management staff and faculty. Most institutions (nearly 90 percent) stated that the Indirect Costs Program has contributed to their attraction and retention of high-quality researchers to their institution.
These results were further reinforced by an internal audit of the Indirect Costs Program, completed in late 2008. The audit noted many elements of good program administration. A key risk to the program that was initially identified concerned possible incorrect application of the funding formula. Audit testing confirmed that the calculations performed by the program in applying the funding calculation formula, as well as the controls over the payment process, were satisfactory and operating as intended.
Lessons Learned
According to the evaluation of the Indirect Costs Program, "ICP management is very cost-efficient, but adding this observation to the information available in the ICP Audit Report points to the possibility that this efficiency comes at the cost of a reduced ability to oversee and monitor program operations and outcomes." SSHRC will look at the feasibility of developing ways to establish a baseline measurement of the state of the research environment in Canada in those areas covered by the Indirect Costs Program. Management will also review the program's performance indicators and the questions included in its annual reporting form for institutions in order to improve future reporting on program results.
SECTION III: SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Financial Highlights
For the Period Ending March 31, 2009
For the Period Ending March 31, 2009
| ($ thousands) | Percentage Variance | 2009 | 2008 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Expenses | Total Expenses | -0.3% | 680,950 | 682,942 |
| Revenues | Total Revenues | 0% | 2 | 2 |
| Net Cost of Operations | -.0.3% | 680,948 | 682,940 |
Financial Highlights Chart
Financial Statements
Financial statements for 2008-09 can be found on SSHRC's website at:
http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/site/about-crsh/publications/pub_ar-ra-eng.aspx.
List of Supplementary Information Tables
The following tables can be found on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's website at http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/dpr-rmr/2008-2009/index-eng.asp:
- Table 1: Sources of Respendable and Non-Respendable Revenue
- Table 2: Details on Transfer Payment Programs
- Table 3: Internal Audits and Evaluations
Other Items of Interest
Continuous Improvement of Programs
One of the initiatives linked to SSHRC's Priority 1: Optimize Program Design and Delivery to Strengthen Canada's People and Knowledge Advantages is continuous improvement of SSHRC's programs. In 2008-09, SSHRC dedicated resources to this priority, developing a framework that includes a careful review of SSHRC's program architecture guided by principles of excellence, coherence and flexibility. A key continuous improvement initiative was the blue ribbon panel assessment of SSHRC's peer-review process. It should also be noted that the analyses conducted under Strategic Review were instrumental in setting priorities for the Continuous Improvement initiative.
A Harmonized Research Landscape
SSHRC is actively engaged with NSERC and CIHR in efforts to harmonize and consolidate, where appropriate, research and research-related activities in support of the federal S&T strategy. A number of working groups are addressing issues such as research areas that cross agency mandates; design of a new mechanism for the review and funding of initiatives that are related to more than one agency mandate; examination of barriers to an integrated approach to training programs; and development of a co-ordinated approach to thematic priorities. Work is also underway to build a set of guiding principles that would help frame a harmonized policy on open access and on other potential areas, such as tri-agency policy statements on ethics and on integrity. Work has also progressed on sharing best practices in peer review.
SSHRC's Business Transformation Initiative also supports the harmonization priority, and includes efforts to develop integrated business processes and maximize the use of new technologies to that end. With the goal of enhancing and streamlining application and peer-review processes, SSHRC, in co-operation with NSERC, conducted an assessment of a new electronic application portal, the Enterprise Award Management System, in 2008. In addition to serving the needs of students and researchers, the system will increase the councils' capacity to meet their growing program delivery and award administration requirements. More than 4,000 applicants, assessors and reviewers participated in the pilot testing of the new approach.
Improved Reporting on Results and Impacts of Research
Fundamental to SSHRC's mandate is a responsibility to demonstrate to Canadians that the research supported by the agency leads to tangible results. Traditional S&T indicators and tools for measuring performance do not capture the full range of outcomes/impacts of social sciences and humanities research. SSHRC is therefore exploring innovative approaches to capturing the impacts of research through a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Examples include the new Student Career Survey currently underway, which tracks the career progression of SSHRC scholarship and fellowship holders from the late 1990s.
SSHRC has also launched a number of learning research projects to help shape new approaches to measuring and capturing the impacts of research. One study, entitled The Economic Role and Influence of the Social Sciences and Humanities: A Conjecture, estimated that industries that rely primarily on social sciences and humanities inputs account for $696.7 billion of Canada's annual gross domestic product output. It also noted that the social sciences and humanities influence $389 billion of economic activity. Other examples of impact measurement in 2008 include the secondary data analysis produced by Science-Metrix (How is Social Sciences and Humanities Research Being Used?) and the EKOS survey that found a generally positive outlook on social sciences and humanities research on the part of the public, despite an admitted lack of familiarity with this branch of research.
In addition, proactive outreach to academic, public, private and non-governmental (NGO) sectors has resulted in a greater awareness of the value of social and humanities research. Dialogue, SSHRC's quarterly e-newsletter, reaches a broad readership, including researchers, academics, students, and key decision-makers in government, business, academic and NGO sectors. As well, attendance by members of Parliament at the Breakfast on the Hill series, featuring SSHRC-funded researchers, has increased, with MPs joining an average of 200 attendees per event. SSHRC has also actively participated in high-profile national events such as National Science Day; the Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences; the annual conference of the Canadian Association of University Research Administrators; and the provincial deputy ministers' conference. Such outreach and communications activities combine to increase public awareness and communicate the impacts of social sciences and humanities research.
Finally, SSHRC celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2008. In a special commemorative book, SSHRC showcased 30 key research contributions across many disciplines by grant recipients since 1978. The book emphasized the key role that social sciences and humanities have played in developing a successful society.
Improved Performance, Evaluation and Audit Approaches
In addition to an increased number of completed and ongoing program evaluations and audits, SSHRC has focused on developing an enhanced approach to performance, evaluation and audit methods to inform decision-makers and program managers. A Performance and Evaluation Committee chaired by SSHRC's president, and a similar committee for audit purposes, have been established to advise decision-making at the senior management level. SSHRC's evaluation processes and procedures are in compliance with the new Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Policy on Evaluation.