CIHR University Delegates News, October 11 Update

The following update has been prepared by Dr. Marianna Newkirk, Associate Dean (Research) and McGill's CIHR University Delegate. For any questions, Dr. Newkirk can be reached at marianna.newkirk [at] mcgill.ca.

Open operating grant competition (September)

• 2333 applications received (up from March 2012). CIHR is expected to fund 400.

Common CV

• Available on the CIHR CCV help site is a video which will provide assistance to reviewers; also running webinars.
• Ability for the PI to view the final version of their CV or the CVs of co-applicants at the grant submission stage is still an issue and this concern has been transmitted to the team working on it.
• CIHR is very aware that this was a nightmare for all and that it reflected very badly on them.

CIHR Reforms

• The next version of the design plan will be available widely in December 2012.
• Anticipated changes compared to the earlier version include:
  • Program style application: process still three-stage with two levels of “triage” and final stage is a face-to-face.
  • Project style application: process will be a two-stage, where the idea and the track record of the PI, as well as feasibility, will be evaluated at stage 1 where the major triage will occur with a face-to-face at stage 2. This is a change that is the result of all the feedback that they have received.
  • Evaluations at the face-to-face meetings will focus on those applications that fall in the grey zone, i.e. they won’t invest time on the triaged or truly exceptional applications.
• Given their experience with the CCV, they will ensure that the IT platforms used will be really robust prior to roll out.
• Earliest date now for a full roll out is anticipated for March 2014. They will likely pilot a component in the September 2013 OOGC.

Restructuring at CIHR

• Given the budget reduction to CIHR, layoffs have occurred and there has been a reshuffling of the programs and the people responsible.
• The CIHR website is up to date with all the changes.

SPOR

• Launch of some components of this program will be in early November.