The call for applications is now open!
Professors can submit projects by November 17, 2023, at 5 p.m. PT.
Mitacs is pleased to launch another thematic call in cooperation with several of our international partners. This is a competitive call for applications to our Mitacs Globalink Research Award program in all areas of strategic importance for the Canadian and international research communities.
Under the joint supervision of a home and host professor at a university in Canada and an institution affiliated with one of Mitacs’s international partners, senior undergraduate and graduate students as well as postdoctoral fellows included in successful applications will receive a $6,000 research award to conduct a 12- to 24-week research project in the other country. Eligibility criteria may vary between participating international partners.
The themes include but are not limited to the list below. Please note that there is a great deal of scope under the open theme social and scientific innovation, all kind of projects can be submitted under that specific theme:
1) Advanced computing (e.g., AI and Quantum technologies, Robotics, Cybersecurity)
2) Clean technologies (e.g., electric vehicles)
3) Health Innovations (e.g., biomanufacturing)
4) Open theme: Social and scientific innovation
Mitacs is pleased to be collaborating with the following international partners in this thematic call for applications. For more information on the participating international partners and their specific eligibility requirements, go to the “International partners information” tab.
- Argentina/Brazil/Chile/Colombia/Mexico/Ukraine: Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF)
- Australia: Universities Australia
- Brazil: Fundação Araucária
- France: Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
- France: Embassy of France in Canada
- France: Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (Inria)
- France: Université de Lorraine
- Germany: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) (Helmholtz Association)
- Germany: Forschungszentrum Jülich (Helmholtz Association)
- Germany/USA/Luxembourg/Italy/The Netherlands: Max Planck Society
- Japan: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
- Korea: National Research Foundation (NRF)
- South Africa: National Research Foundation
- Taiwan: National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)
- United Kingdom: British High Commission Ottawa
In addition to these general eligibility requirements, please also refer to the International Partners Information tab for partner-specific eligibility requirements.
Students and postdoctoral fellows
- Must be registered as full-time senior undergraduates, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows at an eligible Canadian institution or eligible institution outside Canada and remain as such throughout their Globalink Research Award
- Postdoctoral fellows may apply if their date of graduation from a PhD program is no more than five years prior to the proposed start date of the research project and they have postdoctoral status at an eligible institution.
- Cannot undertake a research project at an institution where they have previously completed a degree
- Cannot undertake a research project in a country where they hold citizenship
- Permanent residents or citizens of Canada who are enrolled in an eligible country other than Canada and who wish to do a project in Canada are eligible to apply.
- Applicants who hold citizenship of Canada and another eligible country may apply to do a project in either country
- Cannot undertake a research project in a country where they hold citizenship
- Must be the legal age of majority in Canada (18 years of age or older)
- Must meet travel requirements for their intended destination, including visa and/or immigration requirements and associated documentation
- Cannot hold more than one Globalink Research Award per academic lifetime
- Cannot have previously held a Mitacs-JSPS Summer Program award
Supervising professors
- Must hold a faculty position at an eligible institution
- Must be eligible to supervise graduate students
- Supervisors at Canadian institutions: Must be eligible to hold Tri-Agency funding
- Supervisors outside of Canadian institutions: Must be affiliated to an eligible partner
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United States and Ukraine: Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF)
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Master’s and PhD students, or postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible Institutions (Argentina):
- Universidad Nacional de la Plata
- Universidad del Salvador
- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo
- Universidad Nacional de Tres de Febrero
Eligible institutions (Brazil):
- Universidade Federal do Amapá
- Universidade Federal de Goías
- Universidade Federal da Paraíba
- Universidade Federal do Ceará
- Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas
- Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana
- Universidade do Estado Do Rio de Janeiro
- Universidade de Brasília
- Universidade de São Paulo
- Universidade do Vale do Sapucai
- Universidade Federal Fluminense
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
- Universidade Federal de Pernambuco
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia
- Universidade Federal do Paraná
- Universidade Federal do Pará
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
Eligible institutions (Chile):
- Universidad Bernardo O’Higgins
- Universidad de Playa Ancha
Eligible institutions (Colombia):
- Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios
- Universidad de los Andes
- Universidad Ean
- Universidad Libre
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana
- Universidad del Valle
- Universidad del Rosario
- Universidad Nacional de Colombia
Eligible institutions (Mexico):
- Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados
- Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
- Universidad Veracruzana
Eligible institutions (Ukraine):
- Alfred Nobel University
- Dnipro National University - Oles Honchar
- Dnipro State Medical University
- Donetsk National Technical University
- Ivan Franko National University of Lviv
- Kharkiv National University of Radio Electronics
- Kyiv National University of Trade and Economics
- Lviv Polytechnic National University
- Odessa I.I. Mechnykov National University
- Prydniprovska State Academy of Civil Engineering and Architecture
- Simon Kuznets Kharkiv National University of Economics
- Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv
- V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University
- Yuriy Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University
Elibigle institutions (United States)
- University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Other requirements: Project has to be in the French language and submitted in French. The eligible institutions in Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Ukraine, and United States must be members of Agence universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) and up to date in the membership fees.
