Sponsor

Mitacs

Program

Globalink Research Award (GRA) Thematic Call

Description

Under the joint supervision of a home and host professor at a university in Canada and an institution affiliated with one of Mitacs’ international partners, senior undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral fellows included in successful applications will receive a $6,000 research award to conduct a 12- to 24-week research project in the other country. Eligibility criteria may vary between participating international partners.  All internship units are subject to funding availability by Mitacs and the international partner.

The themes include but are not limited to the list below. Please note that there is a great deal of scope under the open theme humanities and social innovation, all kind of projects can be submitted under that specific theme:

1. Digital and Emerging technology
2. Sustainability and Net Zero
3. Life Sciences
4. Humanities and Social Innovation

Mitacs is pleased to be collaborating with the following international partners in this thematic call for applications. 

• Australia: Universities Australia
• Brazil: Fundação Araucária Foundation
• Chile: Consejo de Rectores de las Universidades Chilenas (CRUCH-FUDEA)
• France: Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
• France: French Embassy in Canada
• France: Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (Inria)
• France: Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM)
• France: Université de Lorraine
• Germany: Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ Helmholtz Association)
• Germany: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
• Korea: National Research Foundation (NRF) Korea
• South Africa: National Research Foundation of South Africa (NRF SA)
• Taiwan: National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) - NARLabs
• United Kingdom: British High Commission of Ottawa

Eligibility

In addition to these general eligibility requirements, please also refer to the International Partners Information tab for partner-specific eligibility requirements on the Mitacs Globalink Research Award Thematic call web-page [1].

Students and postdoctoral fellows

• Must be registered as full-time senior undergraduates, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows at an eligible Canadian institution or eligible institution outside Canada and remain as such throughout their Globalink Research Award.
• Undergraduate applicants completing their first post-secondary degree must have completed their second year of studies prior to departure. All applicants enrolled in an undergraduate degree must have maintained a B average in their two most recent semesters prior to application. This average can be cumulative over the two semesters. 
• Postdoctoral fellows may apply if their date of graduation from a PhD program is no more than five years prior to the proposed start date of the research project and they have postdoctoral status at an eligible institution. 
• Cannot undertake a research project at an institution where they have previously completed a degree. 
  • Cannot undertake a research project in a country where they hold citizenship. 
    • Permanent residents or citizens of Canada who are enrolled in an eligible country other than Canada and who wish to do a project in Canada are eligible to apply. 
    • Applicants who hold citizenship of Canada and another eligible country may apply to do a project in either country.
• Must be the legal age of majority in Canada (18 years of age or older).
• Must meet travel requirements for their intended destination, including visa and/or immigration requirements and associated documentation.
• Cannot hold more than one Globalink Research Award per academic lifetime.
• Cannot have previously held a Mitacs-JSPS Summer Program award. 

Supervising professors

• Must hold a faculty position at an eligible institution. 
• Must be eligible to supervise graduate students. 
• Supervisors at Canadian institutions must be eligible to hold Tri-Agency funding.

Maximum Project Value

$6,000 per award

Indirect Costs

0%

Project Duration

12 to 24 weeks

Special Notes

All parties involved with the Mitacs Globalink program must comply with Mitacs’s Research Ethics Policy and other research integrity policies at the home and host institutions. All parties involved with Mitacs programs should review the following policy statement and guidelines provided by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and the Government of Canada: 

• ISED “Policy Statement on Research Security and COVID-19” [2] 
• Government of Canada “Safeguarding Your Research” Portal [3]

Intern responsibilities: 

• Make all necessary preparations for travel abroad with the appropriate institution office(s) 
• Obtain appropriate visa, work permit or other immigration documentation required for the destination 
• Attend any mandatory sessions as required by the home institution 
• Work full-time on the research project (at least 75% abroad, and up to 25% at the home institution) 
• Submit a final report and exit survey to Mitacs at the end of the project 

Home supervisor responsibilities: 

• Adhere to institutional policies for research abroad 
• Provide ongoing direction and research support to the participant prior to and during the research project 
• Submit an exit survey and sign the final report prepared by the participant.

Host supervisor responsibilities: 

• Adhere to institutional policies for visiting researchers 
• Provide ongoing direction and research support to the intern prior to and during the research project 
• Advise the intern on appropriate travel arrangements and accommodation 
• Provide the intern with any necessary documentation to support the visa application 
• Ensure the intern has appropriate lab and/or office space and resources during the research project 
• Submit an exit survey and sign the final report prepared by the intern. 

Additional responsibilities of the Canadian institution and supervisor: 

In addition to the above, the Canadian supervisors and institutions – whether home or host – have additional responsibilities, specifically: 

• Support interns with the necessary preparations for travel abroad (institutional travel policy, immigration application support)  
• Assume fiduciary responsibility for the Mitacs grant  

How to Apply

Application process: 

1. Review general and Mitacs international partner-specific eligibility and award guidelines [1].
2. Reach out to the local Mitacs advisor [5] (Emily Gordon) to confirm the project eligibility and discuss next steps. They will then share the link to the application portal. 
3. Identify all the project applicants (intern, professors) as Mitacs cannot connect interested interns with supervisors.
4. Start the application on the application portal by identifying the Mitacs international partner. All participants must create their profile online and fill in their personal information. 
5. Complete the application: Additional information will be provided in the application portal.
6. Note: Please make sure to select ‘Globalink Research Award: Thematic Call’ as the funding model under ‘Internship Budget and Schedule’.  
7. Send the research proposal to the local Mitacs Advisor for pre-submission review.
8.  Once the application is complete, each participant needs to sign-off it on the portal.
9. The Office of Research Services (ORS) or designated signature will be required on all completed applications. The local Mitacs advisors will support the applicants to obtain the university.
10. The Mitacs local advisor submits the application. 

Research projects selected through this call for applications will have up to one year to begin after the outcome letter is issued. All potential applicants must check with their institutions about their policies on international travel prior to submitting an application.