Definition of Ratings

The Canada Excellence Research Chairs (CERC) program supports Canadian universities in their efforts to build on Canada’s growing reputation as a global leader in research and innovation by attracting and retaining top researchers and their teams to establish ambitious programs.

Applications must align with the Government of Canada’s science, technology and innovation (ST&I) priorities for the CERC program in order to be considered for funding.

The selection of successful nominees is based on the highest standards of research excellence. The program uses a rigorous and competitive review process for awarding CERC grants. All applications submitted to the competition, regardless of award value and/or career stage of the nominee, will be assessed using the selection criteria for the program.

The following rating scale will apply for each criterion:

  1. Exceptional
  2. Very strong
  3. Good
  4. Mostly satisfies
  5. Does not satisfy

Applications must meet a minimum rating of “Good” for each criterion in the multidisciplinary selection board’s final rating to be considered for funding.

Reviewers will consider the following criteria and their associated elements. The merit indicators can be used to inform the ratings.

Criterion 1: Research/academic merit and leadership skills of the nominee

  • 1.1 Impact and international recognition of the nominee (as appropriate, based on career stage). This includes the societal impact of the nominee’s research, the level of recognition they hold in their field, and their record of service to the research community (e.g., service on peer review committees, faculty recruitment committees, advisory committees). In cases where the nominee’s research involves Indigenous research, the impact can be at the international level and/or at the community, regional or national level.
  • 1.2 Nominee’s record of establishing and sustaining an equitable, diverse and inclusive research environment, including attracting, training, mentoring and providing leadership opportunities to a diverse group of students, trainees and research personnel.

Criterion 2: Quality of the institutional support

  • 2.1 Quality of the institutional environment (existing or planned) that will support the chairholder and the chairholder’s team throughout the tenure of the award to ensure the success of the research program. This includes the activities and additional support planned for the Chair, such as establishing governance committees and advisory bodies, stewardship plans, protected time for research (e.g., release from certain teaching or administrative duties), mentoring (if applicable), training, additional funds, office space, administrative support, hiring of other faculty members, and salary support.
  • 2.2 Institution’s ability to sustain the research advantage created by the proposed Chair. This includes its ability to leverage additional resources to promote knowledge mobilization and translation through partnerships with the private sector, public sector, international research institutions, academic and/or philanthropic organizations; and the ability to retain the chairholder beyond the period of the award.
  • 2.3 Institution’s research strengths in the proposed field, assessed against global standards of excellence.
  • 2.4 Strength of the institution’s overall commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in research and academia. This includes the quality of the outreach and selection processes, and the level of support it will provide to the chairholder in helping to establish, sustain and strengthen an equitable, diverse and inclusive research team, environment and ecosystem. For more details, refer to the Recruitment page and to the additional best practices developed for the Canada Research Chairs Program (CRCP).

Criterion 3: Quality of the research program

  • 3.1 Promise of the proposed research program in the context of leading global research in the field, and the extent to which the Chair fills a gap within existing expertise at the institution or in Canada.
  • 3.2 Opportunities for collaborations and partnerships with Canadian and international entities (private sector, international research institutions, academic and/or philanthropic organizations).
  • 3.3 Quality of the proposed research program in terms of how it has embedded EDI considerations (e.g., GBA+ or SGBA+) at each of stage of the research process and its associated outcomes (as applicable).
  • 3.4 Quality of the proposed research program in terms of how research is co-created and co-led by and with First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples, as investigators, trainees, partners and collaborators, and its recognition of Indigenous ways of knowing (as applicable).
  • 3.5 Appropriateness of the proposed budget in terms of it being reasonable and well justified for carrying out the proposed activities.

Criterion 4: Potential contribution to the excellence of the Canadian and international research ecosystem

  • 4.1 Likelihood that the work of the proposed Chair will advance the frontiers of research in the field on a global scale as well as Canada’s reputation as a centre for science, research and innovation excellence.
  • 4.2 Plan for establishing and maintaining a diverse chairholder’s team (which includes faculty, early career researchers, research trainees, other highly qualified personnel and administrative staff), and an environment that is safe and inclusive and allows all team members to reach their full research potential (e.g., through the recruitment and outreach strategy, equitable training opportunities, professional development and mentoring).
  • 4.3 Extent to which the proposed research program will lead to enriched learning experiences for students, trainees and other highly qualified personnel to develop relevant skills, while fostering advancement and future career opportunities.
  • 4.4 Extent to which the proposed research program enhances knowledge mobilization, translation, and dissemination of research results and impacts, so that all relevant sectors of society and a variety of audiences benefit.
  • 4.5 Alignment of the proposed research program with one or more of the Government of Canada’s ST&I research priority areas for the CERC program to create social and economic advantages for Canada.