Themes: All themes
Australia: Universities Australia
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time senior undergraduate, master’s and PhD students or postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions :
- Curtin University
- Edith Cowan University
- Federation University
- University of New England
- The University of Newcastle
- University of Technology Sydney
- La Trobe University
Other requirements: N/A
Themes: All themes
Website: Universities Australia
Brazil: Fundação Araucária
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time senior undergraduates, master’s and PhD students, or postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions :
- Centro Universitário de Maringá – UNICESUMAR
- Instituto Federal do Paraná – IFPR
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná – PUC
- Universidade Estadual de Londrina – UEL
- Universidade Estadual de Maringá – UEM
- Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa – UEPG
- Universidade Estadual do Centro-Oeste – UNICENTRO
- Universidade Estadual do Norte do Paraná – UENP
- Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná – UNIOESTE
- Universidade Estadual do Paraná – UNESPAR
- Universidade Federal da Fronteira do Sul – UFFS
- Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana – UNILA
- Universidade Federal do Paraná – UFPR
- Universidade Positivo
- Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná – UTFPR
- Universidade Tuiuti do Paraná
Other requirements: N/A
Themes: All themes
Website: Fundação Araucária
France: Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time PhD students and postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions: All labs identified as UMR (Unité Mixte de Recherche)
Other requirements: 1 student per project maximum
Themes: All themes
Website: Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
France: French Embassy in Canada
Travel direction: Travel from Canada only
Intern level: Full-time senior undergraduates, master’s and PhD students, or postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions: All universities in France
Other requirements: 2 students maximum per project, supports projects outside of Quebec only
Themes: All themes
Website: French Embassy in Canada
France: Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (Inria)
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level:
- Travel to Canada: Full-time PhD students
- Travel from Canada: Full-time master’s or PhD students
Duration: 16–24 weeks
Award:
- Travel to Canada: $3,000 CAD + reimbursement by Inria of the flight cost, visa fees and other accommodation expenses (for a maximum of $3,000 CAD)
- Travel from Canada: $3,000 CAD + monthly gratification stipend equivalent to minimum $3,000 CAD
Eligible institutions: Centres de recherche Inria:
- Centre Inria de l’Université de Bordeaux
- Centre Inria de l’Université Grenoble Alpes
- Centre Inria de l’Université de Lille
- Centre Inria de Lyon
- Centre Inria Nancy – Grand Est
- Centre Inria de Paris
- Centre Inria de l’Université de Rennes
- Centre Inria de Saclay
- Centre Inria d’Université Côte-d’Azur
Other requirements: 1 student per project maximum
Themes: All themes
Website: Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies du numérique (Inria)
France: Université de Lorraine
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level:
- Travel to Canada: full-time master’s and PhD students or postdoctoral fellows
- Travel from Canada: full-time senior undergraduate, master’s and PhD students or postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions: Université de Lorraine
Other requirements: Before applying, any candidate must first present their project at mitacs-contact@univ-lorraine.fr to ensure that UL and the supervisor at UL agree to co-fund it.
