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SECTION I: DEPARTMENTAL OVERVIEW
Minister's Message
The Industry Portfolio experienced a busy and successful 2007–08. As Minister of Industry, I am pleased with the progress made on our mission to foster a competitive, knowledge-based economy that benefits all Canadians. A competitive economy is one that provides jobs and opportunity to Canadians, and top-quality products and services to consumers. Our economic performance underpins the quality of life we enjoy in this country, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council is making important contributions to this mission.
The Industry Portfolio is composed of Industry Canada and 10 other agencies, Crown corporations and quasi-judicial bodies. These organizations collectively advance Canada’s industrial, scientific and economic development, and help ensure that we remain competitive in the global marketplace.
As a country, we must remain focused on how we can continue to provide an innovative and entrepreneurial economic environment, help our businesses capitalize on opportunities, and provide choice and quality to consumers. The global marketplace continues to evolve, changing with it the dynamics that influence Canada’s performance. I am proud to say that the Industry Portfolio is playing its part:
As a country, we must remain focused on how we can continue to provide an innovative and entrepreneurial economic environment, help our businesses capitalize on opportunities, and provide choice and quality to consumers. The global marketplace continues to evolve, changing with it the dynamics that influence Canada’s performance. I am proud to say that the Industry Portfolio is playing its part:
- We are working to make our market for wireless services more competitive, this year launching the policy framework for the Advanced Wireless Services spectrum auction. The framework aims to provide more choice and better service for consumers and businesses — something that we believe will also lead to lower prices.
- We issued guidelines clarifying the application of the Investment Canada Act as it relates to foreign state-owned enterprises investing in our country to ensure that Canadians continue to enjoy all the benefits that foreign investment delivers.
- We instituted an independent Competition Policy Review Panel to review and report on key elements of Canada’s competition and investment policies and to ensure that they are working to the full benefit of Canadians.
- We created an Automotive Innovation Fund to provide support to automotive firms undertaking large-scale, strategic research and development (R&D) projects to build innovative, greener and more fuel-efficient vehicles. Similarly, investments made through the Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative continue to encourage strategic R&D that will result in innovation and excellence in new products and services.
One of my key priorities as Industry Minister continues to be our country’s science and technology (S&T) strategy, Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage, announced by Prime Minister Harper in May 2007.
- Budget 2008 included measures and initiatives in support of our S&T Strategy that total $654 million over the next three years.
- We put in place the new Science, Technology and Innovation Council to provide the government with objective policy advice on Canada’s S&T issues.
- The government allocated $105 million in 2007–2008 to support the operations of seven new Centres of Excellence, pilot projects that have the potential to make Canada a global leader in fields of research that offer a strategic opportunity for Canadian industry.
- This past March, Canada’s two-armed robot, Dextre, was successfully installed on the International Space Station.
This has been a year of progress and success, and it is my pleasure to present the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council’s Departmental Performance Report for 2007–08. I am committed to building on these successes in 2008 and beyond, and I will continue to work with officials in the Industry Portfolio to make Canada more efficient, productive and competitive.
______________________________
Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
Management Representation Statement
I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2007-08 Departmental Performance Report for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.
This document has been prepared based on the following reporting principles contained in the Guide to the Preparation of Part III of the 2007-08 Estimates – Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:
- It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board Secretariat guidelines;
- It is based on the department’s Strategic Outcome(s) and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board;
- It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information;
- It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
- It reports finances based on approved planned numbers from the Estimates and the Public Accounts of Canada.
________________________________________
Chad Gaffield
President
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
President's Message
Canadians are justifiably proud of this country’s stature as one of the best places in the world to live. Increasingly, Canadian society is recognizing that social sciences and humanities research is a critical component of our success.
More than 20 years of results from the United Nations Development Programme Human Development Index confirm our place as a great nation. The index—which ranks countries according to social-science indicators of national well-being, including life expectancy, literacy, education and standard of living—has positioned Canada in the number one position 10 times since 1985. That is more number one rankings than any other country.
Nearly half of our adult population holds postsecondary qualifications, which places us well ahead of most Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries for educational attainment. According to the OECD our steady supply of highly qualified personnel is vital to our recent scientific and industrial progress—and therefore to our extraordinary international ranking. Most interestingly to SSHRC, more than 64 per cent of students in Canadian universities study social sciences and humanities disciplines.
