About SSHRC

Peer Review

SSHRC grants and fellowships are awarded through an independent, national, peer-review process designed to ensure excellence. Peer review is universally recognized as the most objective and effective way to allocate public research funds.

Each year volunteer selection committees made up of Canadian scholars and experts assess thousands of research proposals and, based on academic excellence and other key criteria, they make recommendations about which projects to fund. About 5,200 other Canadian and international experts provide written assessments of proposals to help the review committees in their decision-making.

Enhancing the Peer-Review Process

• The final report of the independent Blue Ribbon Panel, “Promoting Excellence in Research – An International Blue Ribbon Panel Assessment of Peer Review Practices at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada”
• Message from the president of SSHRC

Selection Committees

Selection Committees ajudicate all SSHRC applications. This rigorous and independent peer-review process ensures that only the best research projects are recommended for funding.

• Standard Research Grants Selection Committees
• Strategic Grants and Joint Initiatives Selection Committees
• Fellowships Selection Committees
• Research Communication Selection Committees
• Institutional Support Selection Committees
• Major Collaborative Research Initiatives