Call for Application - Postdoctoral Training Bursaries
Global Health Research Capacity Strengthening Program (GHR-CAPS)

What is GHR-CAPS?

The Global Health Research Capacity Strengthening Program (GHR-CAPS) is an initiative of four universities (Université de Montréal, Université du Québec à Montréal, McGill University and Université Laval) that is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and by the Quebec Population Health Research Network (QPHRN).

The aim of the GHR-CAPS Program is to contribute to the national and international development of global health research by recruiting and training researchers who will work in a high-calibre interdisciplinary environment and whose research will contribute to improving knowledge in their field. GHR-CAPS provides a varied interuniversity platform for training in global health that includes courses, seminars, short-term internships, and an annual summer school.

This Program, the first of its kind in Canada, builds upon the partners’ combined strengths in global health development. GHR-CAPS brings together: (i) a group of prominent researchers who serve as mentors and who represent a broad variety of global health research fields; (ii) unique research environments situated in four major universities which provide exceptional settings for supporting emerging researchers and for integrating good research practices and knowledge transfer, especially through their Teasdale-Corti research teams and their partners in the South; (iii) a unique provincial network of researchers who are mobilized and supported by the Quebec Population Health Research Network (QPHRN).

What is global health?

Global health is a field of study, research and practice that is focused on improving health and achieving equity in health for all people of the world (Koplan et al. 2009 – The Lancet). Thus, global health covers a broad spectrum of themes that are transnational in scope.

For whom is this bursary intended?

This bursary is for those who completed their PhD less than five years ago and wish to consolidate or reorient their research toward the field of global health.

The aim of the bursary is to allow a postdoctoral fellow to develop and initiate a program of research activities (research, publications, dissemination) in global health. GHR-CAPS focuses on the development of transversal competenciesessential to the pursuing of an autonomous career of researcher in the field of global health. Special attention is given to the integration of the candidate in existing research groups or teams and to the development of links with practice environments. The postdoctoral fellowship will have to be realised in an academic or research unit in a university participating in the Program.

The postdoctoral bursaries are set in accordance with CIHR rates and regulations.The stipend is $36,750 for one year, and could be renewed for a second year after examination of the realisations of the first year. Training awards are taxed as income by the Canadian government.

What are the conditions for eligibility?

To be eligible for the bursary, the candidatemust:

  • have earned a PhD from a recognized university. Graduates from any of the universities participating in the Program must do their postdoctoral fellowship in an academic or research unit that is different from the one in which they did their graduate training;
  • have completed doctoral studies within the last five years or have submitted his thesis and be waiting for its defence at the time of application (proof of deposit required). A longer period between the end of graduate studies and the postdoctoral fellowship may be consideredwith appropriate justification (e.g. maternity leave);
  • be registered as a full-timepostdoctoral fellow in the host university for the entire bursary period (bursary attribution is conditional to the registration as a postdoctoral fellow). At least one of the fellowship supervisors must be on the GHR-CAPS mentor list (
  • commit to applying, within the 12 months following the bursary attribution, for a postdoctoral grant from a recognized funding agency (FRSQ, CIHR, IDRC, etc.);
  • commit to participating to the GHR-CAPS Program’s training activities, including the summer school, the monthly interdisciplinary seminar and discussions on the Moodle platform;
  • commit to writing and submitting an individual training plan at the time of the admission to the Program;
  • commit to meet regularly his mentor(s) in order to guarantee a regular follow-up of the learning evolution;
  • complete a self-evaluation of his learning under the supervision of his mentor at the end of the year of the bursary.

What documents need to be submitted?

To submit your application, please send the following documents in a single PDF file identified by your family name:

  • the completed form called “Summary of Application for Postdoctoral Training Bursary” (see Appendix 1.)
  • a letter indicating the candidate’s academic experience, career perspectives and the deliverablesof the postdoctoral fellowship. The candidate will have to demonstrate that his research preoccupations are in line with those of global health. He will have to show the added value of his participation to the training program for the improvement of his academic experience. He will also have to justify the choice of the GHR-CAPS mentor and training milieu in relation to the research project and his learning objectives; The deliverables will be clearly identified and defined with the mentor(s). These can be scientific papers, research proposals submitted to financing agencies, knowledge translation activities or other scientific productions reflecting the scientific excellence of the candidate;
  • a program of postdoctoral fellowship approved by the supervisor(s). The research program has to describe the issue, the objectives, the methodology, the work plan and the deliverables(five pages maximum).
  • the complete Canadian Common CV of the candidate according to CIHR format and including all the annexes (for more details concerning the Canadian Common CV, visit the following website:
  • the complete Canadian Common CV of the mentor according to CIHR format and including all the annexes;
  • transcripts of grades from bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral studies.

