Equity, diversity and inclusion
Data
Interactive self-identification data dashboards
The following interactive dashboards present competition statistics and include aggregate self-identification data on the population applying to and receiving funds from NSERC funding opportunities:
- Self-Identification Data Reporting in Support of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
- Discovery Grants
- Research Tools and Instruments grants
- Subatomic Physics Discovery Grants
- Undergraduate Students Research Awards
- Canada Graduate Scholarships – Master’s
- Postgraduate Scholarships – Doctoral and Canada Graduate Scholarships
- Postdoctoral Fellowships
Collection and reporting of self-identification data
As per the Tri-Agency EDI Action Plan, the collection of self-identification data is central to the Tri-agency's commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). These data provide information on the diversity of the applicant pool and funded population, as well as on the population participating on selection/review committees and as external reviewers. This information increases the agencies’ capacity to monitor progress on increasing equitable and inclusive access to funding opportunities, to recognize and remove barriers, to design new measures to achieve greater EDI in the research ecosystem and to better understand the diversity of selection/review committees.
The self-identification questionnaire used by the Tri-agency includes questions related to date of birth, gender identity, sexual orientation, Indigenous identity, visible minorities, population group, persons with a disability and languages. All responses include the option “prefer not to answer.”
To help NSERC make evidence-based improvements to its programs, applicants, selection/review committee members and external reviewers are encouraged to select the options that best represent their identities.
More information can be found on the Self-identification Data Collection in Support of EDI web page. Questions, comments or suggestions may be sent to NSERC staff at nseequity-equitesng@nserc-crsng.gc.ca.
Gender-based Analysis Plus
As part of NSERC’s commitment to increasing equitable and inclusive access to funding opportunities, NSERC uses Gender-based Analysis Plus (GBA Plus) to critically analyze its programs and policies. These analyses use qualitative and quantitative data, including data collected from self-identification questionnaires, to identify possible barriers to participation and to fair access in its funding opportunities. Results of these analyses help the agency to better understand the ways in which its programs, policies and processes are experienced by diverse groups of individuals, and to propose evidence-based recommendations and solutions to eliminate barriers and to ensure fair access and participation.
To learn more about these efforts, consult the Gender-based Analysis Plus in NSERC Programs: Summary Report 2024. It provides a summary of the main findings and recommendations stemming from GBA Plus applied to fourteen NSERC funding opportunities between January 2018 and June 2022. It also highlights some of the actions taken by NSERC in addressing barriers identified through this work.
More information on GBA Plus:
