Dimensions Canada recognition program
Letter of intent – Program description

Overview

On the page

• Description
• Objective
• Eligibility
• Dimensions recognition
• Benefits
• Challenges
• Support provided
• Application procedures
• Deadline
• Creation of cohorts
• Notice to participants
• Detailed timelines

Description

Dimensions Canada publicly recognizes postsecondary institutions seeking to increase equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in their environments and across the research ecosystem. This will support equitable access to funding opportunities, increase equitable and inclusive participation, and embed EDI-related considerations in research design and practices.

The Dimensions program was co-developed during a pilot period (2018-2023) with a cohort of 17 postsecondary institutions from across Canada. It is intended to be “inclusive by design”—each part co-created in collaboration with those members of the research ecosystem who will use it and, hopefully, benefit from it.

This flagship initiative of the Tri-agency EDI Action Plan is administered by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) in collaboration with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

There are four stages of recognition intended to reflect the journey of carrying out EDI work and achieving success. A Dimensions recognition acknowledges institutions that are inclusive of equity-deserving groups including women, Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Inuit, and Métis), persons with disabilities, members of visible minority/racialized groups, and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities, as well as individuals who identify as or belong to more than one of these groups. Institutions should recognize circumstances wherein other groups may also face barriers. The program encompasses all disciplines and is open to all eligible postsecondary institutions.

Objective

The objective of the Dimensions program is to foster transformational change within the research community at Canadian postsecondary institutions by identifying and eliminating obstacles and inequities in access, admissions, recruitment, career development and security, pay, working and learning conditions, resources, retention, and progression. For the purposes of the program, the research community includes students, non-academic and support staff, part-time and full-time academic staff, post-doctoral fellows, researchers, higher management and partners.

Eligibility

Institution

To be eligible to apply to the program, an institution must, at the time of application:

• be included in the list of eligible postsecondary institutions for at least one of the three federal granting agencies
• CIHR
• NSERC
• SSHRC
• have secured the approval of the institution’s president, or equivalent, to endorse the Dimensions charter.

Applicant

To be eligible to apply, the applicant must:

• be an authorized institutional official acting on behalf of an eligible institution;
• agree to the Terms and Conditions of Applying.

Because these awards are at the institutional level, the applicant is expected to be a senior administrator of the institution, such as a vice president. Submission of the application must be authorized by the president, or equivalent, of the institution.

Dimensions recognition

Institutions applying for a Dimensions recognition will be assessed on how actions have been taken to lay the foundations for transformation of the institutional research culture and how such change has become a reality. A Dimensions recognition recognizes their efforts and progress made to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their environment. Through the process, institutions will be encouraged to share their experiences, knowledge and materials developed with other institutions.

Institutions participating in the program are expected to apply for one of the stages of recognition. More details are provided in the Guidelines for applying for recognition that institutions will receive once in the program.

Institutions’ application for recognition contains six sections:

1. Description of the institution and overview of Dimensions work
2. Self-assessment team (SAT) and process
3. Engagement
4. Environmental scan
5. Data collection and analysis
6. Action plan

Benefits

The Government of Canada is committed to excellence in research and research training for the benefit of people living in Canada. Embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion considerations in all aspects of research is essential to the creation of excellent, innovative, and impactful research that is necessary to respond to local, national, and global challenges. To achieve world-class research and be competitive on a global scale, an equitable, diverse, accessible and inclusive research culture is needed—one that fosters innovation and research excellence through the meaningful participation of all talented individuals.

Participating in Dimensions is not only a positive step towards significant cultural change for an institution, but it also increases the level of research excellence at the institution and influences the institution as a whole. The recognition also helps build on and celebrate progress made to date and publicly recognize increased commitments to and tangible results from equity, diversity and inclusion.

The Dimensions program aims to be inclusive of institutions of varying types, sizes, and locations confronting different challenges and opportunities. A firm understanding of historical, cultural and geographical factors is key. The Dimensions application will allow for flexibility to accommodate the unique context and experiences of each institution. Therefore, institutions will have the opportunity to submit information that represents their specific circumstances, communities and priorities.

Challenges

The three granting agencies recognize that changing the research culture and addressing systemic barriers affecting different populations and groups across all disciplines requires long-term commitment. Actions take time to be implemented, and they need attention, support and funding that are sustained over a realistic period. Therefore, institutions must be prepared to commit financial and human resources to the work involved in receiving Dimensions recognition. The required commitment level depends on a variety of factors, including the size of the institution and whether EDI measures have already been implemented. While it will be possible to see short-term improvements, institutional transformation takes time, commitment and persistence.

Support provided

Institutions will benefit from workshops provided by NSERC and other partners during the preparation of their full applications. Workshops could include the following topics:

• How to assemble and run the self-assessment team
• How to monitor progress
• How to collect, present data and address privacy and consent in data collection and related activities
• How to effectively conduct consultations and engagement with equity-deserving groups
• How to build a self-identification survey
• How to manage workload
• How to create a good action plan
• How to respond to resistance
• Principles and practices for collaboration with First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples

Application procedures

To participate in the Dimensions recognition program, applicants must submit a letter of intent (LOI) as per the Dimensions LOI Instructions.

Institutions that have already participated in a cohort and/or received a recognition do not need to submit an LOI at this time. They can signal their interest in applying for recognition by emailing dimensionsEDI@nserc-crsng.gc.ca. 

Deadline

• LOI deadline: April 24, 2025, before 8:00 p.m. (ET). Complete LOIs must be submitted by the deadline using the Dimensions Secure Upload Site
• Full application deadline: Fall 2026 (timeline subject to change)

Creation of cohorts

Institutions will be grouped to create cohorts of 20 institutions maximum. There can be more than one cohort per cycle. The cohorts will be created based on various factors, including:

• A balance of participating institutions in terms of geographical location, institution type and institution size
• Institutional resource contributions: relevance, quantity and appropriateness of proposed institutional contributions, including financial, in-kind and/or personnel contributions
• Institutional accountability: the level of engagement of upper-level management and the appropriateness of the governance and management plan
• Description of plans to establish the SAT
• Progress/status of data collection
• Description of measures planned or already in place that align with the Dimensions principles

Notice to participants

Institutions will be notified in May 2025 with which institutions they have been grouped in their cohort.

Full application selection process

Full applications for the Dimensions Canada recognition program will be peer reviewed.

Detailed timelines

Note: These timelines are tentative and are subject to change.

Use of information and data collected

Personal information collected as part of the Dimensions recognition program is used to review applications and to administer and monitor awards. Details are described in the Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to NSERC.

In addition, institutions must comply with relevant provincial legislation and their own policies on privacy when collecting and sharing personal information and data.

For more information

For more information about this opportunity, contact dimensionsEDI@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.