Application Deadline: May 23rd, 2019.
IDRC is now accepting applications for this year’s IDRC Doctoral Research Awards (IDRA).
This call is open to Canadians, permanent residents of Canada, and citizens of developing countries pursuing doctoral studies at a Canadian university. These awards are intended for field research in developing countries to improve the lives of people in the developing world.
Eligibility Requirements:
To be eligible, you must meet the following requirements:
- You must be a citizen or permanent resident of Canada, or a citizen of a developing country, excluding countries in Southern and Eastern Europe, South Caucasus and Central Asia (but including Afghanistan).
- You must be enrolled at a Canadian university at the doctoral level (when you submit your application, you must have completed several courses of the doctoral program, but not necessarily all courses).
- Your research proposal must be approved by your thesis supervisor. Please provide proof.
- Your proposed field research must take place in one or more developing countries and be conducted for a doctoral dissertation.
- Your field research must correspond to IDRC thematic priorities. Applications proposing field research outside these thematic areas will not be considered.
- You must provide evidence of affiliation with an institution or organization in the developing region(s) in which the research will take place.
- You must have completed coursework and passed comprehensive exams before taking up the award.
- You may not be in receipt of two or more active IDRC awards at the same time. No time overlaps will be permitted.
Evaluation criteria
Applications that are complete, that meet the eligibility criteria, and whose research subjects are deemed to fit with IDRC thematic priorities will be forwarded to an IDRC selection committee. External evaluators may occasionally be involved.
Using the criteria listed below, the IDRC selection committee will rate each application and will identify successful awardees, ensuring that the selection of awards represents all three IDRC program areas. Some awards may be made conditionally, i.e. the candidate will be sent comments which must be addressed before the award can be confirmed.
Note that no comments will be provided to unsuccessful candidates, even those who intend to reapply a second time.
The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications:
- Fit with IDRC mission and thematic priorities;
- Overall appropriateness, completeness, quality, and clarity of the research proposal;
- Overall methodology and considerations of cultural, logistical, and scientific constraints;
- Overall feasibility, duration, and timing of the research;
- Originality and creativity of the research;
- Potential contribution to existing knowledge on the issue;
- Gender dimensions of the research;
- Ethical considerations of the research;
- Benefit to the communities where the research is taking place;
- Suitability of the affiliated institution;
- Potential for research results to be disseminated and used;
- Budget;
- Applicant’s capacity to conduct the proposed research, including academic training, local language capacity, professional skills, research experience, and knowledge of country/region of research.
More details
Before applying, please read the following documents:
- checklist of documents required for this call
- general FAQs about the IDRA award
- technical FAQs (if you encounter problems when completing your online application)
- template for the letter of approval by your research supervisor (PDF, 65.76 kb) (refer to checklist for instructions)
If you still have a question after reading all of the above, you may contact us at [email protected].
NB: Inquiries will be answered up until two working days before the competition deadline, i.e. until 4:00 PM EDT, May 21, 2019. Technical inquiries about difficulties encountered in the online application system should also be directed to [email protected]. Please note in your subject line that you are applying for the IDRC Doctoral Research Awards.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the IDRC Doctoral Research Awards 2019/2020