This fact has significant implications for our country’s economy. A recent SSHRC-commissioned study estimates that three-quarters of Canadians are employed in the social sciences and humanities. Industries that rely on these disciplines represent approximately $696.7 billion of annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Moreover, scholarship in social sciences and humanities influences approximately the same amount of economic activity—$389 billion—as science, technology, engineering and medicine combined.
Encouragingly, Canadians understand this reality. In a recent survey, 64 per cent of respondents linked social sciences and humanities research to overall quality of life. A strong majority of respondents also recognized that the development of new knowledge from social science and humanities research helps address key issues that affect our quality of life and helps develop a highly qualified and adaptable workforce—critical to improving Canada’s economic prospects.
Canadians feel the benefits of social sciences and humanities every day. While the range and complexity of social, political, technological and innovation issues have never been more challenging, SSHRC contributes profoundly to Canada and the world by funding key advances in research and training.
I am proud to present the latest record of SSHRC’s achievements in this Departmental Performance Report for the fiscal year 2007-08.
Chad Gaffield
President
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
2007-08 Treasury Board Approved Program Activity Architecture
SSHRC’s 2007-08 Departmental Performance Report (DPR) is structured according to the following Program Activity Architecture (PAA), as presented in the 2007-08 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP).
|
Program Activity |
Program Sub-Activity |
|
Strategic Outcome (SO) 1: People – A First-Class Research Capacity in the Social Sciences and Humanities |
|
|
1.1 Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes |
1.1.1 Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) |
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1.1.2 Doctoral Fellowships |
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1.1.3 Postdoctoral Fellowships |
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1.1.4 Prizes and Special Fellowships |
|
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1.2 Canada Research Chairs |
1.2.1 Canada Research Chairs Program |
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SO 2: Research – New Knowledge Based on Excellent Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities |
|
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2.1 Investigator-Framed Research |
2.1.1 Standard Research Grants (SRG) |
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2.1.2 Major Collaborative Research Initiatives (MCRI) |
|
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2.2 Targeted Research and Training Initiatives |
2.2.1 Strategic Research Grants |
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2.2.2 Strategic Joint Initiatives |
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2.2.3 Initiative on the New Economy (INE) |
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2.3 Strategic Research Development |
2.3.1 Research Development Initiatives (RDI) |
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2.3.2 Community-University Research Alliances (CURA) |
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2.3.3 SSHRC Institutional Grants (SIG) |
|
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2.3.4 Aid to Small Universities (ASU) |
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2.3.5 General Support |
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2.3.6 International Opportunities Fund (IOF) |
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2.3.7 BOREAS |
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SO 3.0: Knowledge Mobilization – The Transfer, Dissemination and Use of Knowledge in the Social Sciences and Humanities |
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3.1 Research Communication and Interaction |
3.1.1 Aid to Scholarly Publications |
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3.1.2 Aid to Research Workshops and Conferences in Canada |
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3.1.3 Aid to Research and Transfer Journals1 |
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3.1.4 Aid and Attendance Grants to Scholarly Associations |
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3.1.5 Strategic Knowledge Clusters |
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3.1.6 Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) |
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3.1.7 Knowledge Impact in Society (KIS) |
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SO 4.0: Institutional Environment – A Strong Canadian Research Environment |
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4.1 Indirect Costs of Research |
4.1.1 Indirect Costs Program |
Summary Information
Through an act of Parliament in 1977, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) was created with a legislative mandate to “a) promote and assist research and scholarship in the social sciences and humanities; and b) advise the Minister in respect of such matters relating to such research as the Minister may refer to the Council for its consideration.” SSHRC is the federal agency that promotes and supports university-based research and training in the humanities and social sciences. Through its programs and policies, the Council enables the highest levels of research excellence in Canada, and facilitates knowledge-sharing and collaboration across research disciplines, universities and all sectors of society.
