NSERC: 2023 Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program

Eligibility

For a full record of NSERC’s Eligibility Criteria, please refer to its website: http://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/NSERC-CRSNG/Eligibility-Admissibilite/faculty-corpsprof_eng.asp

Summary

**UPDATE: NSERC CREATE Informational Webinar for Prospective Applicants updated in Additional Information section below**

Research Services is launching the 2022 intake for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) 2023 Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) program. The NSERC CREATE program supports the training and mentoring of teams of highly qualified students and postdoctoral fellows from Canada and abroad through the development of innovative training programs.

There are several streams of opportunity within the CREATE program:

1. Regular Stream

2. Industrial Stream

3. International Collaboration – An agreement between the German Research Foundation Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and NSERC is in place to support bilateral training programs that involve the exchange of students between Germany and Canada.

Please note that NSERC has not yet updated the competition information on their website for the 2023 competition (intake in 2022). We do not anticipate major changes to the program but will provide notification and additional information as necessary. Updates to this funding opportunity will also be made following finalization of a date for the RSO internal CREATE information session, and dates for the NSERC CREATE webinars.

Submission Process

The University of Calgary is limited in the number of Letters of Intent (LOI) that can be submitted to the CREATE program and will be carrying out an internal selection process conducted by SUPPORT and the Vice-President (Research).

Faculty members who would like to participate in the 2022 intake for the 2023 CREATE program must submit an internal Notice of Intent (iNOI) to their Associate Dean (Research) by January 10, 2023, or as determined by their ADR.  

Institutional and agency milestones are listed here and additional instructions follow.

Phase: Optional Test Your Concept and Information Session

• Activity: Notify RSO if interested in TYC session at ipd@ucalgary.ca (first come, first served)

Deadline: By 9:00 am November 8, 2022

• Activity: Submit project overview for TYC to ipd@ucalgary.ca

Deadline: By 9:00 am November 15, 2022

• Activity: Pitch proposed project and receive feedback from SUPPORT

Deadline: November 22, 2022 2:00 – 4:00 pm

• Activity: RSO CREATE information session for applicants

Deadline: November 2022 (TBD)

Phase: Selection

• Activity: Submit internal Notice of Intent (iNOI)* to ADR

Deadline: As determined by faculties; typically by January 10, 2023

• Activity: Review and forward approved iNOI materials to RSO (ipd@ucalgary.ca)

Deadline: By 9:00 am January 17, 2023

• Activity: Review of iNOIs and decision

Deadline: January 17 – February 6, 2023

• Activity: Notification of decision and distribution of feedback to PI

Deadline: By approx. February 6, 2023

Phase: Development

• Activity: Develop draft LOI

Deadline: February 6 – March 9, 2023

• Activity: Submit draft LOI to RSO

Deadline: By 9:00 am March 9, 2023

Phase: Review

• Activity: Review of draft LOI by SUPPORT and Faculty

Deadline: March 20, 2023

• Activity: Distribute feedback from SUPPORT review to PI

Deadline: By approximately March 24, 2023

Phase: Letter of Support

• Activity: Submit request for institutional support

Deadline: By March 27, 2023

• Activity: Submit draft Letter of Support (LOS)

Deadline: April 17, 2023

Phase: Revision

• Activity: Incorporate feedback and finalize LOI

 Deadline: March 24 – April 24, 2023

Phase: Submission

• Activity: Submit final LOI and LOS to RSO; approvals within RMS.

Deadline: By 9:00 am April 24, 2023

• Activity: Conduct administrative review and obtain Institutional signoff

Deadline: April 24 – May 1, 2023

• Activity: Submit LOI to NSERC

Deadline: May 1, 2023

* iNOI template to be provided by RSO

Specific application process information for the LOI stage of the 2023 NSERC CREATE competition will be distributed to those groups selected to move forward in the competition.

LOIs, plus approval in the Research Management System (RMS) will be required by RSO by 9am, April 24, 2023. Complete the Pre-Award/LOI record in RMS (login at https://research.ucalgary.ca/rms). Please use the “NSERC – Collaborative Research and Training Experience” funding opportunity, and be sure to select "Submitted for approvals" (Under Save & Progress) in RMS in good time to allow for approvals from your Department Head and/or ADR prior to the Research Services deadline. Consult your department and faculty for more information on their approval processes and timelines. A step sheet for creating an application record in RMS is available in the Resources section below.

Note: If you plan to participate in the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) stream, please let Research Services know as soon as possible.

Resources

Support for projects involving Indigenous Research:

Support with the development of your grant application is available internally through the Indigenous Research Support Team (IRST). Applicants can reach out by email to IRST at IRST@ucalgary.ca in advance of the RSO internal deadline. For more information about IRST, please visit the IRST webpage.

Relevant Documents

 create-internal-notice-of-intent-oct-2022.docx

 rms-step-sheet-creating-a-pre-award-loi.pdf

Pre-application deadlines

RSO internal deadline

Application deadlines

RSO final internal review deadline

Program application deadline

NOTE: Consult your Faculty Associate Dean (Research) (ADR) regarding Faculty-specific deadlines and submission processes.

Principal Investigators: Complete a Research Management System (RMS) record, including a copy of your complete application, and submit this for approvals in RMS.

Postdocs, students, and trainees: For fellowships and externally-sponsored research training awards or opportunities, you must complete the Research Funding Application Approval (RFAA) Trainee PDF form, and submit it, along with a complete copy of the application, to Research Services at rsotrainee@ucalgary.ca. Trainees should not use RMS at this time.

Approvals: The University of Calgary requires that all funding applications be approved prior to submission. Approval requires signatures via either RMS or the RFAA Trainee form, in the following order:

• Principal Investigator
• Department Head
• Faculty ADR/Dean
• Research Services (on behalf of the Vice-President Research)

Read the Meaning of Grant Signatures policy to understand what your approval means. Please see the agency guidelines for details about which signatures are required on your application, as it may differ from internal requirements.

Late submissions: Late submissions will only be accepted in cases of medical or family emergencies, or other exceptional circumstances. If you submit your RMS record to Research Services after the internal deadline has passed, you must secure additional approvals. Please read: Late Applications Process.

Please use the internal Notice of Intent template form attached.

Projects being led elsewhere: faculty members participating in CREATE initiatives being led elsewhere are asked to contact Research Services (ipd@ucalgary.ca) by March 31, 2023.

RMS Training

As the full application will run through RMS, we encourage applicants to view the step sheets available at the RMS Training page. 

For training or technical support, you can contact RMS at: rms@ucalgary.ca and 403.210.9309.

**UPDATED 2023-01-17**

NSERC will hold an information session via Webex webinar to provide an overview of the CREATE program and application process. The dates of the sessions are as follows:

English session:  February 9, 2023, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (MST)

French session:  February 10, 2023, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (MST)

Registration is not necessary – anyone can connect using the link provided below:

Meeting Link

Join by meeting number (access code): 171 539 5408

Tap to join from a mobile device (attendees only)

1-844-426-4405, 1715395408## Canada Toll Free

Join by phone

1-844-426-4405 Canada Toll Free

Please verify that Webex works on your computer prior to February 9^th. For a link to the recording or a copy of the presentation, please email ipd@ucalgary.ca following the session.