SSHRC and Mitacs launch new streamlined application and review process

Since 2012, SSHRC and Mitacs have collaborated on offering Mitacs Accelerate internships to social sciences and humanities graduate students and postdoctoral researchers across Canada. This joint initiative provides training opportunities within different sectors and helps the postsecondary research community transfer theory into real-world application by creating synergy between not-for-profit organizations, industry, and graduate students at Canadian institutions.

SSHRC and Mitacs are pleased to announce the renewal of their collaboration, including a new streamlined application and review process to the Mitacs Accelerate Joint Initiative to better serve our research community.

Starting in March 2023, researchers applying to SSHRC’s Partnership Engage Grants, Partnership Development Grants, Partnership Grants – Stage 2, and Insight Grants can simultaneously apply for Mitacs Accelerate internships through a new joint application and review process.

This joint application process provides an opportunity to strengthen the training and mentoring plans of SSHRC applications, reinforce collaboration between the academic and non-academic organizations involved in the research project, and develop skills and qualifications for participating interns. 

What are the changes to the current application process?

• Researchers applying to the SSHRC funding opportunities mentioned above will no longer need to wait until they have received their results to proceed with their Mitacs Accelerate application. From now on, researchers will be able to start planning the integration of Mitacs’ internships at the time of conceptualizing their project and submit their application to both organizations simultaneously.
• SSHRC merit review committees will now review the applicant’s request to be considered for Mitacs Accelerate and will consider this as part of their application’s overall training and mentoring plans.
• Applying to the Mitacs Accelerate joint initiative allows for the host organization’s financial contribution to the internship to be counted as a cash contribution in the SSHRC application from the outset, instead of being a postaward consideration.

For more information on this joint initiative and its new process, contact:

Adam Yake, program officer, Research Partnerships Portfolio
Adam.Yake@sshrc-crsh.gc.ca