The Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships Program - Management Action Plan (MAP)

Recommendation Response (Agree/Disagree) Management Action Plan Responsibility Timeline
1. The Banting PDF program should consider adjusting key features of the award (e.g., award value, allowances and duration) to remain prestigious and competitive in comparison to other international programs. Agree Based on the direction established by Budget 2024, and in conjunction with the Tri-Agency Training Strategy initiative, the enhanced suite of scholarships and fellowship programs will be streamlined into one talent program. Consequently, the agencies will assess and determine the key features of the Banting award to help design a new harmonized Tri-Agency postdoctoral level program to make the latter prestigious and competitive in comparison to other international programs. Vice-President/Associate Vice-President, Research Programs/Operations, Canadian Institutes of Health Research supported by Vice-Presidents of Programs at NSERC and SSHRC FY 2025-26
2. The Banting PDF program needs to clarify its objective of attracting international candidates to meet the program’s target of 50% international nominations. Agree As a result of Budget 2024’s directive to streamline the suite of scholarships and fellowship into one talent program, and the impending sunset of the Banting program, the agencies will use the learnings from the Banting program evaluation to establish and clarify the objectives of a new harmonized Tri-agency postdoctoral program with respect to attracting international candidates. Vice-President /Associate Vice-President, Research Programs/Operations Supported by Vice-Presidents of Programs at NSERC and SSHRC FY 2025-26
3. The Banting PDF program should take steps to increase awareness of the award among the international research community, including enhancing current activities and the monitoring of these activities. Agree While learnings from the Banting program evaluation will inform the design of the new harmonized Tri-agency postdoctoral program that will be established as a result of the Budget 2024 announcement, the agencies will review the current outreach and communication strategy for training programs and will identify the steps required to increase awareness of this new postdoctoral award among the international research community. Vice-President /Associate Vice-President, Research Programs/Operations Supported by Vice-Presidents of Programs at NSERC and SSHRC FY 2025-26
4. The Banting PDF program should develop specific leadership development and mentorship program elements during the tenure of the fellowship to better develop Banting PDF recipients’ leadership potential and position them as future research leaders. Agree Learnings from the Banting program evaluation will inform the identification and implementation of the new harmonized Tri-agency postdoctoral program elements to better develop award recipients’ leadership potential. Vice-President /Associate Vice-President, Research Programs/Operations Supported by Vice-Presidents of Programs at NSERC and SSHRC FY 2025-26

5. The Banting PDF program should streamline application and selection processes, to standardize institutional nomination processes to ensure transparency, including:

  • Define and improve measurement of leadership and research excellence using an EDI lens in order to ensure alignment with the Tri-agencies’ strategic priorities related to research excellence and EDI.
  • Reduce weight of synergy with host institution as review criterion.
  • Review program features, including the window of eligibility and mobility requirement, to ensure that barriers are reduced for disadvantaged groups.
 Agree Based on learnings from the Banting program evaluation, and contingent on the direction of the Tri-Agency Training Strategy, the agencies will undertake an examination of potential EDI barriers in the current suite of postdoctoral programs and address them within the design and delivery of the new harmonized Tri-agency postdoctoral program that will be established as a result of the Budget 2024 announcement. Vice-President /Associate Vice-President, Research Programs/Operations Supported by Vice-Presidents of Programs at NSERC and SSHRC FY 2025-26
6. The Banting PDF program needs to improve end of award reporting to improve assessment of program performance and barriers to access. Agree Based on learnings from the Banting program evaluation, and contingent on the direction of the Tri-Agency Training Strategy, the agencies will identify steps needed to improve end of award reporting to allow for enhanced assessment of program performance and barriers to access. Vice-President /Associate Vice-President, Research Programs/Operations Supported by Vice-Presidents of Programs at NSERC and SSHRC FY 2025-26
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