Summary of Changes to the CREATE Program for the 2012 Competition

1. Application process

The Letter of Intent (LOI) and application processes are performed using NSERC’s On-line System.

2. Weighting of selection criteria

The weighting of criteria has been revised as follows:

At the LOI phase:

• Merit of the proposed training program: 40 percent
• Excellence of the team of researchers: 60 percent

At the application phase:

• Merit of the proposed training program: 50 percent
• Excellence of the team of researchers: 25 percent
• Program management and long-term sustainability: 25 percent

3. Industrial stream

In keeping with NSERC’s goal to give students and postdoctoral fellows opportunities to learn skills needed in Canadian enterprises, an industrial stream has been added to the program. Further information can be found in the CREATE Program description.

4. Collaboration with the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, the German Research Foundation)

A new agreement between NSERC and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, the German Research Foundation) has been recently established. Canadian applicants can submit a CREATE proposal in parallel with a German collaborator applying for an International Research Training Group (IRTG) grant from the DFG.

5. List of collaborators

The role(s) of collaborator(s) can be briefly explained on the “Excellence of proposed team of researchers” page of Form 187. A list of collaborators is not required at the LOI phase, except for the industrial stream, but can be included if already known.

6. Lead university support letter

One letter of support is required from the lead university including a list of all of the contributions from the university, such as its commitment to the training program (including from the Faculty of Graduate Studies), and describing the details of support for, and involvement in, the training program and its plans to ensure sustainability of the program after the term of the grant. The financial commitment should be reflected in, and match, the information indicated in the budget page. The letter should also specify what support (financial or in-kind) is incremental. The support from the university can be described as being conditional on the funding of the proposal.

If applicable, the letter should describe any financial commitment and the in-kind contributions (donations of services, materials and equipment) from other universities involved in the proposal.

7. Training program proposal

A description of the potential employers and a qualitative assessment of the job prospects for trainees should be included in the LOI and application.

8. Information on trainees

Applicants should indicate the number of students and postdoctoral fellows who are expected to be involved in the CREATE initiative.

9. External referees

Ensure that six referee names are suggested. One referee (previously two) must be from outside Canada.

10. Long-term sustainability

Further clarification on how to address the long-term sustainability can be found in the section 4.2 “Institutional Support and Long-term Sustainability” of the Form 102 instructions.

11. Program committee

Graduate or postdoctoral trainee representation is encouraged.

An industry representative is mandatory for the industrial stream applications. A letter or e-mail indicating this commitment from the industrial partner must be submitted as an attachment to the LOI. However, only an official letter confirming this involvement must be attached at the application phase. 

12. Holders of, or participants in, an on-going CREATE grant

If applicable, the role of current holders of, or participants in, an on-going CREATE grant relative to their role in the proposed CREATE initiative must be explained at the LOI and application phases on the “Excellence of proposed team of researchers” page.

13. Letters from collaborators – industrial stream applications

A letter or e-mail from the industrial partner indicating its commitment to hosting trainee internships must be submitted as an attachment to the LOI. However, only an official letter confirming this commitment is mandatory at the application phase.