Definitions of Terms
Applicant
Artistic discipline
Artist-researcher
Co-applicant (co-investigator)
Collaborator
Conference
Degree program
Departmental appraisal
Eligible institution
Formal partnership
In-kind contribution
New scholar
Partner
Postsecondary institution
Program of research
Program of research/creation
Program of study
Program of work
Record of research achievement
Referee
Regular scholar
Research/creation
Research institution
Team
Workshop
Workshop participant
Applicant:
An individual or an institution applying for SSHRC funds. Eligibility requirements may vary between specific funding opportunities.
In the case of individuals applying for SSHRC fellowships or scholarships, the applicant is seeking funding to pursue a graduate degree or a period of postdoctoral research.
In the case of individuals applying for SSHRC grants, the applicant is also the principal investigator / project director and has primary responsibility for the intellectual direction of the research or research-related activity, and assumes administrative responsibility for the grant. In the case of teams or formal partnerships, the principal investigator / project director is understood to be responsible for the overall leadership of the team or partnership.
In most cases, individuals applying for grants must be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution. In some cases, the applicant may be affiliated with a not-for-profit organization. See the definition for eligible institution for further details.
Applicants who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of Canada must be employed in teaching or research by the institution for the entire duration of the grant —unless the eligibility criteria of the funding opportunity to which they are applying explicitly states otherwise.
Applicants may not be employed as an assistant or associate for a research program directed by another researcher.
Applicants who are formally affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution, but who are employed outside the postsecondary education system, must demonstrate that their proposed research or research-related activity is not related to either the mandate of their regular non-academic employer or the normal duties for which they receive payment from that employer.
An applicant for a grant cannot be a student enrolled in a program of study. Any exceptions to this restriction are explained in the Eligibility section of the funding opportunities
In the case of institutions applying for SSHRC grants, the applicant is the postsecondary institution or not-for-profit organization. Such applicants must name an individual to act as the principal investigator / project director responsible for the overall leadership of the team or partnership.
Artistic discipline: Any one, or any combination of, the following categories: architecture, design (including interior design), creative writing, visual arts (painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, textiles), performing arts (dance, music, theatre), film, video, performance art, interdisciplinary arts, media and electronic arts, and new artistic practices.
Artist-researcher: A member of the faculty of a Canadian postsecondary institution whose work involves research, the creation of works of art, and the training of undergraduate and/or graduate students. Where their work is similar to that of full-time faculty, and where the institution agrees, this may include adjunct, part-time, sessional and emeritus faculty as well as university-employed curators.
Co-applicant (co-investigator): An individual, participating in a grant application, who makes a significant contribution to the intellectual direction of the research or research-related activity, who plays a significant role in the conduct of the research or research-related activity, and who may also have some responsibility for financial aspects of the research. Eligibility requirements may vary between specific funding opportunities.
Subject to SSHRC approval, a co-applicant affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution may be named principal investigator in the event of the original principal investigator's death or resignation.
Collaborator: An individual, participating in a grant application, who may make a significant contribution to the intellectual direction of the research or research-related activity, and who may play a significant role in the conduct of the research or research-related activity.
Collaborators are not eligible to be named principal investigator in the event of the original principal investigator's death or resignation. Collaborators do not need to be affiliated with a Canadian postsecondary institution. With the exception of certain travel- and subsistence-related expenses, SSHRC does not cover expenses that research collaborators incur in the conduct of research or research-related activity.
Conference: A special event that: a) focuses on one or more distinct themes in the social sciences or humanities; and b) is open to Canadian and international researchers, as well as students, both graduate and, where appropriate, undergraduate.
Degree program: An academic program leading to a degree.
Departmental appraisal: Appraisal of an applicant to the Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships: Master’s Scholarships or the Doctoral Awards funding opportunities, submitted by the student’s department at the forwarding university. The departmental appraisal ranks a given applicant in relation to other applicants from the same university; discusses strengths and weaknesses of the applicant’s performance, abilities and proposed program of study; and comments on the relevance of foreign language training to the applicant’s degree programs, as well as on the applicant’s language proficiency/proficiencies.
Eligible institution: Refers to any entity that receives or administers SSHRC funding. Institutions or organizations that propose to administer any SSHRC grant must apply for and obtain institutional eligibility.
