All institutions must ensure that their recruitment and nomination processes for Canada Research Chairs are transparent, open and equitable, as outlined in the Guidelines for Ensuring a Fair and Transparent Recruitment and Nomination Process. This applies to the nomination of new chairs (whether the chair position is used to retain current researchers or to recruit new researchers to the institution), as well as to the advancement of a Tier 2 chairholder to a Tier 1 Chair.
As outlined on our website, institutions must ensure that the language relating to eligibility for Tier 2 Chairs in their Canada Research Chair postings is neither misleading nor exclusionary.
Tier 2 Chair position postings should do the following:
- Encourage applications from all eligible candidates, and not imply that Tier 2 Chairs are exclusive to candidates who are, at the time of nomination, no more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree. Where breaks in the candidate’s research career exist due to maternity or parental leave, extended sick leave, clinical training, family care, etc., the Tier 2 justification process may be used to review a candidate’s eligibility. Postings should acknowledge the option available to potential applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree and/or where applicable exceptional circumstances are present, to have their eligibility reviewed through the Tier 2 justification process.
- Separate the specific eligibility criteria required by the institution from that required by the Canada Research Chairs Program (as outlined on the Canada Research Chairs website). For example, while universities may require that applicants hold a PhD for a given position, this is not a program requirement (i.e., some chairs may hold other terminal degrees, or a combination of degrees, that render them eligible for the program). Postings should avoid statements such as “In accordance with the regulations set out for Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs, the candidate will hold a PhD (obtained within the last 10 years).”
The Chairs Secretariat suggests using the following wording for postings:
- Tier 2 Chairs are intended for exceptional emerging scholars (i.e., candidates must have less than 10 years of experience as an active researcher in their field at the time of nomination).
- Applicants who are more than 10 years from having earned their highest degree (and where career breaks exist, such as maternity, parental or extended sick leave, clinical training, etc.) may have their eligibility for a Tier 2 Chair assessed through the program’s Tier 2 justification process. Please contact the research grants office for more information.
- Please consult the Canada Research Chairs website for full program information, including further details on eligibility criteria.
- Insert list of institutional eligibility criteria for posting.
- For more information regarding eligibility criteria, please consult the Canada Research Chairs website.
We would ask that the wording in any Tier 2 CRC postings that are currently being advertised be modified accordingly (and that all future postings take this into consideration).
Reminder: The Chairs Secretariat monitors the institutions’ adherence to the CRC program’s recruitment and nomination guidelines, and reserves the right to ask institutions to provide, at any time within the 24 months following the nomination, documentation (as outlined in the Chairs Administration Guide) attesting that the process used to recruit chairholders was transparent, open and equitable.
Thank you,
Michèle Boutin
Executive Director