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Other Training Award: Canada-HOPE (Health in Developing Countries)

(CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program)

CIHR Innovation and Industry Programs
In partnership with
sanofi-aventis

Request for Applications

Important Dates

Opportunity Launched

June 2006

Content Last Updated

(No updates since launch)

January 16, 2007

Registrations must be courier stamped by this date.

March 1, 2007

Full applications must be courier stamped by this date.

July 30, 2007

Anticipated notification of decision.

Funds Available

CIHR's contribution to the amount available for this initiative is subject to availability of funds voted annually to CIHR by parliamentary appropriations, and the conditions that may be attached to them.

The awards in the second round will be allocated as indicated in the table below.

Quota	India	Pakistan	Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Nepal	Total
Awards	3	2	2	7

A quota of seven awards are available. If however no qualified candidates are identified as indicated by the allotment for that country and/or region, the remaining funds will be carried forward to future years.

Funding for up to seven awards are offered through this partnership in this round of the Program. Scholars will receive funding in Canadian dollars based on the following table

Year	Stipend (max.)	Research Allowance	Mentor (Operating grant)	Total
1	$50,000	$6,000	$16,000	$72,000
2	$50,000	$6,000	$16,000	$72,000
3		$10,000	$5,000	$15,000
4		$10,000	$5,000	$15,000
Total	$100,000	$32,000	$42,000	$174,000

The stipend level is related to the major degree, licensure (where applicable) and experience of the applicant. Stipends are valued in Canadian dollars and are taxable.

This award is non-renewable.

Summary

The primary goal of the CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program is to further develop international collaborative efforts between researchers. The short term goal is to enable promising individuals to be mentored by prominent Canadian researchers. The long term objective of the Program is to enable promising scientists and clinicians from Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC), as identified by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the United Nations (UN), to be exposed to some of the best science, laboratories and training environments in Canada . This objective will be realized by developing research training opportunities which in the long term, would lead to the development of sustainable programs to help people in developing countries. The first three rounds of this program will focus on sub-continental South Asia . It is the intent to gradually expand the Program to other regions of the world.

Background
Partners
Objectives
Eligibility
Allowable Costs
Review Process and Evaluation Criteria
General CIHR Guidelines
Conditions of Funding
Communications Requirements
Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation
How to Apply
Contact Information
Description of Partners
Appendix

Background

The CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program, founded in 2004, is dedicated to improving the health of people in developing countries. This Program was made possible by a grant from sanofi-aventis, as a consequence of the successful HOPE clinical trial led by Dr. Salim Yusuf and other Canadian investigators. This donation of approximately $1.7 Million was matched by CIHR to create the CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program.

Partners

The CIHR Innovation and Industry Programs Branch is dedicated to identifying and developing collaborations with other CIHR institute(s), branch(es) or office(s), funding organizations and stakeholders to enhance the availability of funding for this strategic initiative, and to create, where appropriate, opportunities for knowledge exchange and translation related to the scope of this particular initiative. Applicants are invited to visit the Descriptions of Partners to find a list of partners and their respective mandates and/or strategic interests. This list will continue to evolve as new partners join in this initiative. The specific research foci and requirements for each partner are outlined in the section "Objectives."

Objectives

The goals of the Program are to encourage a broad spectrum of foreign post-doctoral scholars (PhDs, MDs or health professionals) to train in health and health related areas which affect people in LMIC.

Relevant Research Areas

Eligible research areas include clinical epidemiology, population health, clinical trials, the health sciences, global health and areas which can have an impact on the health of people in LMIC. The scholars must:

be committed to research in a health related area which will help people in a developing country;
be in the early stage of their career (and have no more than 7 years research training experience);
have an excellent track record; and
be dedicated to develop national/international collaborations in their area of research.

Eligibility

Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research funding programs apply. The business office of the institution of an eligible Nominated Principal Applicant generally administers CIHR funds. Please refer to the Eligibility Requirements for CIHR Grants and Awards regarding the eligibility requirements for individuals and institutions.

Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) will not be considered under this RFA.

Trainee Stipends

The annual stipend level for those with a PhD degree (or equivalent) is $40,000 per annum.

The following stipend levels apply to health professionals who hold licensure in Canada or hold an educational license at the time of taking up the award. The stipend level is dependent upon the number of years of research or clinical training completed since obtaining the health professional degree.

If the awardee has less than two years of research and clinical training experience, the stipend level is $40,000. Upon completion of two years of postgraduate research training during the tenure of the award, the awardee may be eligible to receive a stipend increase to a higher level of $50,000.
The stipend for health professionals who do not hold licensure in Canada is $40,000 per annum.

Specific Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for this award, the scholar must have a mentor in a related field at an eligible Canadian institution and the sponsorship of an eligible institution in sub-continental South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh Sri Lanka and Nepal). The scholarships are intended for men and women of high intellectual promise who may be expected to make a significant contribution to their own countries following their return from study in Canada . Anyone who has obtained Canadian citizenship or who has applied for permanent residency in Canada shall not be eligible for the award. The mentor, scholar and sponsoring institution(s) must meet the following requirements:

a) Mentor

must have a proven "track record" as a principal investigator;
must be employed by a Canadian institution eligible to received funds from CIHR;
must have a proven record of training postgraduate students;
must provide the scholar with a fertile environment that is conducive to research training in the specific health research area of the scholar;
must commit to continue his/her collaboration and mentoring with the scholar upon his/her return to the sponsoring institution (with the $10,000 in years 3 and 4).

b) Scholar

must hold at least a PhD, MD or health professional degree in an eligible research area. The health professional degree must be in a regulated health profession such as medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, optometry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, nursing or rehabilitative science. Contact CIHR staff to determine if a particular health profession is eligible;
must be a graduate of a recognized health or allied health professional discipline;
must have received (graduate) academic training in clinical medicine, population health, health research and other health related areas which can have an impact on the health of people in LMIC;
must be in the early stage of their research career and have no more than seven years of research training experience;
must be a citizen of one the following countries: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, or Nepal;
must be employed by a sponsoring institution and is eligible for a study leave for two years;
must be committed to returning to the sponsoring institution for at least two years to apply the knowledge and experience gained through the Program;
the first two years of this Program must be under the direction and supervision of a mentor at an eligible institution in Canada . It is possible for the scholar to start the field work during the first two years during a period limited to six months, as recommended by his/her mentor. However, the scholar must spend at least 18 months in Canada during years 1 and 2. The first 11 months of year 1 and the final month of year 2 must be spent in Canada at the mentor's institution;
must be able to demonstrate his/her ability to function in the working language of the mentor's laboratory.

c) Sponsoring Institution(s)

The faculty members must be actively involved in clinical medicine, health related research, global health and/or population health research and demonstrate the potential to develop functional linkages to collaborative projects at other institutions. The sponsoring institutions must have adequate infrastructure, physical space, research training environment and computer facilities for its' trainees. The institutions are also required to meet the following specific criteria:

must have a guaranteed commitment to full-time re-employment of the scholar for a minimum of two years upon the scholar's return from training in Canada;
must agree to provide protected time of at least 50% for the scholar to engage in research relevant to the training received in Canada for years 3 and 4;
must provide adequate infrastructure for the returning scholar;
if it is unable to meet the above conditions, then it must provide supporting documents that they have similar contractual commitments or support from another national/state organization which would be able to absorb the scholar upon his/her return and fulfill the above conditions;
must be able to fulfill the Program objectives.

Eligibility criteria for all CIHR research personnel programs apply. Please refer to General Guidelines for Training Programs on the CIHR website.

Allowable Costs

The awards consist of a stipend and a research allowance. For the research allowance, applicants should review the Tri-Agency (CIHR , NSERC and SSHRC) financial administration guidelines Use of Grant Funds for a complete listing and description of allowable costs and activities.