Financial Resources
| 2007-08 | ||
| Planned Spending ($ millions) | Total Authorities ($ millions) | Actual Spending ($ millions) |
|
$619.3 |
$683.5 |
$681.0 |
Human Resources
| 2007-08 | ||
|
Planned |
Actual |
Difference |
|
190 FTEs |
184 FTEs |
-6 |
Departmental Priorities
|
Name |
Type |
Performance Status |
|
1. Invest in the renewal and continued excellence of Canadian research in the social sciences and humanities |
Ongoing |
Successfully met |
|
2. Support advanced, high-quality research training and an effective research training environment |
Ongoing |
Successfully met |
|
3. Ensure that knowledge generates benefits for Canadians |
Ongoing |
Successfully met |
| 4. Sustain a strong and balanced research environment | Ongoing | Successfully met |
| 5. Strengthen SSHRC’s governance and internal operations | Ongoing | Successfully met |
Program Activity by Strategic Outcome
| 2007-08 | |||||
|
Program Activity |
Expected Results |
Performance Status |
Planned Spending |
Actual Spending |
|
| Strategic Outcome 1: People – A First-Class Research Capacity in the Social Sciences and Humanities | |||||
| Program Activity 1.1: Fellowships, Scholarships and Prizes | Highly qualified personnel and experts in research are available to pursue various knowledge-intensive careers within universities, industry, government and other sectors. | Successfully met | 102.3 | 100.3 | Priority No. 1, 2 |
| Program Activity 1.2: Canada Research Chairs | Canadian universities, affiliated research institutes and hospitals are recognized as centres of research excellence because of their attraction and retention of excellent researchers. | Successfully met | 61.8 | 58.6 | Priority No. 1, 2 |
| Strategic Outcome 2: Research – New Knowledge Based on Excellent Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities | |||||
| Program Activity 2.1: Investigator-Framed Research | Canada offers a research environment that is conducive to graduate training, to advances in knowledge and to the communication of research results in all disciplines and research areas of the social sciences and humanities. | Successfully met | 90.6 | 91.1 | Priority No. 1, 2 |
| Program Activity 2.2: Targeted Research and Training Initiatives | New knowledge on pressing social, economic and cultural issues of particular importance to Canadians is made available for decision-making in various sectors. | Successfully met | 17.4 | 27.4 | Priority No. 1, 2 |
| Program Activity 2.3: Strategic Research Development | New perspectives, directions, modes and institutional capacity for research in the social sciences and humanities are explored and developed. | Successfully met | 24.7 | 28.8 | Priority No. 1, 2 |
| Strategic Outcome 3: Knowledge Mobilization – The Transfer, Dissemination and Use of Social Sciences and Humanities Research | |||||
| Program Activity 3.1: Research Communication and Interaction | New social sciences and humanities knowledge is disseminated within and between disciplines, and between researchers and users of research in broader society. | Successfully met | 22.4 | 61.0 | Priority No. 3 |
| Strategic Outcome 4: Institutional Environment – A Strong Canadian Research Environment | |||||
| Program Activity 4.1: Indirect Costs of Research | Canadian universities, colleges, and affiliated research hospitals and health research institutes offer an enhanced institutional research environment. | Successfully met | 300.1 | 313.8 | Priority No. 4 |
Summary of Departmental Performance
Research in the social sciences and humanities advances knowledge and builds understanding about individuals, groups and societies—what we think, how we live and how we interact with each other and the world around us. Knowledge and understanding inform discussion on critical social, cultural, economic, technological, environmental and wellness issues and provide communities, businesses and governments the foundation for a vibrant and healthy democracy. Through research, training and knowledge mobilization programs, SSHRC fosters the development of talented and creative people who become leaders across the private, voluntary and public sectors and who are critical to Canada’s success in the globalized 21st century.
Operating Environment
SSHRC’s activities largely consist of funding external organizations and/or individuals through grants. SSHRC must adhere to the terms and conditions approved by the Treasury Board Secretariat of Canada (TBS) for the management and administration of these funds. SSHRC awards grants, fellowships and scholarships on the basis of excellence in national competitions. Decisions about which applicants to fund are made through peer review—a rigorous and independent selection process internationally recognized as the most effective way to allocate public research funds.
SSHRC, together with its sister funding agencies, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and in partnership with Industry Canada, also participates in the joint administration and delivery of three programs: the Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE), the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) and the Indirect Costs (ICP) programs. The day-to-day administration of the CRC and ICP programs is carried out by a tri-agency secretariat housed at SSHRC. The Interagency Advisory Panel on Research Ethics and the Secretariat on Research Ethics are also jointly funded by the three agencies. For more information about SSHRC, including its governance and other organizational information, see http://www.sshrc.ca/web/about/about_e.asp.
