University Prizes and Awards Strategy

Concordia University has developed a multi-level approach and overall strategy for external prizes and awards that is modelled on best practices described by the Government of Canada under the Global Excellence Initiative. It also takes into account equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) commitments on best practices described under the Canada Research Chairs Program.

The President of Concordia is responsible for external prizes and awards at the University level, with operational oversight exercised by the Office of the Vice-President, Research, Innovation, and Impact (OVPRII). Direct oversight and management is the responsibility of the Associate Vice-President Research, Development and Outreach, supported by the Director, Research Development and the Advisor, Institutional Recognition Initiatives. Associate Deans, Research, working with Faculty-level Prizes and Awards Committees or Faculty Research Committees, support the identification and nomination of a diverse pool of candidates and ensure alignment with best practices for candidate selection.

The internal structures and processes by which Concordia is embedding EDI considerations within its nomination process for awards and prizes are outlined below.

University level

At the University level, a University Prizes and Awards Committee (UPAC) – comprised of members of the University Research Committee plus two additional members with added awards experience – is responsible for providing high-level guidance and oversight of the external prizes and awards nomination process. More specifically, the UPAC meets twice per year and is responsible for:

1. Reviewing bi-annual reports on nominations and outcomes issued by the OVPRII which track Concordia’s performance and nominations to date, and benchmark that against other institutions;
2. Providing guidance on Concordia’s overall external prizes and awards strategy, including considerations related to institutional capacity as well as alignment with current and emerging best practices, particularly those related to EDI and the principles of inclusive excellence.

At the Faculty level, Associate Deans, Research, working with Faculty-level Prizes and Awards Committees or Faculty Research Committees, are responsible for:

1. Supporting the identification and nomination of a diverse pool of stellar candidates
2. Ensuring alignment with the Canada Research Chairs Program’s best practices for candidate selection, and specifically that it:
   • fairly considers the impact of leaves on a potential nominee’s record when assessing research outputs, including potential career slowdowns as individuals transition to being on leave and transition back to work;
   • ensures that the assessment process does not undervalue scholarship or research that is non-traditional or unconventional, based in Indigenous ways of knowing, outside the mainstream of the discipline, or focused on issues of gender, race or minority status;
   • ensures that the need for workplace accommodations is not used as a negative against a potential nominee in the assessment process
3. Providing advice and input to the UPAC, as well as responding to their guidance.

At the Department level, Associate Deans, Research, working with Department Chairs and the OVPRII, are responsible for:

1. Soliciting departmental-level nominee proposals,
2. Encouraging and supporting peer and self-nominations.