Review Process and Evaluation Criteria

A CIHR peer review committee will evaluate the full applications. Committee members are selected based on suggestions from many sources including the institute(s) / portfolio(s) and partner(s), following CIHR's Policy on Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest and Privacy Issues in Peer and Relevance Review (CCIP). For information on CIHR's peer review process in general, see Peer Review. Peer review will be conducted in accordance with the CIHR Peer Review Process: Policies and Responsibilities of Grants Committee Members, including the standard evaluation criteria described under "Factors for Assessment" (section 6.2). CIHR recognizes that applications will emphasize different approaches to research and to knowledge translation, therefore reviewers and committees are expected to weight criteria such as these differently from one application to another.

CIHR Peer review

The research training and potential for a promising career in research, in a health related area which will help people in an LMIC and the potential to develop linkages are the principal criteria, on which applications will be judged. More specifically, the points considered in the evaluation of an application are as follows:

Impact of research area on the health of people in LMIC.
Scientific merit of the research proposed.
Academic achievements of the scholar.
Research training experience and research accomplishments to date including evidence of independence and originality of the scholar.
Publication record and contributions to the published work by the scholar.
Excellence of the research training environment in Canada .
Appropriateness of the proposed training research project to further the scholar's research career.
Suitability of the mentor and appropriateness of the scholar for the award and training plan presented.
Ability of the sponsoring institution to provide the required infrastructure and support for the scholar to continue his/her research in the health area detailed in the research proposal.

General CIHR Guidelines

This Request for Applications will follow the CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate the use of gender and sex-based analysis in applications.

Conditions of Funding

Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official language policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document.

All conditions specified in CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies shall apply to applications funded through this Request for Applications. Conditions cover areas such as Applicant and Institutional Responsibilities, Ethics, Official language policy, Access to Information and Privacy Acts, and Acknowledgement of CIHR Support. Successful applicants will be informed of any special financial conditions prior to the release of funds or when they receive CIHR's Authorization for Funding (AFF) document. In addition to CIHR standard guidelines and requirements, the following shall apply:

Successful scholars must commence the award within one year of their letter of offer.
The submission of a mid-term report to CIHR by the scholar and the mentor is required three months before the end of the second year. The report (typically 2 pages) must be jointly signed by the scholar and the mentor and must include a copy of all publications and/or abstracts submitted as a result of this award.
The scholars must attend a relevant conference or seminar in the sub-continental South Asia within 12-18 months from the start date of the award. The scholars must also make a formal presentation, at their sponsoring institution, of the research project and the award.
The scholar will submit a final report to CIHR, three months after the fourth year of the program. The final report will summarize the results and describe how the funds were used.
The scholars must agree to participate in surveys and/or questionnaire(s), which will be used to contribute to the annual reporting requirements of the Program.

Access to Information Act and Privacy Act, and the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

All personal information collected by CIHR about applicants is used to review applications, to recruit reviewers, to administer and monitor grants and awards, to compile statistics, and to promote and support health research in Canada . Consistent with these purposes, applicants should also expect that information collected by CIHR may be shared as described in Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.

CIHR as a federal entity is subject to the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act, therefore the requirements of these two statutes will apply to all information located in CIHR's premises including, without limitation, cost-sharing agreements related to this Request for Applications and all matters pertaining thereto.

While respecting the application of the Privacy Act to federal entities, all signing parties involved in a collaborative agreement will also be bound by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). All personal information (as identified by the PIPEDA) collected, used or disclosed in the course of any commercial activity under collaborative agreements related to the Request for Applications will be collected, used and disclosed in compliance with the PIPEDA.

Communications Requirements

Award recipients are required to acknowledge CIHR, its institutes and partners in any communication or publication related to the project. See CIHR General Grants and Awards Policies, Acknowledgement of CIHR's Support for details on CIHR's communication requirements. The contributing institutes/partners will be identified on the Authorization for Funding and decision letter.

Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation

CIHR is committed to demonstrating results to Canadians for the money invested in health research. Therefore, processes for monitoring progress and appropriate use of funds, as well as for performance measurement and program evaluation are in place. As a result, funding recipients must:

contribute to the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes by participating in evaluation studies, surveys, workshops, audits and providing data or reports as required for the purpose of collecting information to assess progress and results;
encourage their associates, trainees and administration to participate in the monitoring, review and evaluation of CIHR's programs, policies and processes as required.

How to Apply

The application process is comprised of two steps: 1) Registration and 2) Full Application.

Step 1 - Registration

In the first step of the application process the Mentor or Scholar is required to submit a Registration.

The Registration:

A cover page (maximum one page) indicating:
- the name, title, address, telephone and fax numbers, and e-mail address of the scholar or mentor;
- the name of the scholar's current institution, proposed institution in Canada for years 1 and 2, and sponsoring institution for years 3 and 4.
The following pages from the CIHR Research Module Web form printed report:
- Routing Slip of Registration/Application.
- Research Module, Page 1.
- Applicant Consent Form for Use and Disclosure of Personal Information Provided to CIHR for Peer Review.
- Signature page, Page 2a (only signature of the applicant/scholar is required).

To generate these printed pages, you must complete the following four sections of the Research Module Web form:

Research Funding Program.
Nominated Principal Applicant/Candidate.
Project.
Applicants/Co-Applicants.

Applicants are advised to follow the instructions on the Acceptable Application Module Formats page, which outlines formatting requirements for attachments.

Note to applicants: CIHR is sensitive to the technical difficulties that applicants from outside of Canada may experience when using the CIHR online forms. If you have technical difficulties contact the CIHR Help Desk toll free at 1-888-603-4178 (select option 2) or 613-941-0068, or by e-mail at webforms@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.

Send the Registration by Courier to

Submit one original of the Registration to the address below, by the deadline date indicated at the beginning of this Request for Applications. Registrations completed by the scholar will be accepted by facsimile.

RE: "CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program"
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

Fax: (613) 954-1800 (Scholar's only)

Step 2 - Full Application

A request for the CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program must be submitted to CIHR using the appropriate forms.

The full application must contain:

"CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program - Nomination Form" (see List of Forms and Guidelines for Completion). Complete as indicated (including transcripts if applicable).
Letter(s) from the head(s) of the sponsoring institution(s) detailing the guaranteed commitment for the third and fourth years of the award, and the required infrastructure and support available to the scholar when he/she returns to the sponsoring institution, from Canada (maximum 2 pages). The following specific criteria must be addressed in the letter:
- guaranteed commitment to full-time re-employment of the scholar for a minimum of two years upon the scholar's return from training in Canada;
- protected time of at least 50% for the scholar to engage in research relevant to the training received in Canada;
- adequacy of the infrastructure for the returning scholar;
- if it is unable to meet the above conditions, then it must provide supporting documents that they have similar contractual commitments or support from another national/state organization which would be able to absorb the scholar upon his/her return and fulfill the above conditions;
- must be able to fulfill the Program objectives.
A letter of support from the head of the department of the sponsoring institution, outlining how the research program and training plan fit the activities of the project for the scholar. If field work is proposed during a portion of year 1and 2 at the sponsoring institution under the continued guidance of the mentor, please indicate the facilities and resources that would be available to the scholar in this letter of support.
A letter from the scholar describing his/her commitment to the program, the relevancy of the research proposal to the Request for Application and the ability to function in the working language of the mentor's laboratory. Elaborate on the impact of the research area on the health of people in LMIC and a rationale for selecting of the mentor (maximum 4 pages).
A letter from the Mentor, outlining how the mentoring activity will fit into the overall research plan of the Mentor's department. The ability of the Mentor and the suitability of the research environment for the scholar during the mentoring period. Describing the nature of continued collaboration after the scholar returns to his/her sponsoring institution, (maximum 3 pages).
CIHR CV module of the proposed scholar and mentor.
CIHR Research module [ Web Forms ] to be completed by the scholar and the mentor, specifically complete pages 1, 2, 3, 9, pages 12a-12g for the research proposed. A maximum of two pages should be dedicated to the proposed timeline for the scholar's training in years 1 and 2 and the continuation of the project, including collaborative linkages with the mentor, in years 3 and 4. The CIHR Research Module should also include the CIHR Applicant Consent Form for Use and Disclosure of Personal Information provided to CIHR for Peer Review.
Three letters of reference and assessments forms for the scholar.
Copy of the scholar's Health professional degree or postgraduate research training.
Proof of professional licensure (scholar), if applicable.