Departmental Context
Framing Our Direction: SSHRC’s Renewed Strategic Vision
In November 2007, SSHRC released its Strategic Plan for 2006-11, Framing Our Direction. This document highlights the achievements over the past two years, situates the Council’s activities and ambitions within the current research and policy environment, and sets out SSHRC’s strategic priorities for 2008-10. SSHRC’s strategic ambitions are quality, connections and impact in knowledge creation, the development of talent and knowledge mobilization.
New Federal Science and Technology Strategy
The changing research and policy environment has a significant impact on SSHRC and the other federal research granting agencies. A major event in this changing environment was the May 2007 release of the Government of Canada’s new science and technology (S&T) strategy, Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada’s Advantage. The priorities and principles of this strategy are directly linked to SSHRC’s ambitions of quality, connections and impact in knowledge creation, the development of talent and knowledge mobilization.
The S&T strategy emphasizes three advantages, all of which relate directly to central concerns of the humanities and social sciences: an entrepreneurial advantage that translates knowledge into practical applications, a knowledge advantage that generates new ideas and builds research excellence, and a people advantage that increases and retains the highly skilled individuals that Canada needs to thrive in the new global economy. The strategy offers SSHRC a framework within which to enhance the contribution of research and training in the social sciences and humanities to Canada and the world.
For these reasons, SSHRC is actively contributing to the implementation of the S&T strategy within its strategic priorities and will vigorously champion the social sciences and humanities as central to the federal research agenda. Indeed, the successful implementation of Canada’s S&T strategy depends upon a top-quality, comprehensive and balanced research community. Canada’s three research granting agencies have developed a joint (tri-agency) action plan that focuses on four priority issues: balance of funding, international opportunities, alignment of programs and reporting on impacts. The agencies are working together to support collaborative research in support of the goals of the S&T strategy. Research partnerships and collaborations among researchers in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, engineering and health sciences are actively encouraged through the programs of all three granting agencies.
New Federal Research Investments
In the 2007 federal budget, SSHRC received new funding in the amount of $11 million annually to support additional research in management, business and finance. SSHRC developed special funding opportunities for 2007 as an initial step in the support of research excellence leading to greater impact in the areas of management, business and finance. SSHRC is currently engaged in consultations with the social sciences and humanities research community and other stakeholders in the public, private and voluntary sectors to develop a longer-term strategy for investments in management, business and finance. Furthermore, the Council of Canadian Academies, at the request of SSHRC, is conducting an independent assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of management, business and finance research and training in Canada. An expert panel has been assembled and a report will be forthcoming between late 2008 and early 2009.
Budget 2008 announced new investments for postsecondary education and research. SSHRC received $12 million to support research that contributes to a “better understanding of how the environment affects the lives of Canadians and of the social and economic development needs of northern communities.” Highly relevant to the federal S&T strategy, this investment will further contribute to strategic research in these areas, in which SSHRC has been active for many years. Budget 2008 also established 20 Canada Global Excellence Research Chairs and created the new Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships program that, when fully ramped-up, will support 500 Canadian and international doctoral students. SSHRC is working with the NSERC, CIHR and Industry Canada on the implementation of these new initiatives.
Building on SSHRC’s Transitions
Strengthening SSHRC’s governance structure is a key priority. Specifically, SSHRC committed to strengthen the Council’s focus on strategic directions, priority setting and the achievement of excellence, as set out in Framing Our Direction. The most recent fiscal year, 2007-08, saw SSHRC focus on consolidating its new structure and the composition of its management team. Implementation of these changes included the development of an Action Plan, development of a three-year action plan for the Partnerships Directorate, and development of a strengthened Performance Measurement Framework. Recruitment and hiring of qualified staff in some of these priority areas presented both a challenge and an opportunity to bring in fresh ideas and expertise.
