Chairholders' Official Titles
The official title of each Chair will be "Canada Excellence Research Chair in (the area of research)." For example, the title might be "Canada Excellence Research Chair in Environmental Economics?
The title should not use symbols or short forms (e.g., use "and" instead of "&"). Where possible, it should be simple and short enough for the media and the public to understand and use.
The chairholder may use this title from the effective date of his or her appointment and for the duration of the award.
Note: In keeping with standard Government of Canada practice, Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) appointments cannot be released to the media or formally announced by universities or chairholders until the Government of Canada has made its official public announcement (see Public Announcement of Chair Appointments below).
Public Announcement of Chair Appointments
Can we publicly announce the appointment of our chairholders as soon as we receive confirmation of their awards?
In keeping with standard Government of Canada practice, CERC appointments cannot be released to the media or formally announced by universities or chairholders until the Government of Canada has made its official public announcement. Public announcements are held following each CERC competition and are done in consultation with universities in order to gain maximum media exposure for all involved. Prior to the official public announcement, CERC appointments are to be treated as confidential and should not be announced to the public in any form.
Note: In order to ensure that this policy does not prevent chairholders from meeting their research objectives, if there is a lag time between the effective start date of their appointments and the public announcement chairholders may use their titles informally (e.g., when recruiting students, on business cards, at conferences, on their CVs, when applying for other research funding, on their personal websites, etc.) during such time.
When can we hold a public announcement at our university?
You may schedule a public announcement or event at your university after the Government of Canada's official public announcement.
Do we have to inform the CERC communications staff about our public announcement?
Yes. We ask that all universities inform us of their plans for CERC program-related announcements and events.
Specifically, universities should determine the format and timing of these events in consultation with the CERC communications staff. Please give as much notice as possible before an event.
Does a Government of Canada representative need to be present at a public announcement held at a university?
A Government of Canada representative should be invited to public announcements and other major CERC program-related university events. In most instances, a local Member of Parliament or regional minister will represent the Government of Canada.
Before inviting Government of Canada officials to an event, and to receive advice on your scenario, to obtain a ministerial quote for your news release and to try to secure the presence of a CERC program official, please contact us at communications@chairs-chaires.gc.ca.
Please note that the likelihood of securing a local Member of Parliament or minister to attend your event is greatly increased if the event is held when the House of Commons is not sitting.
Media, Publicity and Outreach
Do we need to share CERC program-related public announcements, public relations materials and media coverage with CERC communications staff?
Although not a requirement, we do welcome your materials on CERC-related news and events, as well as the media coverage they generate. Please send them to us at communications@chairs-chaires.gc.ca.
Do we need to share CERC program-related advertising with CERC communications staff?
Although not a requirement, we do welcome copies of CERC program-related advertising. Please send copies to us at communications@chairs-chaires.gc.ca.
Should we inform CERC communications staff when a chairholder is making a presentation abroad?
Although not a requirement, we would appreciate being informed when chairholders are giving presentations abroad so that we can alert Canadian embassies and consulates. Embassy and consulate staff members are well positioned to capitalize on the visit and possibly enable networking activities. Please contact us with information about international presentations, visits and talks by sending an email to information@cerc.gc.ca. We will ensure that the information is circulated to the appropriate people.
Canada Excellence Research Chairs Logo
The use of the CERC logo and the "Canada" wordmark is regulated by the Federal Identity Program of the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. If you would like to use the CERC logo, please contact the webmaster.
Links to the Canada Excellence Research Chairs Website
Do we need to provide a hyperlink to the CERC website on our website and in our electronic public relations materials?
Yes. We ask that all universities provide a link to the CERC website (www.cerc.gc.ca) on their university's website and in any electronic public relations materials, including new releases, emails and newsletters. By doing this, you are reinforcing the partnership between the CERC program and your university, and directing people to the primary source of information for the program.