Themes: All themes
Website: Université de Lorraine
Germany: Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ Helmholtz Association)
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time PhD students and postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions:
- Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C)
- Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS)
- Institut für nachhaltige Wasserstoffwirtschaft
- Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC)
- Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG)
- Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI)
- Institute of Energy and Climate Research (IEK)
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM)
- Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS)
- Nuclear Physics Institute (IKP)
- Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI) Central Institute for Engineering, Electronics and Analytics (ZEA)
Other requirements: N/A
Themes: All themes
Website: Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ Helmholtz Association)
Germany: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time PhD students and postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions: KIT departments and KIT divisions
Other requirements: N/A
Themes: All themes
Germany/USA/Luxembourg/Italy/The Netherlands: Max Planck Society
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time PhD students and postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award:
- Travel to Canada: $6,000 (approximately)
- Travel from Canada: $6,000
Eligible institutions: All Max Planck Society institutes
Other requirements: N/A
Themes: All themes
Website: Max Planck Society
Japan: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Travel direction: Travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time senior undergraduates, master’s and PhD students, or postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $3,000 + Airfare + Accommodation
Eligible institutions:
- Human Informatics and Interaction Research Institute
- Cyber Physical Security Research Center
- Human Augmentation Research Center
- Human-Centered Mobility Research Center
- Artificial Intelligence Research Center
- Industrial Cyber-Physical Systems Research Center
- Digital Architecture Research Center
Other requirements: N/A
Themes: All themes
Website: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)
Korea: National Research Foundation (NRF) Korea
Travel direction: Travel from Canada
Intern level: Full time master’s and PhD students, or postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions: All universities in Korea
Other requirements: Participants applying from Canada must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada
Themes: All themes
South Africa: National Research Foundation (NFR SA)
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time PhD students and postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions:
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology
- Central University of Technology, Free State
- Durban University of Technology
- Mangosuthu University of Technology
- Nelson Mandela University
- North-West University
- Rhodes University
- Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University
- Sol Plaatje University
- Stellenbosch University
- Tshwane University of Technology
- University of Cape Town
- University of Fort Hare
- University of Johannesburg
- University of KwaZulu-Natal
- University of Limpopo
- University of Mpumalanga
- University of Pretoria
- University of South Africa
- University of the Free State
- University of the Western Cape
- University of the Witwatersrand
- University of Venda
- University of Zululand
- Vaal University of Technology
- Walter Sisulu University of Technology
Other requirements (travel to Canada): Be a South African Citizen or permanent resident, be an NRF-funded doctoral student or postdoctoral fellow for the full duration of the Mitacs award
Themes: All themes
Website: National Research Foundation
Taiwan: National Cheng Kung University (NCKU)
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time master’s, PhD students or postdoctoral fellows
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions: National Cheng Kung University
Other requirements: N/A
Themes: All themes
Website: NCKU Gloria
United Kingdom: British High Commission Ottawa
Travel direction: Travel to Canada and travel from Canada
Intern level: Full-time PhD students
Duration: 12–24 weeks
Award: $6,000
Eligible institutions: All universities in the UK
Other requirements: N/A
Themes: All themes
Website: British High Commission Ottawa
The call for applications is now open!
Professors can submit projects by November 17, 2023, at 5 p.m. PT.
Awards are offered in partnership with Mitacs’s international partners and are subject to available funding.
Application process:
1. Review general and partner-specific eligibility and award guidelines.
2. Identify all the project applicants (intern, professors) as well as the international partner. Mitacs cannot connect interested interns with supervisors.
3. Home or host supervisors are asked to fill out this webform to request the link to the GRA application portal. If you are a student at an eligible institution, please have your supervising professor request it. Contact a Mitacs Advisor before starting to fill in the application.
4. Home and host supervisors discuss project details. It is the responsibility of the participants to connect with one another.
5. Complete your application: Each application can name up to 5 interns travelling in either direction (with some restrictions with certain international partners). Additional information will be provided through the GRA application portal.
6. The Office of Research Services (ORS) or designate signature will be required on all completed applications. Applicants should allow 1–3 weeks to obtain the appropriate signatures.
7. The Canadian supervisor and the intern who created the application are the only participants who are able to submit the application through the portal. All participants will receive a confirmation email once the application is submitted.
Research projects selected through this call for applications will have up to a year to begin (March 2024). All potential applicants must check with their institutions about their policies on international travel prior to submitting an application.
All parties involved with the Mitacs Globalink program must comply with Mitacs’s Research Ethics Policy and other research integrity policies at the home and host institutions.