Formal partnership: A bilateral or multilateral formal collaboration agreement between an applicant and one or more partners, of which at least one must be a Canadian postsecondary institution and at least one must be different from the institution or organization that will administer the grant funds. Partnerships may be between academic institutions, or between one or more academic institutions and one or more non-academic partners. These partners agree and commit to work collaboratively to achieve shared goals for mutual benefit. Partners must provide evidence attesting to the commitment that has been agreed upon.
While the formality of partnerships may vary, a formal partnership is grounded in trust and mutual respect, with partners contributing in a meaningful way to the success of the endeavour. This may include, for example, sharing in intellectual leadership or providing expertise. The partner is also expected to provide cash and/or in-kind contributions.
In-kind contribution: Goods or services contributed to support a specific research project or research-related activity.
New scholar: A new scholar is someone who has not yet had the opportunity to establish an extensive record of research achievement, but is in the process of building one.
Applicants identifying themselves as a new scholar must demonstrate that they have not applied successfully, as principal investigator or project director, for a grant through any of SSHRC’s funding opportunities.
In addition, they must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- have completed their highest degree no more than five years before the competition deadline (SSHRC considers only the date of completion of the first doctorate);
or
- have held a tenured or tenure-track university appointment for less than five years;
or
- have held a university appointment, but never a tenure-track position (in the case of institutions that offer tenure-track positions);
or
- have had their careers significantly interrupted or delayed for family reasons.
Partner: A partner is an organization that participates actively in a formal partnership and contributes in a meaningful way to the success of the endeavour. A partner organization may be, for example, a Canadian or foreign: postsecondary institution, government department (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal), for-profit or not-for-profit organization, or foundation. Partner organizations are required, for administrative purposes, to identify an individual who will act as a contact person. A partner is expected to support the activities of the formal partnership by sharing in intellectual leadership or providing expertise. The partner is also expected to provide cash and/or in-kind contributions.
Postsecondary institution: A public
or private not-for-profit degree- or diploma-level university, university
college or college established in accordance with appropriate provincial
or territorial legislation.
Program of research: A sustained research enterprise that includes one or more projects or other components, and that is shaped by broad objectives for the advancement of knowledge. It might be undertaken primarily by one investigator and encompassed within a single research career, or it could mobilize a team of researchers during a specific period. In pursuit of the overall objectives, specific approaches and methods are advanced, adopted and modified as the research proceeds and as findings are made and reported. SSHRC supports new and ongoing programs of research through three-year grants, based on peer-review judgment of the probable significance of the contribution to knowledge in the social sciences and humanities.
Program of research/creation: A sustained research enterprise that includes one or more projects or other components, and that is shaped by broad objectives for the advancement of knowledge in the fine arts, through the development or renewal of the field of artistic endeavour concerned. It might be undertaken primarily by one investigator and encompassed within a single research career, or it could mobilize a team of researchers during a specific period. In pursuit of the overall objectives, specific approaches and methods are advanced, adopted and modified as the research proceeds and as findings are made and reported. SSHRC will support new and ongoing programs of research/creation through grants of up to three years in duration, based on peer-review judgment of the probable significance of the contribution to knowledge in the relevant disciplines.
Program of study: A program of proposed research as a partial requirement to obtain an academic degree.
Program of work: A program of proposed research in relation to an application for a SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellowship.
Record of research achievement: Includes
any identifiable contributions made by applicants to the advancement,
development and transmission of knowledge related to the disciplines supported
by SSHRC.
Referee: An expert submitting the assessment of an applicant and his/her program of study or work as part of an application for a fellowship or scholarship.
Regular scholar: Someone who has established—or who, since the completion of his or her highest degree, has had the opportunity to establish—a record of research achievement.
Research/creation: Any research activity or approach to research that forms an essential part of a creative process or artistic discipline and that directly fosters the creation of literary/artistic works. The research must address clear research questions, offer theoretical contextualization within the relevant field or fields of literary/artistic inquiry, and present a well-considered methodological approach. Both the research and the resulting literary/artistic works must meet peer standards of excellence and be suitable for publication, public performance or viewing..
Research institution: An institution with a research mandate and qualified research staff and/or research facilities.
Team: Includes an applicant (principal investigator / project director) and/or one or more co-applicants (co-investigators) or collaborators. In the case of an institutional application, the organization’s designated contact person is part of the team.
Workshop: A small, invitational event of 30 or fewer participants, the object of which is to: a) develop a particular research agenda or delineate specific research questions and needs; and b) produce a concrete deliverable (book, policy position paper, etc.).
Workshop participant: Someone who is actively involved in the event, such as a presenter, a discussant or a panelist.