The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program (QES) - Advanced Scholars West Africa Program

Overview
The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarships program (QES) was created to improve global talent exchange between Canada and other nations. The program aims to develop the next generation of innovative leaders and community builders by providing enriched academic, professional, and cross-cultural experiences and by facilitating lasting local and global community engagement.

Thanks to funding provided by the International Research Development Centre (IDRC), QES-AS-WA will support projects in West Africa that will inform progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with preference given to proposals that focus on or clearly integrate SDG 5 (gender equality) as a crosscutting or mainstream goal. Canadian universities are invited to submit multi-year project proposals seeking funding of up to $300,000 CAD. Each Canadian university may submit one proposal to the 2020 competition. Up to $3,000,000 will be made available through this call for proposals.
Summary of Project Criteria:
Canadian universities which have recognized provincial degree granting powers, or their affiliates, may submit a proposal to QES-AS West Africa. Universities may partner with one or more other Canadian university(ies) for a joint proposal however, each university may only be the lead applicant in one submission to the program.
Projects will support specialized training and/or research activities for doctoral researchers, post-doctoral researchers and early career researchers from Canada and West Africa and each award must include a non-academic research placement with industry/civil society.
Each scholar must be undertaking research in one or more of the following areas of focus:

• Climate resilience and sustainable food systems
• Education and innovation systems
• Ethics in development research
• Health equity
• Inclusive governance
• Sustainable inclusive growth

Key Dates:
October 26, 2020: 2pm EST: the deadline for submission;
December 2020: applicants will be notified of the competition results;
April 1, 2021: approved projects activities anticipated to begin
December 31, 2024: All project activity and final project reports must be completed by this date.
Proposal Requirements:

• Complete the application form
• Upload the indication of university support form, signed by a senior administrator
• Upload the completed budget form
• Upload the letter(s) of support from the non-academic research placement partner(s) (if applicable)

More detailed criteria are provided in this call for proposals.

Eligible projects will demonstrate a partnership between a Canadian university and an institution in at least one of the eligible countries and if available at the time of application, will include information on the non-academic research placement partner(s). Non-academic research placements must be confirmed before the funded researchers travel to/from Canada.
The program will require all scholars to participate in leadership development and community engagement
activities and to participate in the network of Queen Elizabeth Scholars.

Application Process Project proposals must be submitted online in English or French via the QES portal https://portal.scholarshippartners.ca/welcome/qes_en/. Users will be required to register an account and complete their profile before being able to access the application form. To be considered complete, the following steps must be completed before the deadline:

• Fill out the online application form;
• Fill out and upload the indication of university support form, signed by a senior administrator
• Fill out and upload a completed budget form
• Upload the letter(s) of support from the non-academic research placement partner(s) (if applicable)
• Submit the application Universities Canada will acknowledge receipt of all complete applications.

Applications that are incomplete or do not meet the project criteria listed in the Overview will not be forwarded to the selection committee.

See the Complete Details Here https://www.univcan.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/qes-advanced-scholars-west-africa-guidelines.pdf

https://www.univcan.ca/programs-and-scholarships/queen-elizabeth-scholars/

Staff Writer

This article was written and edited by a staff writer.