SSHRC and Canada’s Performance
The Government of Canada has made significant investments in academic research as part of an overall strategy to enhance Canada’s capacity to innovate and compete, both regionally and globally. Canada’s Performance 2006-2007 links SSHRC’s activities and programs to the Government of Canada’s outcome of “an innovative and knowledge-based economy.” Specifically, SSHRC’s promotion and assistance of research, the development of talent and knowledge mobilization contribute to:
- training researchers and highly qualified personnel for Canada’s future;
- creating new knowledge about, and understanding of, pressing economic, social, and cultural issues relevant to Canadians;
- developing a first-class research environment conducive to graduate training and new perspectives and directions for research; and
- facilitating and enabling the dissemination, transfer and use of social sciences and humanities research knowledge.
Finally, the following Figure, from Framing Our Direction, illustrates how SSHRC’s strategic ambitions of quality, connections and impact are linked to the goals of the federal S&T strategy:
Figure 1: SSHRC’s Strategic Ambitions and the New Science and Technology Strategy
• Enhance the quality of, and support for, research and research training in the social sciences and humanities;
• Enable connections among disciplines, including those in engineering and the natural and health sciences, as well as between research and the larger community, in Canada and in the rest of the world; and
• Increase the impact of research and research training for the benefit of society.
Summary: Status of Performance
Following the release of the Government of Canada’s new S&T strategy early in the fiscal year, SSHRC aligned its activities and directions in the current research and policy environment, championed the contribution of social sciences and humanities research to Canada’s overall research agenda, and refined collaborative approaches with its sister research funding agencies. Key achievements included special funding opportunities for management, business and finance (MBF) as a further step in the support of research excellence in these areas. Specific sub-activities receiving funding under this initiative included: MBF Research Grants, an MBF component of Research Development Initiatives, MBF Outreach Grants, an MBF component of the Knowledge Impact in Society pilot program, an MBF component of the International Opportunities Fund, an MBF component of Strategic Knowledge Clusters, and an MBF component of the Aid to Research Workshops and Conferences in Canada program.
Figure 2: SSHRC Expenditures by Research Investment Areas 2007-08
SSHRC continued to successfully deliver its core program activities in its four Strategic Outcome areas: People – A First-Class Research Capacity in the Social Sciences and Humanities; Research – New Knowledge Based on Excellent Research in the Social Sciences and Humanities; Knowledge Mobilization – The Transfer, Dissemination and Use of Social Sciences and Humanities Research; and Institutional Environment – A Strong Canadian Research Environment. Detailed reporting on progress against specific initiatives by SSHRC’s Strategic Outcomes, linked to program activities, is presented in Section II. Some highlights include:
- The 2007 federal budget delivered $62 million in new funding over three years for graduate students. SSHRC awarded 100 additional Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Master’s) and 35 additional Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Doctoral) in 2007-08.
- One indication of the success of the Canada Research Chairs Program is that several other countries have used the program as a model for their own research professorships programs. These include South Africa, and France’s new International Research Chairs (Chaires internationales de recherche Blaise Pascal).
- In order to increase the rigour of the peer-review process by which SSHRC decides what research proposals to fund, most of the grants adjudication committees that met in 2007-08 included international representation.
- Through Standard Research Grants, one of SSHRC’s largest investments, the Council supported 841 projects involving 1,641 social sciences and humanities researchers, as well as students and external partners, in 2007-08.
- SSHRC developed special funding opportunities for 2007-08 in support of research excellence, the development of talent and knowledge mobilization in the areas of management business and finance.
- In the context of the International Polar Year (IPY), in 2007, SSHRC announced close to $700,000 in grants to support research on Canada’s North by academic experts working in collaboration with community and government partners.
- In 2007-08, a new International Community-University Research Alliances (CURA) program was launched in partnership with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), building on SSHRC’s successful CURA program that facilitates community-university alliances to generate knowledge through the ongoing collaboration and interaction of researchers and users of research.
- In 2007, SSHRC launched an Open-Access Research Journals pilot competition in order to support online publications made available to readers without charge, thus increasing readership, both nationally and internationally, for research journals that publish original scholarship in the social sciences and humanities.
- In 2007-08, the Strategic Knowledge Clusters program received $22 million over seven years to fund 11 strategic knowledge clusters. Their research will cover critical issues including globalization, homelessness, business sustainability, education and heritage.
A summary snapshot of SSHRC competitions in 2007-08 is provided in Appendix A.
SSHRC’s 2007-08 Departmental Performance Report (DPR) reports against the commitments made in its 2007-08 RPP. The following table provides a list of those commitments and the corresponding page(s) where each commitment is addressed in the 2007-08 DPR.
