Collaboration in scientific research - Québec-Palestine

1. ELIGIBILITY OF SCIENTIFIC MISSIONS

Domains of research

There is great flexibility in the themes of the scientific missions that can be carried out. Here are the privileged domains or research:

• Health Sciences
• Natural Sciences and Engineering
• Social sciences and humanities (including economics)
• Arts, language and literature

Opportunities

Scientific missions can meet different needs. Depending on the needs expressed by the host researcher from Québec and those of the Palestine researcher, various possibilities are available, notably:

• Networking
• Knowledge sharing (theories, research methods, tools and instruments, good practices, etc.)
• Visits to laboratories or research facilities
• Contribution of the Palestine researcher to a research project of the host researcher already ongoing
• Contribution of the host researcher to a research project of the Palestine researcher already ongoing
• Starting of a joint research project

Duration

The scientific missions can last 3 or 4 months. Shorter missions are possible, but must be approved by FRQ and PALAST.

2. ELIGIBILITY OF RESEARCHERS

Host researchers from Québec

All Québec researchers wishing to host a researcher from Palestine must meet the definition of one of the following eligible research statutes (see the Definitions – Status and roles section of the Common General Rules):

• University researcher
• Clinical university researcher

Researchers from Palestine

All researchers from Palestine who wish to carry out a scientific mission in a Québec university must meet these criteria:

• Work in a university in the West Bank, Jerusalem or Gaza or are members of the PALAST
• Work on themes within the domains of research described above
• Live in the West Bank, Jerusalem or Gaza

Note: the collaboration agreement values, but is not limited to, the scientific missions of young researchers.

3. PROCESS

Step 1

Québec researchers wishing to host a researcher from Palestine must signify their interest by registering with the FRQ. To do this, they must click on the following link, which gives access to a form to complete. The information to be provided is: name and first name, e-mail address, university, department, areas of interest and research, types of missions accepted (knowledge sharing, starting of a joint research project, etc.) and capacity (possibility to host more than one researcher or more than one researcher from Palestine. The deadline for registration is December 15, 2024.

Step 2

The FRQ verify the eligibility of Québec researchers who have registered, and then forward the final list to the PALAST.

Step 3

The PALAST publishes the list of Québec researchers who have shown interest on its website for a period of about two months, so that the community of researchers from Palestine interested in scientific missions in Québec can identify potential collaborations. The areas of interest and research as well as the types of missions accepted are crucial in this respect.

Step 4

Researchers from Palestine contact researchers from Québec by e-mail to see if interests are shared and collaborations possible. If this is the case, both parties agree on the terms of the scientific mission (type, start date, duration, etc.). The host researcher from Québec must then produce an official letter of invitation, ideally approved by the authorities in good standing of his or her university (Rectorate, Vice-Rectorate of Research, International Cooperation Office, etc.) and send to the visiting researcher from Palestine.

Step 5

The researcher from Palestine submits a complete application package (including the official letter of invitation) to the PALAST. In February or March 2025, PALAST will hold a selection committee. The evaluation criteria are as follows:

• Quality of research carried out by researchers in Québec and researchers in the West Bank, Jerusalem or Gaza.
• Complementarity of methodologies and disciplinary skills of researchers
• Societal relevance or sensitivity to the Palestinian context
• Presence of added value
• Scientific value and potential benefits
• Justifications presented
• Proposed duration

Step 6

During the month of April or May 2025, the PALAST will inform the FRQ of the researchers that have been selected. The FRQ will then contact the authorities of each Québec university that will be visited by researchers from Palestine. Some relevant information is then transmitted to them: identity of visitors, identity of host researchers, expected date of start of the scientific missions as well as their duration. Note that it is the responsibility of the researchers to establish the preliminary contacts and invest the preliminary efforts required, so that the missions can be realized. For this fifth year of the Collaboration Agreement, it is expected that the scientific missions will start in June or July 2025.

4. MANDATES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Partners in the Agreement (FRQ and PALAST)

• Partners are responsible for the successful completion of the steps leading to the selection of applications, according to the process described above.
• Partners are responsible for the payment of subsistence allowances to researchers in Palestine. The monthly allowance is  CAN$ 2,500. Round-trip transportation is also offered (up to CAN$ 2,000). No additional amount will be paid by the partners, whether to researchers from Québec or researchers from Palestine, for carrying out the activities planned as part of the research mission.
• Partners are not responsible for the procedures and decisions made by visa issuing authorities and other documents required for entry into Canada.

Host researchers from Québec

• As indicated above, host researcher must produce an official letter of invitation. This letter will be useful to the researcher from Palestine in the constitution of his file for obtaining his visa and, possibly, during the control at the Canadian customs.
• The host researcher from Québec must ensure that the research mission is conducted according to the terms and conditions agreed with the researcher from Palestine, as well as adequate access to the research facilities. In this respect, good communication with the authorities in good standing of the university is essential.
• The researcher from Québec may decide to use his or her own research funds for activities related to the scientific mission, but there is no obligation about it. This is entirely left to his or her discretion.
• The host researcher from Québec agrees to complete a mission report, the template of which will be shared by the FRQ, in order to assess the impact of the latter and to obtain feedback regarding the general experience.

Researchers from Palestine

• The Palestine researcher is responsible for his or her accommodation in Québec.
• The Palestine researcher must have adequate travel, health and personal liability insurance before arriving in Canada. In the same vein, he or she has to check prior to the departure whether the host institution requires additional or special coverages.
• The Palestine researcher agrees to respect the terms and conditions agreed upon with the Québec host researcher.
• The Palestine researcher agrees to complete a mission report for which the template will be shared jointly by the FRQ and the PALAST, in order to assess the impact of the mission and to obtain feedback regarding the general experience.

5. RESEARCH RESULTS AND KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER

Dissemination and use of results by the partners

• Grant holders undertake to authorize partners to use the final report and the research results publicly released by the researcher (in the context of a scientific conference, symposium, congress or publication on a website), including for purposes of reproduction, translation, execution or communication to the public by any means whatsoever, same as any other form of use. This use must be made in respect of copyright and only for non-commercial purposes.

Open access

• The FRQ Open access policy for the dissemination of research does not apply to this program. Researchers involved in a mission are nevertheless encouraged to distribute in immediate open access (without embargo) and under open license the peer-reviewed publications that will result from the research work carried out in the context of the program.

Knowledge mobilization

• The FRQ encourage researchers to conduct and participate in knowledge mobilization activities (transfer, sharing, development, enhancement and dissemination) with practice settings and the general public, when such activities are relevant. Please read the document Knowledge Mobilization available in the Toolbox.

6. PROPRIÉTÉ INTELLECTUELLE

The sharing of intellectual property rights arising from research must comply with the rules in place in the institutions to which the researchers belong.

7. PARTNERS

Fonds de recherche du Québec

Académie de la Palestine pour les sciences et les technologies (PALAST)