Competition year :
At all times
Deadline (application) :
May 21st, 2025 at 16:00 (EST)
Announcement of results :
September 2025
Amount :
FRQ : $50 000/chair/year Partners : $150 000/chair/year
Duration :
5 years
By the deadline of the competition, which is May 21, 2025, at 4:00 PM, the status of the application in the FRQnet system, the transactional interface used by the FRQ, must be “transmis au Fonds” (submitted to the Fund). Any application not meeting these conditions will be considered ineligible.
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This program refers to the Common General Rules (CGR). These apply to all FRQ programming. It is the responsibility of applicants and grant holders to familiarize themselves with the CGR: all rules governing competitions and grant management are recorded there. Only the specific conditions for the Science Diplomacy Research Chairs program are indicated in this document and take precedence over the CGR.
The link to the FRQnet Electronic Portfolio and the forms associated with this competition is available under the Portal Access tab on the website. Further information is available in the “Documents” menu of the FRQnet Electronic Portfolio.”
Table of contents
1. CONTEXT
Science diplomacy represents the interactions between science and political interests in an international framework. Its practice began in the 18th century and really gained momentum in the 20th century, especially in the context of the Cold War. The first conceptual framework defining it resulted from a collaboration between two scientific organizations from the United States and the United Kingdom, namely the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the Royal Society of London, in the form of the New Frontiers in Science Diplomacy published in 2010. The concept has continued to evolve since then and, in line with an upcoming update in 2025, the AAAS and the Royal Society recently published a special issue of the journal Science & Diplomacy to revisit the concept and integrate global changes.
Science diplomacy is necessary to address some of today’s major global challenges: climate change; biodiversity loss; food, resources, and democratic insecurities; digital technologies; and global health. These challenges can be studied and potential solutions proposed by scientists, diplomats, and policymakers meet in international contexts.
In spite of this potential, science diplomacy is not straightforward, and several issues can be raised. How can we improve the link between national interest and scientific freedom, between international affairs and national science to develop a common strategy? How can we promote a better scientific culture in the public service and, conversely, a better understanding of international policies in the scientific community? How can we avoid certain pitfalls, such as state control over science or the excessive commercialization of knowledge? How can we promote science for the benefit of all people while avoiding its instrumentalization for overly coercive interests? How can we consolidate the interests of a supranational scientific community, such as the Francophonie?
2. OBJECTIVES
For several years, the FRQ has been increasing the number of scientific partnerships with foreign institutions. It aims to have a greater impact, particularly through scientific advice, but also by adding the aspect of science diplomacy to its fields of study and action. The Science Diplomacy Research Chairs program thus aims to strengthen the FRQ’s positioning by structuring the development of knowledge around priority themes at the interface of diplomacy and science.
Each chair proposal must build a research program around specific themes. These themes can cover the sectors of health and life sciences, natural sciences, mathematics and engineering, humanities and social sciences, arts and literature, or interdisciplinary research fields. The only restriction regarding the themes is that they must cover the relationship between science and political interests in an international framework.
The objectives of the program are as follows:
- Increase collaborations between researchers from Quebec and the rest of the world on issues related to science diplomacy;
- Promote the implementation of a research program in science diplomacy that could not be carried out without international cooperation, with a particular attention to North-South collaboration;
- Structure the research field by creating a network of researchers and practitioners in science diplomacy;
- Train the next generation of researchers in science diplomacy;
- Contribute to the transfer and mobilization of knowledge on the chosen theme to the actors of science diplomacy.
The realization of research projects is not part of the program’s objectives.
More generally, in accordance with its Mobilization of Knowledge Strategy, the Fund encourages chair holders to engage in activities of sharing, valorizing, disseminating, and mobilizing knowledge with the general public and particularly with producers, disseminators, and users.
3. Eligibility
Each chair project must be supported and submitted by the rectorate of a Quebec university recognized as a managing university by the FRQ. Health network institutions, among the recognized institutions, can submit an application through a Quebec university. Collegial and governmental institutions are not eligible. Each Quebec university can only submit one application under this program. Université Laval, already having an agreement with the FRQ to establish a chair in science diplomacy in collaboration with Sorbonne University, is not authorized to submit another application.
The Quebec university submitting a proposal must provide financial support in cash equivalent to that of the FRQ, that is, $50,000 per year for 5 years. Additionally, this institution will present the chair project in collaboration with at least one partner university outside Quebec. It is expected that partners outside Quebec will receive financial support from at least one research funding organization outside Quebec.