Summary of Report on Plans and Priorities Commitments in 2007-08
The remainder of Section I provides an overview of progress made in each of the five key priority areas, as listed in the Summary Information.
Priority 1: Invest in the renewal and continued excellence of Canadian research in the social sciences and humanities
This priority is supported principally by program activities in Strategic Outcomes 1 (People) and 2 (Research). SSHRC plays a key role in Canada’s support of the best research, researchers and students in the social sciences and humanities. This capacity for creating knowledge and understanding is a critical factor for Canada’s quality of life and competitiveness in the knowledge economy.
The research environment in Canada and internationally is evolving, and SSHRC must play a leadership role to sustain the excellence of Canadian research in the social sciences and humanities.
Faculty renewal and the challenges of new scholars. SSHRC recognizes the inherent challenges and opportunities that have been witnessed in recent years as a result of major faculty renewal and the increase in the number of new scholars in universities across Canada. Although it intends to examine these issues more broadly in the context of its continuous improvement exercise, currently underway, and identify possible steps within its mandate to address these challenges, SSHRC has already taken important measures in this regard. For example, in SSHRC’s Standard Research Grants (SRG) program, one improvement was to provide new scholars with better access to the SRG program by allowing for more flexibility in terms of evaluating past research achievement versus the proposed program of research. The peer-review adjudication committee assesses the applications of new scholars2 —who often do not yet have a very substantial past research record—in such a way that a less substantive record of research achievement can be offset by an excellent program of research, or vice versa, whatever produces the best overall assessment score. Second, the evaluation criteria and scoring mechanisms are designed to take into account stage of career and recognize the challenges these researchers face. New researchers also sit on adjudication committees, thus participating directly in the peer-review process.
Reinforcing research excellence by internationalizing peer review. The Government of Canada’s S&T strategy underlines the importance of independent and rigorous peer review, and calls for increased international representation in evaluating research. Efforts to increase international participation on SSHRC’s adjudication committees have met with excellent results: 22 of the 24 Standard Research Grant committees have at least one international member, as did the Open Access Journals pilot committee and the Research Development Initiatives committee. In addition, a large percentage of the membership of MCRI committees, other Strategic Programs and Joint Initiatives, and mid-term review panels comes from outside Canada. As a further commitment to enhancing the quality of the peer-review system, in 2007-08 SSHRC initiated a blue ribbon panel assessment of the quality and integrity of its peer review practices. The Blue Ribbon Panel will also provide advice on emerging international trends in peer review for further consideration.
Increasing responsiveness within SSHRC's investigator-framed programs. In Framing Our Direction, SSHRC committed to launching an ongoing examination of its programs to ensure the coherence and effectiveness of all activities in support of excellence. In March 2008, SSHRC’s governing council approved a framework for the continuous improvement of SSHRC’s suite of programs.
Priority 2: Support advanced, high-quality research training and an effective research training environment
This priority is supported principally by program activities in Strategic Outcomes 1 (People) and 2 (Research). SSHRC offers a full suite of fellowship programs at the master’s, doctoral and postdoctoral levels. In addition, graduate and undergraduate student training is an integrated component of most of SSHRC’s research funding programs, including grants, investigator-framed research, targeted research and training initiatives, and strategic research development. Sixty-four per cent of full-time graduate students at Canadian universities work in social sciences and humanities disciplines. They represent a rich pool of highly qualified students, and are the future creators, interpreters, critics, managers, decision makers and communicators of expert knowledge.
SSHRC committed to examine the factors that create a rich and effective training environment for students. A key source of data for this will be the evaluation of the Doctoral Fellowships program and the evaluation (led by CIHR) of the Canada Graduate Scholarships program. Both evaluations were undertaken in 2007-08. Final evaluation reports are expected in 2008.
Student mentorship is an important criterion in the assessment of grant applications. Researchers have developed innovative training and mentorship strategies for involving students in their research projects. For instance, students are given important roles, such as data collection and analysis, and co-writing articles and presenting to conferences, making their participation in the projects worthy in terms of research experience.