All parties involved with Mitacs programs should review the following policy statement and guidelines provided by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and the Government of Canada:
- ISED “Policy Statement on Research Security and COVID-19”
- Government of Canada “Safeguarding Your Research” Portal
Intern responsibilities
- Make all necessary preparations for travel abroad with the appropriate institution office(s)
- Obtain appropriate visa, work permit or other immigration documentation required for the destination
- Attend any mandatory sessions as required by the home institution
- Work full-time on the research project (at least 75% abroad, and up to 25% at the home institution)
- Submit a final report and exit survey to Mitacs at the end of the project
Home supervisor responsibilities
- Adhere to institutional policies for research abroad
- Provide ongoing direction and research support to the participant prior to and during the research project
- Submit an exit survey and sign the final report prepared by the participant
Host supervisor responsibilities
- Adhere to institutional policies for visiting researchers
- Provide ongoing direction and research support to the intern prior to and during the research project
- Advise the intern on appropriate travel arrangements and accommodation
- Provide the intern with any necessary documentation to support the visa application
- Ensure the intern has appropriate lab and/or office space and resources during the research project
- Submit an exit survey and sign the final report prepared by the intern
Additional responsibilities of the Canadian institution and supervisor
In addition to the above, the Canadian supervisors and institutions – whether home or host – have additional responsibilities, specifically:
- Support interns with the necessary preparations for travel abroad (institutional travel policy, immigration application support)
- Assume fiduciary responsibility for the Mitacs grant
Adjudication
The Mitacs Globalink Research Award is competitive, with limited awards available. All applications will undergo a review by an interdisciplinary team. Proposals will be adjudicated based on the following criteria:
- Quality of the research proposal
- Level of supervision and mentorship committed by the host supervisor
- Strength of recommendation by the home supervisor
- Relevance to society and industry
- Expected benefit to Canada
Once applications are reviewed, Outcome Letters are expected to be issued in April 2024 and will provide the outcome of the review process and outline next steps. Travel can therefore start in June 2024, once the Outcome and Award Letters are provided by Mitacs.
- What is eligible research?
- Globalink Research Award Adjudication Guide
- Mitacs Ethical Conduct Policy for Research Involving Human Subjects
- Mitacs Ethical Conduct Policy for Research Involving Animals
- Mitacs Policy Statement on Environmental Review
- Mitacs Conflict of Interest Policy
- Mitacs Conflict of Interest Declaration
- Mitacs Policy on Research Integrity
Funding
- Projects must begin within one year of the Outcome Letter being issued
- Interns must submit the International Pre-departure and Code of Conduct forms, and confirm their project dates in order to receive the Award Letter
- Interns cannot travel until Mitacs has issued both an Outcome and Award Letter
- Approved recipients will receive funds to support intern travel and accommodation expenses, research-related expenses, and stipend. Mitacs funds will be sent to the Canadian institution’s Office of Research Services (or equivalent) and administered as a research grant in the Canadian supervisor’s name.
- The awards will be sponsored in part by one of Mitacs’s international partners. Where applicable, Mitacs’s Outcome Letters will provide applicants with instructions for accessing partner funds.
- Mitacs funds must be spent according to the proposal budget and Tri-Agency eligible expenses. See the Mitacs use of funds page for details of eligible expenses for Mitacs programs.
- Funding is based on a project duration of 12 weeks in most cases, though project durations of up to 24 weeks are acceptable. Applicants are encouraged to seek support from other funding sources for longer durations and use prudence when allocating funds to travel and accommodations.
Deliverables
The following deliverables must be submitted to Mitacs no later than one month after the project concludes:
- A final report that summarizes the project: the intern is responsible for drafting the final report and securing approval and signatures from the participating supervisors.
- Exit survey from the student
- Exit survey from the home academic supervisor
- Exit survey from the host academic supervisor
Intellectual property
- Mitacs does not claim any ownership of intellectual property developed through research projects and internships that are funded
- It is recommended that the participating organizations and institutions undertaking a research collaboration through Mitacs-funded projects come to a mutual understanding on the intellectual property implications of the project(s)
The following are some frequently asked questions. If you have additional questions, please contact international@mitacs.ca.
1. I don’t see my institution in the list of participating international partners. Is there another program to which I could apply?
This GRA thematic call is undertaken in collaboration with a select number of our international partners. If your institution is not listed or if you are enrolled at a Ukrainian institution, please visit the standard GRA program page or contact a Business Development representative for more information about the GRA program or our other international programs.
2. I don’t have contacts at the institution where I want to develop a project; how do I get connected with them?
It is the responsibility of the participants to get in touch with each other.
3. Can Mitacs help me find a host professor?
No. Students and postdoctoral fellows are responsible for identifying a home and host academic supervisor. You may wish to begin by asking your home supervisor to assist you.
4. Is my project eligible if it is not in one of the themes listed?
Yes. The themes were identified with the intention of being inclusive of all themes, including the social sciences and humanities and/or to encourage interdisciplinary approaches, in particular, the open theme: social and scientific innovation. In the research proposal, you will be asked to explain how your project is linked to the themes.