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How do I find a supervisor for my Mitacs outbound GRA project?

Here are some useful tips provided on the Mitacs website to help you find a supervisor in a university in a Mitacs eligible country.

1. Consult with your Canadian professor

The best place to start is a Concordia professor, whether your supervisor or another professor in your department or faculty. Professors have broad international networks and may have colleagues in your country of interest. They can also help you connect with other professors who’ve previously worked in an eligible partner country, or they can reach out to Canadian or international colleagues who might be interested in supervising your project.

2. Talk to a colleague

Your classmates could also be a great source for connecting with a potential professor. International classmates from your preferred destination may know a suitable professor, and Canadian classmates with international research experience could also help you identify (or better yet, put you in touch with) a potential supervisor.

You might consider asking contacts from a conference, whether they’re fellow students, professors, or other researchers in your field.

3. Research professors working in your discipline in eligible partner countries

You can also put your research skills to use by exploring universities in your preferred destination, and identifying professors working in your area of interest. We suggest narrowing down your preferred country or countries, eligible universities, and professors working in your research area. You’ll end up with a shortlist of potential professors.

After these steps, you should be ready to contact potential professors directly. We recommend introducing yourself and your research, and explaining why you’re interested in a potential collaboration. 

If you’ve secured a Canadian professor for your application, ask them for advice on how to craft an engaging email and include them on any communications so that potential international professors know that your project has local faculty support.