The following steps outline the responsibilities of each Mitacs Accelerate participant before, during, and after their project. For projects with multiple internships, each intern is responsible for his or her individual steps. 

Interns travelling internationally (whether to or from Canada) may have additional or different responsibilities, which can be found on the Accelerate International page.

Mitacs Accelerate Terms and Conditions outline participants’ responsibilities in further detail — each participant is expected to understand and adhere to the Terms and Conditions of the program:

NOTE: The Accelerate terms and conditions have recently been updated as of April 2021. Please find the new terms and conditions here. 

Interns
 

Before the internship

  • Confirm the internship start date with your professor and partner. Notify Mitacs if your start date changes.
  • Develop a research plan with your professor and partner. Confirm intellectual property requirements with your academic institution.
  • Read and follow the Accelerate code of conduct.
  • Ensure appropriate insurance coverage, as necessary.
  • Start the internship only after funds have been forwarded to the academic institution.
  • For internships with international travel: International Pre-departure form and Code of Conduct must be received before the internship can begin.

During the internship

  • Organize monthly status meetings and update Mitacs as necessary.
  • Spend approximately 50% of your time on site with the partner.
  • Spend approximately 50% of your time at the academic institution(s).
  • Maintain student or postdoc status at the university, or student status at the college, for the duration of your internship.
  • Consider taking a Mitacs Training workshop before or during your internship. Topics include essential interpersonal, project management, and entrepreneurial skills.

After the internship

  • Complete a final report and submit it to Mitacs.
    • Intern must submit the final report no later than one month after the conclusion of the Accelerate internship
    • The final report template can be accessed on the EDGE platform and should:
      • Identify future research plans
      • Identify benefits for the partner organization
      • Summarize research goals, research techniques used, and research outcomes
      • Be no more than three pages in length 
    • Please upload completed final report to your EDGE profile
  • Complete the Accelerate Intern Exit Survey. You will receive an email from Mitacs with the survey link shortly after you complete your internship. 
  • Add your Accelerate internship and Training courses to your CV and LinkedIn profile  
  • Sign up for the newsletter (optional). As a participant in a Mitacs program, you can receive exclusive updates on job postings, funding and research opportunities, courses, and more.
  • Acknowledge all Mitacs-sponsored results, including work by professors, postdocs, other interns, and research associates with the following statement: “This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate program.” 

 

 

Professors 
 

Before the project

  • Develop a research plan with the intern(s) and partner. Confirm intellectual property requirements with your academic institution.
  • Provide feedback to the intern(s) to improve the quality of the proposal.
  • Ensure appropriate insurance coverage, as necessary.
  • Confirm the internship start date with the intern(s).
  • Start the internship only after funds have been forwarded to the Canadian academic institution.

During the project

  • Take fiduciary responsibility for the Mitacs grant (Canadian professors only).
  • Provide ongoing direction and research support to the student prior to and during the research project.
  • Attend monthly status meetings and update Mitacs as necessary.
  • Supervise the intern(s) during their internship activities at the academic institution.

After the project

  • Sign the final report.
  • Complete an exit survey.
  • Acknowledge Mitacs-funded results with the following: “This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate program.”

 

 

Partner organizations 
 

Before the project

  • Develop a research plan with the intern(s) and professor(s).
  • Provide feedback to the intern(s) to improve the quality of the proposal.
  • Confirm the project start date with the intern(s).
  • Agree to protect and keep confidential intern(s)’s personal information with any third party, unless granted written permission by intern(s).
  • Ensure appropriate insurance coverage, as necessary.
  • Pay the contribution upon receipt of the Mitacs invoice. Projects can only begin after Mitacs has received the partner payment and forwarded the Accelerate grant to the academic institution.

During the project

  • Attend monthly status meetings and update Mitacs as necessary.
  • Supervise the intern(s) during their on-site internship activities.
  • Provide access to the project site for an in-person assessment at Mitacs’s request.

After the project

  • Sign the final report.
  • Complete an exit survey.
  • Acknowledge Mitacs-funded results with the following: “This work was supported by Mitacs through the Mitacs Accelerate program.”

 

 

Release of funds

Mitacs invoices a partner organization upon submission of their Accelerate proposal. Upon receipt of the partner’s contribution, Mitacs forwards the research award to the Canadian academic institution. No funds will be released to the academic institution until the invoice has been paid and the proposal is approved. Mitacs has no control over when funds are administered by the academic institution. If you have questions about your Accelerate award after Mitacs has released funds, contact your academic institution's Office of Research Services (or equivalent).

 

 

 

Intellectual property

Mitacs’ policy is to take no position and claims no intellectual property (IP) from projects it funds. All Mitacs Accelerate participants are bound by the IP terms of the academic institution where the intern is enrolled. IP is left to be shared between the academic institution, its researchers, and the partner organization, according to the IP rules of the academic institution, unless a separate agreement is negotiated.

The following universities have developed their own IP terms for Mitacs projects:

Note that these IP agreements may not apply to joint applications with other funding organizations.

 

Cancellations

Mitacs Accelerate internships require the active participation of the intern, professor, and partner organization. All participants should attempt to fulfill their project obligations.

If all parties are in agreement, a project or individual internship may be terminated. If one party wants to cancel the internship without other parties’ agreement, s/he must first notify them in writing and allow 30 days for resolution of outstanding issues.

Any funds remaining after a cancelled internship must be returned to Mitacs.