1 / 49

Tri-Council Harmonization: the Nuts and Bolts

Tri-Council Harmonization: the Nuts and Bolts. CAGS Annual Conference Montreal, November 4, 2013 Presented by Gordana Krcevinac, Director, Tri-Council CGS H armonization P roject. Agenda. Why Harmonize? CGS Background Design Phase Engagement with Stakeholders

harry
Download Presentation

Tri-Council Harmonization: the Nuts and Bolts

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Tri-Council Harmonization: the Nuts and Bolts CAGS Annual Conference Montreal, November 4, 2013 Presented by Gordana Krcevinac, Director, Tri-Council CGS Harmonization Project

  2. Agenda • Why Harmonize? • CGS Background • Design Phase • Engagement with Stakeholders • Delivering the Harmonized CGS program • Implementation Timelines • Questions

  3. Why Harmonize?

  4. Ensure continued Tri-agency leadership within a changing context for research training and research-intensive careers • Remove barriers to innovation • Respond to community and student feedback • Better use of Peer Review resources • Eliminate administrative duplication • Strengthen tri-agency collaboration

  5. CGS Background

  6. Previous CGS Master’s Competition Processes University Agency Agency Agency University

  7. Current CGS Doctoral Competition Processes University Agency Agency University A A A

  8. Harmonization Background

  9. The Vanier-BantingSecretariat • One application platform • One application form • Same adjudication criteria • Shared websites • Tri-Council Governance

  10. CGS Distribution by Agency Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) Awards $17.5K (1 year) for Master’s (M) $35K (up to 3years) for Doctoral (D) Distribution of Awards by Agency SSHRC: M: 1300, D: 1300 NSERC: M: 800, D: 800 CIHR: M: 400, D: 400 Michael Smith – Foreign Study Supplement • Up to $6K, for six months to study abroad. Must hold a CGS. Master’s* Doctoral* SSHRC $22.3M SSHRC $45.5M NSERC $28M NSERC $14M CIHR $7M CIHR $14M *Total annual CGS expenditures by agency 125 - SSHRC 80 - NSERC 45 - CIHR Number of awards available per year per council

  11. Overall Direct Funding for Training SSHRC Total Direct funding for training (all levels: undergrad up to postdoctoral) $115M NSERC Total Direct funding for training (all levels: undergrad up to postdoctoral) $116M CIHR Total Direct funding for training (all levels: undergrad up to Postdoctoral) $55M

  12. Summary of Training / Talent Budgets * Does not include CIHR Strategic Awards

  13. Design Phase

  14. Task of CGS Harmonization Project Team • Critically examine the way the three agencies are delivering CGS M and D and similar programs • Rethink some of the program fundamentals • Evaluate the results from recent consultations carried out by the agencies • Redesign • Implement

  15. Harmonization Project - Core Principles • Integration • Simplicity • Quality of service • Excellence • Accountability

  16. Design Objectives • Simpler application and adjudication procedures and processes for graduate students and post-secondary institutions • Greater cross-agency alignment of key funding opportunity characteristics, such as eligibility and selection criteria, and key deadline dates • The opportunity for partnering Canadian post-secondary institutions to better use the scholarships as a tool for recruitment of top students • New opportunities for both the institutions and the agencies to achieve administrative streamlining and efficiencies in a context of limited operating funds • More effective use of peer review resources • Cost savings, greater flexibility and removal of unnecessary barriers to work that spans the mandates of the agencies

  17. Proposed Design Elements: CGS Master’s • Eliminate agency level reviews • Consolidate recruitment and award decision at the level of the institution • Review Allocation formula • Awards paid through grants to institutions • NSERC would forego tenure abroad for its PGS awards

  18. Incoming VS Outgoing Model Incoming = Students apply for a CGS scholarship through the university they wish to attend Outgoing = Students apply for a CGS scholarship through the university they are currently registered

  19. Why an Incoming Model? • Universities can use CGS as a recruitment tool • Helps universities retain their top students • Pursue strategic objectives aligned with institutional strengths • Use the scholarships to support the development of new and innovative research programs of study • Increased efficiency by eliminating the Direct Applicant category

  20. Proposed Design Elements: CGS Doctoral The new model would apply to CGS and agency specific Doctoral awards and would include redefining: • Single Window Application portal, CCV • Common eligibility, review process and selection process • Common policies, rules and regulations,practices • Review of formula for quota calculation • Post award

  21. Application Portal • Agencies have agreed to use the Research Portal as the single application portal. • Resources have been allocated to create a common on-line platform • 3 Components of the application: 1) CCV 2) Application information 3) Attachments

  22. Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements • Integrate elements of the MSFSS into the CGS application to simplify and create efficiencies • Devolve the process further to include eligibility review at the institution • Introduce other adjustments to raise awareness about the program and increase demand