Thus, for a proposal to be eligible, each party (at least four parties: Quebec university, FRQ, university outside Quebec, funding organization outside Quebec) must provide financial support in cash to the chair. With the FRQ’s support being $50,000 per year for 5 years, the total financial setup for the chair must reach at least $200,000 per year for 5 years. The financial commitment of all parties must be confirmed in writing at the time of submitting the application.
The research team of the chair must be composed of at least:
One person from Quebec, corresponding to status 1 (university researcher) as defined in the CGR; and
A researcher with an equivalent status (a university professor authorized to supervise research or equivalent) from a university outside Quebec.
This core team can be supplemented with co-researchers from Quebec and internationally.
Each chair proposal must identify a theme related to science diplomacy within which the work will take place. This theme can come from any research sector or, preferably, propose interdisciplinary research work.
4. PROPOSAL
4.1 FRQnet electronic form
Anyone wishing to apply must write to laurent.corbeil@frq.gouv.qc.ca to gain access to the electronic form in the FRQnet Electronic Portfolio. They must complete and submit the form, and ensure that all required documents are attached in the designated sections.
The funding application must be made in the FRQnet Electronic Portfolio, the transactional interface used by the FRQ for submitting funding applications and managing grants.
All required documents, detailed below, must be individually scanned in .PDF format without protection or special double-tab configuration and attached in each appropriate section of the FRQnet form.
It is required to consult the document Presentation standards for files (PDF) attached to FRQnet forms to format the files to be attached to the application, if applicable.
Regarding the language of the form and submitted documents, refer to article 3.6 of the CGR.
Since the application must be completed and submitted by the rectorate of the institution, it must designate a representative to do so. This person will take the role of “administrative director” in the FRQnet form. The other roles, all occupied by university researchers, are as follows:
- Scientific Director: Person responsible for the scientific direction of the chair and principal investigator in Quebec. This person must be designated in the application; their consent and Canadian Common CV are mandatory. If this person is designated following a hiring process directly related to the science diplomacy research chair, they must have been chosen by the institution at the time of application, but their start date can be planned for the grant date, which is September 2025.
- Principal Investigator – International: Person representing the partner university outside Quebec (up to 3 PI-I)
- Co-researchers: List of all team members in Quebec
- Co-researchers – International: List of all team members outside Quebec
4.2 Required documents
- Canadian Common CV and detailed contributions file (template available in the Toolbox) for all Quebec members of the chair (scientific director and co-researchers)
- Abridged CVs of researchers outside Quebec (template available in the Toolbox)
- Description of the research program: a text of up to 10 pages meeting the evaluation criteria presented in section 5 (PDF format, to be attached in the “Project or Program Description” section of the FRQnet form)
- Bibliography (1 page maximum)
- Budget (the budget section should only include expenses related to FRQ funding)
- Justification of planned expenses (1 page maximum)
4.3 “Other Documents” Section
The following documents must be attached to the “Other Documents” section of the FRQnet form, without using a specific template:
- Financial setup and complete budget of the chair: a document presenting the sources of the full funding for the chair and the planned expenses for all its activities (10 pages max.)
- Letter from the managing institution in Quebec committing to support the chair with a cash contribution equivalent to that requested from the FRQ (2 pages max.)
- Letters from universities outside Quebec (in a single PDF document of 12 pages max.) confirming:
- Their support for the chair proposal
- For each team member, their regular position as a professor within the institution and authorization to supervise research or equivalent
- The cash financial commitment to support the chair, specifying the exact amount of the contribution
- A letter from each funding organization outside Quebec committing to financially support the chair in cash, specifying the exact amount of the contribution (in a single document of 12 pages max. for all letters, in PDF format)
- Letters for retired university researchers, if applicable
For this program, the FRQ does not require institutional approval from the managing university. By the competition deadline, which is May 21, 2025, at 4:00 PM, the status of the application in the FRQnet system must be “Submitted to the Fund,” and all required documents must be attached to the form. Any application displaying a different status will be considered ineligible.
After receiving the applications, the FRQ verifies their eligibility. A notice sent by email during the summer following the competition’s closing date will inform the applicant about the follow-up on the file and, if applicable, its transmission to the evaluation committee. An application submitted to the evaluation committee can still be declared ineligible at any time.