The following documents must be sent separately:

  • three sponsor assessments, one of which can be from the mentor. These assessments must be filled in the CIHR form (see Appendix 2.) and sent directly by the sponsors to the following address: .

What is the deadline to submit an application? September 30th 2012

Applications must be submitted at the following e-mail address:

Decisions will be announced in November 2012. Bursaries could start in December 20012.

How are the applications evaluated?

GHR-CAPS is committed to promote scientific excellence. Applications are evaluated by an independent selection committee of mentors and researchers who are not members of the Program. Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Pertinence of the candidate’s participation to the GHR-CAPS program;
  • Commitment of the mentor;
  • CIHR criteria (see appendix).

If you have questions, contact:

CIHR criteria for postdoctoral fellowships

Criteria / Weight for
Post-PhD
Candidates / Overall Weight
Candidate Data
Candidate's plans: added value of the training for the candidate’s academic experience, alignment with the spirit of the program / 10% / 65%
Proposed research project / 25%
Academic performance, honours, awards and academic distinction / 5%
Publications and related research achievements / 25%
Assessments by Sponsors
Characteristics and abilities / 15% / 15%
Fellowship Training Environment
Integration of the candidate in the mentor’s team and resources available / accessible for the candidate / 10% / 20%
Research activity of the mentor / 5%
Training and supervisory experience of the mentor / 5%
100% / 100%

For more details, go to the « Guide for Reviewers - CIHR Fellowships » at

APPENDIX 1. SUMMARY OF APPLICATION FOR POSTDOCTORAL TRAINING BURSARY

CANDIDATE

Family name: First name:

Email: Telephone:

Address:

Department: University:

If you are currently receiving a bursary, please indication which type and the ending date for payments:

Graduation date for your doctoral studies:

Date that this postdoctoral training began or will begin:

GHR-CAPS MENTOR

Family name: First name:

Department: University:

Email: Telephone:

SPONSORS

Names and e-mails of all sponsors:

1.

2.

3.

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Call for applications - Postdoctoral training bursaries - Summer 2012

APPENDIX 2. SPONSOR’S ASSESSMENT
CANDIDAT
Last Name: / First Name:
SPONSOR
Last Name: / First Name:
Position:
Institution: / Department:
Number of years/months that the sponsor has known the candidate: / Years: / Months:
Capacity in which the sponsor has known the candidate:
Contact Information:
Notes :
  • Based on the federal Privacy Act, a candidate will have a right of access to the substance of your assessment. CIHR typically provides copies of assessments to candidates upon request following publication of the competition results.
  • If Sponsor’s Assessment of a Candidate is not received by the deadline date, the application will be deemed incomplete. CIHR will not consider late or incomplete applications

PART A - RATING FORM

Please rate the candidate in comparison with others at the same stage in their academic career.Place an “X” over the appropriate boxes.

CHARACTERISTICS / DESCRIPTION / Rarely exhibits / Sometimes
exhibits / Often exhibits / Always exhibits / Unable to judge
CRITICAL THINKING / Judicious evaluation of all information, regardless of its source / □ / □ / □ / □ / □
INDEPENDENCE / Pursuit of knowledge or taking of action on own initiative, seeking guidance only when appropriate / □ / □ / □ / □ / □
PERSEVERANCE / Determined persistence in pursuit of goals despite obstacles or discouragement / □ / □ / □ / □ / □
ORIGINALITY / Imagination or ingenuity in problem solving / □ / □ / □ / □ / □
ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS / Systematic, careful planning and coordination of activities / □ / □ / □ / □ / □
INTEREST IN DISCOVERY / An inquiring mind and a strong desire to pursue new knowledge / □ / □ / □ / □ / □
COMMUNICATION SKILLS / Effective interpersonal and written communication in a work or study environment / □ / □ / □ / □ / □
RESEARCH ABILITY / A natural talent or acquired proficiency for scientific investigation / □ / □ / □ / □ / □
LEADERSHIP ABILITY / Potential for, or demonstrated, significant contribution to an area of research / □ / □ / □ / □ / □

______

PART B: JUSTIFICATION OF RATINGS FOR CHARACTERISTICS LISTED ABOVE

Describe your overall appreciation of the candidate, listing some of his/her strongest qualities or assets from the selection above.

Maximum 4500 characters (~ 1 page).

______

PART C: FOCUS FOR DEVELOPMENT

Please comment on areas for future focus by the candidate that would contribute to the further development of his or her future career as an independent investigator.

Maximum 2250 characters (~ 1/2 page).

______

PART D: SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION(S)

Describe the most significant achievement(s)/contribution(s) of the candidate that provided an impact to research.

Maximum 2250 characters (~ 1/2 page).

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Call for applications - Postdoctoral training bursaries - Summer 2012