  23. Engagement with Stakeholders

  24. Engagement Activities • Online discussion guide: 2000 visitors during consultation period • Email: feedback received from students, administrators, researchers, Deans • Survey: responses from 69 SLOs and 52 institutions • Face-to-face meetings: met with 26 representatives from stakeholder associations whose focus is on graduate education • Advisory Committee: provided advice on design • Presentations: at conferences and other gatherings • Internal consultation: with tri-agency staff

  25. Engagement Feedback • Project seen as timely, has the potential to improve the system for all users • Enthusiasm for the harmonization of CGS-single window model • Support for national deadlines • Support flexibility with subject matter eligibility • Apprehension about incoming model and increase in work load for institutions • Concerns about change to allocation formula and impacts on institutions

  26. Delivering the Harmonized CGS program

  27. Application Process Single application portal-Research Portal Adoption of the Canadian Common CV Single Application Form University Administrator Portal Harmonization of research training objectives, eligibility and selection criteria Adoption of national deadlines Harmonized program policies, rules & regulations, post-award, virtual merit review practices 28

  28. Harmonized CGS Master’s Program Adoption of the incoming model Students can apply to up to 5 institutions Selection process will move from a two-stage to a one stage process Universities will manage the selection process and award scholarships-agency no longer conduct centralized national selection processes Delegation of subject matter eligibility screening to universities Universities will receive allocations of CGS awards, by agency. Calculation formula based on current average distribution of the number of awards held at each institution (location of tenure) over the past 3 years. Allocation in effect for 3 years. 29

  29. Current Master’s Competition Processes University Tri-Agency Direct Applicants University

  30. Proposed Tri-Council Master’s Processes Institution’s Selection Committee Registered Student Awardee Agency Agency Agency Unregistered Student Allocations

  31. Harmonized CGS Doctoral Program National competitions Single application portal-Research Portal Adoption of the Canadian Common CV Adoption of co-management model by all agencies (change to CIHR process) Quota of applications remain in 2013 Formula for calculating quotas to be reviewed National deadlines Virtual selection process 32

  32. CIHR DRA/DFSA NSERC PGS D CGS D SSHRC D

  33. Award Allocations • 2,500 Canada Graduate Scholarships-Master’s (CGS M) awards available each year • CIHR- 400awards , NSERC- 800 awards, SSHRC-1300 awards • These allocations have been determined for the 2014–2016 competitions • Formula for calculating awards allocations is based on the average distribution of the number of CGS M awards held at each university (location of tenure of awards) for recent competition years • Universities must award the scholarships according to their CGS M allocations by year and by agency • Allocations are not transferable to a subsequent year nor to awards for another agency • Allocations will not change over the three years • Agencies will work over the fall months on developing process for awarding allocations to newcomers • Agencies will review the formula for calculating award allocations

  34. Administrative Changes Removal of structural barriers at the agencies level re subject matter eligibility Streamline post award by working directly with universities Streamline award payments to institutions Streamline reporting requirements Adopt a nimble tri-agency programs governing structure 35

  35. Roles and Responsibilities Agencies: • Deliver the CGS program; • Provide Universities with a framework of policies and guidelines that govern the CGS program; • Provide Universities with allocations of CGS M awards; • Provide Universities with harmonized tools to manage the selection process and the awards for CGS M Program, including: • A common Web-based application portal (the Research Portal); • Guidelines for the selection and administration of the awards at the Universities; • The Terms and Conditions of the Awards to provide to successful candidates; • Provide distinct Agency reports to the Canadian Parliament on the use of CGS funds and outcomes related to the program; • Reserve the right to interpret and enforce the policies and guidelines governing the CGS M Program set out in their published materials.

  36. Roles and Responsibilities Universities: • Administer the selection process to award the CGS M; • Abide by the policies and guidelines that govern the CGS M Program; • Agree to the roles and responsibilities described in this document; • Inform applicants of results; • Manage and administering the awards; • Use the Agencies’ tools in support of the delivery of the CGS M Program; • Report to the Agencies on the use of CGS M funds and outcomes related to the program, by each Agency’s mandate area; • Comply with the Agreement (Agreement on the Administration of Agency Grants and Awards by Research Institutions) including the Framework (Tri-Agency Framework: Responsible Conduct of Research).

  37. Announcement of Results/Offers • Administrator Portal • April 1st: Single deadline for announcing results/posting offers • Nimble process • Available year round

  38. Reporting/Monitoring/Post-Award Harmonization work continues : • Award Holder’s Guide • Policies (Parental leave, etc…) • Financial Administration/Reporting • Allocations/Quotas Review • MS-FSS • CGS Doctoral harmonization • SLO working group/

  39. Tri-agency Web Page

  40. Research Portal picture

  41. Implementation Timelines

  42. Proposed Timelines

  43. Important Deadlines Mid-September: Research Portal Open Early November: SLO Research Portal Open December 1st: Deadline for submitting CGS M applications April 1st: Competition Results are announced

  44. Questions?

  45. Thank you! Please contact the CGS Harmonization Team if you have any questions or feedback: Harmonization@CGS-BESC.gc.ca

More Related