Priority 3: Ensure that knowledge generates benefits for Canadians
This priority is supported principally by program activities in Strategic Outcome 3 (Knowledge Mobilization). In 2007-08, SSHRC worked to promote knowledge mobilization in policy, programs and corporate operations.
Knowledge Mobilization and Impacts are two interrelated priorities for SSHRC as articulated in its strategic plan, Framing our Direction, published in November 2007. Knowledge mobilization refers to the effective dissemination, brokering, exchange, and translation of knowledge both in terms of pushing knowledge between disciplines and out of academe into the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, as well as welcoming and integrating knowledge from various disciplines and broader society into academic work. One of the primary desired outcomes of effective knowledge mobilization is impact—primarily intellectual, in terms of affecting policy and professional practice, as well as economic externalities or “multiplier effects.” The concepts of knowledge mobilization and impact both share the idea of creating and extracting maximum value from the world of research.
Knowledge Mobilization in programs: In recent years, SSHRC has piloted the development of new tools and methods to support knowledge mobilization, including the Knowledge Impact in Society program. In 2007-08, SSHRC also held another competition of the Strategic Knowledge Clusters program, which supports networks of researchers and partners sharing knowledge on themes of strategic and intellectual importance.
Knowledge Mobilization in corporate operations: In 2007-08, a key management priority for SSHRC was the development and the beginning of the implementation of a three-year plan for the activities of the new Partnerships Directorate, which provides leadership for strategic programs and joint initiatives, and champions knowledge mobilization programs, policies and other related corporate activities. A three-year plan for Partnerships Directorate, including knowledge mobilization, was presented to SSHRC’s governing Council in October 2007. Furthermore, a knowledge mobilization strategic framework was developed in 2007-08.
Knowledge Mobilization in policy: The development of new approaches and methodologies to better capture the broad societal impact of its investments is of direct strategic importance to SSHRC. Activities in 2007-08 included stimulating new research on indicators of research impact, hosting a roundtable and forum on capturing the impacts of research, and developing a compendium of examples of how research in the social sciences and humanities enhances the lives of Canadians.
Priority 4: Sustain a strong and balanced research environment
This priority is supported largely by the program activity Indirect Costs of Research in Strategic Outcome 4 (Institutional Environment). Over the past decade, the environment for research in Canada has changed dramatically, with the federal government having made significant investments in a range of mechanisms to support research. The Indirect Costs program helps Canada's universities and colleges by supporting a portion of the “indirect" costs of administering and managing their research activities, thereby ensuring that such work is carried out in state-of-the-art facilities and supported by excellent administrative support.
Other ways in which SSHRC is helping to sustain a strong and balanced research environment include collaborating in tri-agency initiatives such as the Common CV, and engaging in discussions about possible tri-agency collaboration in research areas such as the environment, the Canadian North and management, business and finance.
Priority 5: Strengthen SSHRC’s governance and internal operations
This management priority was supported by a number of internal and management initiatives aimed at consolidating SSHRC’s new structure and the new composition of its management team. A key activity in this consolidation was the release in November 2007 of SSHRC’s Strategic Plan, Framing Our Direction, and the introduction of a new approach for corporate priority-setting, leading to a corporate plan for 2008-09. This plan structures internal management priorities over the next two years in areas such as human resources, governance structure, the management framework, mobilizing the research community, showing results to Canadians, and increasing the visibility of, and understanding about, SSHRC among Canadians.
In the summer of 2007, an Integrated Corporate Management Framework was developed to support integrated management at SSHRC, and a new internal governance structure was adopted in the fall of 2007 to strengthen decision-making and overall management of internal operations.
SSHRC’S governing council reviewed and approved proposals from its governance and nominations committee to adopt new terms of reference that focus council activities on strategic direction, stewardship of resources, management processes and results, and the pursuit of excellence. A proposal for a new committee structure to support council’s new role was also approved, reducing the number of committees from seven to three. As a result, SSHRC’s senior management will benefit from a more holistic, integrated perspective on how SSHRC’s programs and policies support the achievement of its strategic objectives.
SSHRC made significant progress in developing a new Performance Measurement Framework (PMF), which was submitted to the Treasury Board Secretariat in the fall of 2007. The new PMF sets out expected results and performance indicators for strategic outcomes, and for program activities and sub-activities. SSHRC continues to develop and enhance data collection mechanisms and tools for many of the performance indicators.