Alliance International

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Overview

Canadian researchers work with international colleagues to pursue new knowledge, technologies, and solutions to complex problems. These collaborations strengthen research excellence in Canada and abroad, and NSERC recognizes the need to support engagement with international collaborators to further develop areas of Canadian research strength and leadership. By combining the expertise of Canadian and leading international researchers, it is expected that Canadian researchers will leverage the best international knowledge to help address important research challenges in the natural sciences and engineering (NSE) disciplines and will provide trainees with an outstanding research environment.

Objectives

Alliance International will provide support for researchers in Canada to work with leading international researchers from the academic sector, and to establish and grow international research collaborations and projects that have a high potential for impact in NSE disciplines. The overall objectives are to: 1) allow Canadian researchers to initiate the development of international collaborations; and 2) provide support for Canadian researchers participating in international collaborative projects of global importance and benefit to Canada. Two grant types are offered: Catalyst grants and Collaboration grants.

Alliance International Catalyst grants

Catalyst grants will provide funding for one year to support Canadian researchers in initiating international research collaborations in the NSE disciplines. These grants will allow Canadian researchers to identify and initiate the first stage of collaboration with the intent of

• supporting exploratory research activities
• initiating exchanges for Canadian personnel where appropriate

Alliance International Collaboration grants

Collaboration grants will allow Canadian researchers to participate in international projects and leverage the best international expertise in the NSE disciplines to help address research challenges of impact and benefit for Canada. International academic collaborators are expected to have already secured funding from their own national funding agency for the collaborative project and identified the Canadian academic researcher(s) in their proposal. This proposal must have been peer-reviewed. The eligible Canadian researchers participating in the international project can then apply for a Collaboration grant to cover the costs of their participation in the global-scale project. The funding obtained by the international academic collaborator(s) will be recognized for cost sharing. This funding must be at least equal to the amount requested from NSERC.

These grants cannot be used to support secret or contract research, nor can they be used to support the work or expenses incurred by the international collaborator(s).

At all times, Canadian researchers are encouraged to exercise appropriate levels of due diligence when managing their research and establishing and/or continuing partnerships with national, international and multinational organizations. Resources to do so are provided by the Government of Canada on the Safeguarding Your Research portal, including the National Security Guidelines for Research Partnerships. NSERC reserves the right to request additional information, as needed, before making a final funding decision.

Who can apply?

If you are a Canadian university researcher who is eligible to receive NSERC funds, you can apply on your own or as a team with co-applicants who are also eligible academic researchers. You and any Canadian co-applicants must have an active NSERC peer-reviewed grant, as primary applicant, at the time of application. The Alliance International funding stream is only intended to fund academic to academic collaborations. Your international academic collaborator must be the equivalent of an assistant/associate/full professor from an accredited degree-granting postsecondary institution. For this funding opportunity, non-academic collaborators and partner organizations (private, public or not-for-profit sectors) are not permitted.

In the case of an Alliance International Collaboration grant, your international collaborator must have secured funding from their own funding agency within three months prior to the time of your application to NSERC. The foreign funded project can not involve non-academic participants or partner organizations, whether or not these would collaborate directly with you.

What's next?
International Collaborator(s)