Send the completed application by Courier to:

Submit one original and one copy of the full application to the address below, by the deadline date indicated at the beginning of this Request for Applications.

RE: "CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program"
Innovations and Industry Programs Branch
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Room 97, 160 Elgin Street
Address locator: 4809A
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0W9

Contact Information

For questions on CIHR funding guidelines, how to apply, and the peer review process contact:

Prabha Singh
Program Delivery Officer
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Telephone: (613) 952-0823
Fax: (613) 954-1800
Email: canada-hope@cihr-irsc.gc.ca

Description of Partners: CIHR Institutes and Partner Organizations

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
CIHR is Canada's major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system.

Partners

sanofi-aventis
sanofi-aventis, with global headquarters in Paris, France, is one of the leading pharmaceutical companies in Canada . We are dedicated to protecting health and combating disease by working to make innovative, effective and safe medicines available to physicians and patients throughout the world. To accomplish our goal, we rely on our strong research focus and place the patient at the heart of our efforts. For more information on sanofi-aventis, visit the sanofi-aventis our web site.

Appendix: Universities

British Columbia	Alberta
Simon Fraser University University of British Columbia Trinity Western University University of Northern British Columbia University of Victoria	Athabasca University Augustana University College University of Alberta University of Calgary University of Lethbridge
Saskatchewan	Manitoba
University of Regina University of Saskatchewan	Brandon University University of Manitoba University of Winnipeg
Ontario	Quebec
Brock University Carleton University Lakehead University Laurentian University McMaster University Nipissing University Ontario Institute for Studies in Education Queens University at Kingston Ryerson Polytechnic University Trent University Université d'Ottawa/University of Ottawa Université Saint-Paul/Saint-Paul University Université York University University of Guelph University of Toronto University of Waterloo University of Western Ontario University of Windsor Wilfrid Laurier University	Bishop's University Concordia University École des Hautes Études Commerciales École Polytechnique de Montréal McGill University Université de Montréal Université de Sherbrooke Université du Québec à Chicoutimi Université du Québec à Hull Université du Québec à Montréal Université du Québec à Rimouski Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Université du Québec, École de technologie supérieure Université du Québec École nationale d'administration publique Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue Université du Québec, Institut Armand-Frappier Université du Québec. Institut national de la recherche scientifique Université Laval
New Brunswick	Nova Scotia
Mount Allison University St. Thomas University Université de Moncton University of New Brunswick	Acadia University Dalhousie University Mount Saint Vincent University Nova Scotia Agricultural College Nova Scotia College of Art and Design St. Francis Xavier University Saint Mary's University Technical University of Nova Scotia Université Sainte-Anne University College of Cape Breton University of King's College
Newfoundland	Prince Edward Island
Memorial University of Newfoundland	University of Prince Edward Island

Created: 2006-06-15
Modified: 2006-06-15
Reviewed: 2006-06-15
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Other Training Award: Canada-HOPE (Health in Developing Countries)

(CANADA-HOPE Scholarship Program)

Request for Applications

Table of Contents

Background

Partners

Objectives

Eligibility

Allowable Costs

Review Process and Evaluation Criteria

General CIHR Guidelines

Conditions of Funding

Communications Requirements

Monitoring, Performance Measurement and Evaluation

How to Apply

Step 1 - Registration

Step 2 - Full Application

Contact Information

Description of Partners: CIHR Institutes and Partner Organizations

Partners

Appendix: Universities