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2011-12
Report on Plans and Priorities

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Supplementary Information (Tables)

Table of Contents

• Details on Transfer Payments Programs
• Greening Government Operations (GGO)
• Upcoming Internal Audits and Evaluations over the next three fiscal years

Details of SSHRC’s Transfer Payment Programs 2010-11 to 2013-14

1. Grants and Scholarships

Strategic Outcomes:

1. People: A first-class research capacity in the social sciences and humanities
2. Research: New knowledge based on excellent research in the social sciences and humanities
3. Knowledge Mobilization: Facilitating the use of social sciences and humanities knowledge within and beyond academia

Name of transfer payment program: Grants and Scholarships (voted)

Start date: 1978

End date: No end date

Description: This transfer payment program consists of grants and scholarships awarded for research, research training, and research dissemination activities in the social sciences and humanities.

Expected results:¹

• Highly qualified personnel, expert in research, are available to pursue various knowledge-intensive careers in universities, industry, government and other sectors.
• World-class researchers are attracted to enhance research capacity in Canadian universities and research institutes, and to build a critical mass of expertise in science and technology priority areas.
• Investigator-framed research creates a synergy contributing to observable knowledge advancement and dissemination of research results throughout the academic community and beyond.
• Excellent SSHRC-funded research is targeted in areas of importance to Canadians (as defined by SSHRC, in consultation with the research community and various stakeholders).
• Research institutions are supported to conduct research development; new research and new researchers are attracted in strategic and targeted areas.
• Research results are effectively disseminated both within and beyond academia.
• Researchers interact and work with each other, across disciplines and sectors, and with potential users of research in a range of sectors outside of academia (i.e., the public, private and not-for-profit sectors).

1. As presented in SSHRC’s revised Performance Measurement Framework, 2010.

2. Canada Graduate Scholarships

Strategic Outcome:

People: A first-class research capacity in the social sciences and humanities

Name of transfer payment program: Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) (voted)

Start date: 2003

End date: No end date

Description: This transfer payment program supports 1,300 doctoral students and 1,300 master’s students in the social sciences and humanities.

Expected results:²

• Increased incentives for students to enrol in and complete master’s degrees and/or PhDs in a timely manner.
• Improved access to scholarships to complete master’s degrees and/or PhDs.
• Increased retention of the next generation of researchers by Canadian universities.
• Highly qualified personnel, expert in research, available to pursue various knowledge-intensive careers within universities, industry, government and other sectors.

2. As presented in SSHRC, The Canada Graduate Scholarship Program Results-Based Management and Accountability Framework, Ottawa, June 2003.

3. Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships

Strategic Outcome:

People: A first-class research capacity in the social sciences and humanities

Name of transfer payment program: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships (Vanier CGS) (voted)

Start date: 2008

End date: No end date

Description: SSHRC’s portion of this tri-agency class grant transfer payment program provides financial support to Canadian and international students who have achieved outstanding success in their studies and will pursue a doctoral program at a Canadian university in an area of the social sciences and humanities.

Expected results:³

• Establishment of a Canadian doctoral scholarship that is internationally competitive and internationally recognized, similar to other international scholarships, such as the Fulbright and Rhodes.
• Enhanced capacity of Canadian universities to attract the best and brightest students from Canada and the world with the potential to become leaders in the next generation of researchers in Canada.
• Attract to Canada top students from other countries who will bring with them new knowledge and ideas and enrich the Canadian learning environment.
• Retain Canada’s top doctoral students in the face of intense international competition for the brightest researchers.
• Promote and brand Canada as a home of research excellence, and Canadian universities as world-class institutions of research and higher learning, e.g., by improving their standing on the list of the 100 top universities internationally.
• Establish effective research collaborations and networks between Canada and the recipients’ home countries.
• Create an alumni of “ambassadors” for Canada worldwide who will promote Canada as a destination for research excellence and higher learning.

3. As presented in Class Grant Terms and Conditions for the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships Program, approved by Treasury Board in July 2008.

4. Indirect Costs of Research

Strategic Outcome:

Institutional Environment: A strong Canadian science and research environment

Name of transfer payment program: Indirect Costs of Research (voted)

Start date: 2003

End date: No end date

Description: This transfer payment program supports a portion of the indirect costs associated with the conduct of academic research in institutions that receive research grant funds from any of the three federal research granting agencies. Grants are awarded to eligible institutions using a progressive funding formula based on the average revenues from research grants received from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and SSHRC.

Expected results:⁴

• Provision of well-equipped research facilities, including the operation and maintenance of these facilities, and the technical support of equipment.
• Provision of research resources, including support for multidisciplinary research and international collaboration. This includes the provision of library infrastructure and services, archiving services, telecommunications services, data computing infrastructure and services, and data storage facilities.
• Management and administration of the research enterprise. This includes research planning and promotion, public relations, human resources management, financial services and departmental services in support of the institution’s research activities.
• The ability to meet regulatory requirements related to international accreditation standards in research. This includes standards that govern ethical treatment of human subjects in medical and social science research; animal care; the handling of hazardous materials; and environmental protection.
• Transfer of knowledge, including commercialization and the management of intellectual property generated by research activities. This includes enhanced capacity to facilitate the disclosure of research discoveries, and mechanisms to transfer the knowledge for commercialization, for the benefit of Canadians.

4. As presented in SSHRC, Grants Program to Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions to Defray a Portion of the Indirect Costs of Federally Supported Research at Colleges, Universities and their Affiliated Research Hospitals and Institutes Results-based Management and Accountability Framework and Risk-based Audit Framework, Ottawa, June 2003. Note that the outcomes itemized above are considered “immediate.” Longer-term and more general benefits for institutions and Canadians are also listed. These include economic and societal benefits such as job creation and improved quality of life for Canadians. Improved research excellence and capacity are also a long-term goal of the program.

5. Networks of Centres of Excellence

Strategic Outcome:

Knowledge Mobilization: Facilitating the use of social sciences and humanities knowledge within and beyond academia

Name of transfer payment program: Networks of Centres of Excellence

Start date: 1997

End date: No end date

Description: This federal class grants transfer payment program is administered jointly by the three federal research granting agencies in partnership with Industry Canada. It supports research in complex areas of critical importance to Canadian universities and hospitals in partnership with the private and public sectors. The networks funded through this program are multidisciplinary and multisectoral partnerships that stimulate leading-edge, internationally competitive research in areas critical to Canadian economic and social development.

Expected results:⁵

• Increased networking and collaboration among researchers from Canada and abroad.
• Leading-edge research findings that are relevant to the needs of the user sector (e.g., private and public sectors, non-governmental organizations, and others) and Canada’s socio-economic development.
• Nation-wide, multidisciplinary and multisectoral partnerships between universities and the user sector (e.g., private and public sectors, non-governmental organizations, and others).
• Training that promotes multidisciplinary and multisectoral research approaches and encourages trainees to consider the economic, social, environmental and ethical implications of their work.

5. As presented in Class Grant Terms and Conditions for the Networks of Centres of Excellence Program administered jointly by NSERC, CIHR and SSHRC in partnership with Industry Canada, approved by Treasury Board in 2008. Note that these results are listed as outcomes anticipated for the award period. Intermediate and long-term outcomes are also listed. These include the development of a pool of highly qualified personnel in areas essential to Canadian economic and social development, and an increase in Canada’s international visibility and reputation.

Green Procurement Reporting For Departments and Agencies Not Bound by the Federal Sustainable Development Act

Upcoming Internal Audits and Evaluations over the Next Three Fiscal Years

SSHRC Internal Audits

All upcoming internal audits over the next three fiscal years.

In 2008-09, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) completed a merger of their internal audit units, creating a shared Corporate Internal Audit Division (CIAD). In 2009, CIAD developed SSHRC’s 2009-10 Risk-Based Audit Plan (RBAP). The audits mentioned above reflect the current planned audits. In late 2010, CIAD began developing SSHRC’s multiyear RBAP based on information gleaned from the recently completed corporate risk profile. This RBAP is tentatively slated for completion in March 2011, covering fiscal years 2011-12 to 2014-15. Since the RBAP is still in its developmental stage, audit plans for 2012 and beyond will be updated in the 2012-13 Report on Plans and Priorities.

Electronic Link to Internal Audit Plan

SSHRC internal audits
Audit of the Enterprise Management System (EAMS) Project

SSHRC Evaluations

All upcoming evaluations over the next three fiscal years.

All evaluation reports are or will be posted in the Publications section of SSHRC's website.

Electronic Link to Evaluation Plan

SSHRC’s Evaluation Plan is posted on SSHRC's website.