5. EVALUATION
Eligible applications will be evaluated by a scientific evaluation committee tasked with ranking the applications based on their scientific quality. The role of the evaluation committees and the conditions surrounding funding decisions are specified in sections 4 and 5 of the CGR.
An application will be recommended for funding if it achieves the passing threshold of 70% for both eliminatory criterion and overall evaluation.
Specifically, proposals are evaluated based on the following evaluation criteria:
Scientific program (40 pts) *
- Scope of the proposed scientific program in relation to the current state of knowledge and work conducted in Quebec, Canada, and internationally in the field of science diplomacy – 20 pts
- Relevance of the theoretical and conceptual tools and methodological approaches – 10 pts
- Alignment between the program’s objectives, the chair’s objectives, and the planned program – 5 pts
- Feasibility of the timeline and alignment with the requested budget – 5 pts
*Une note de passage de 70 % est exigée pour ce critère d’évaluation.
Composition and coordination (20 pts)
- Presence, within the composition of the Chair, of all the necessary expertise to ensure the successful implementation of the program – 10 pts*
- Exemplarity of the proposed governance model (planned international coordination methods; pooling of material and human resources; representativeness of different territories; clarity of strategic vision; transparency of decision-making processes; sound financial management; etc.) – 10 pts
Training the next generation in science diplomacy (20 pts)
- Quality, diversity, and intensity of training and career development activities specifically aimed at students and postdoctoral fellows to enrich their education and prepare the next generation of researchers in the field – 10 pts
- Quality of initiatives undertaken in training and development of highly qualified personnel and, more generally, individuals working in the field of science diplomacy – 10 pts
Outcomes, impacts, and knowledge mobilization (20 pts)
- Potential of the chair to mobilize knowledge and ensure its transfer to ministries and public agencies, diplomacy actors, and the general public – 10 pts
- Ability of the chair to position Quebec as a leader in the field of science diplomacy, to increase international cooperation on issues of global importance, and to stimulate North-South collaborations – 10 pts
6. FUNDING
The FRQ commits to funding 6 to 8 chairs in science diplomacy up to $50,000 per chair per year over a period of 5 years. No amount is allocated for indirect costs of research.
Eligible expenses under this program must be directly related to the submitted scientific programming, and not to the ensuing projects, while respecting those listed in section 8 of the CGR. Additionally, exceptionally under this program, funding may be used for the salary support of a new professor taking the lead of the chair in science diplomacy.
Teaching release costs are authorized under this program for the person ensuring the scientific direction of the chair. A maximum of one release per person per year is allowed. The amount of these releases is at the discretion of the chairholder, but it must be taken from the grant and indicated in the budget forecasts so that the evaluation committee can ensure its relevance.
7. FOLLOW-UP AND REPORTING
The conditions regarding the announcement and management of funding are set out in Sections 5 to 8 of the CGR.
A mid-term follow-up visit will take place under the responsibility of the FRQ. This follow-up will consider the progress of the work based on the file initially submitted by the chairholders. The parameters and indicators on which this follow-up will be based will be communicated to the chairholders upon the award. At the end of this process and from the perspective of continuous improvement, the visiting committee will provide comments and possibly suggest courses of action. This committee may also recommend whether to extend the grant or make any other proposal it deems relevant under the circumstances.
During the funded period, a portfolio of peer-reviewed publications, disseminated in immediate open access (without embargo) and under an open license, must be produced, in accordance with the Open Access Dissemination Policy (revised in 2022). The number of publications it must contain depends on the count of all co-researchers, including the chairholder.
≤ 20
2 publications
between 21 and 30
3 publications
between 31 and 40
4 publications
≥ 41
5 publications
Each chair will be required to submit a final report three months after the end of the grant period, that is, by March 31, 2031.
By participating in the Science Diplomacy Research Chairs Program, the scientific director and co-researchers from Quebec are subject to the applicable ethics and integrity standards according to the context (section 5 of the CGR), as well as the FRQ’s Policy on Responsible Conduct in Research.
The principal international researcher and international co-researchers are subject to the research ethics standards and the scientific research integrity policy of their institution (or their funder, depending on the context). In the absence of such standards and policies, these researchers will be subject to the same research ethics and integrity rules as Quebec researchers.
8. EFFECTIVE DATE
These rules apply to the 2025-2026 fiscal year.