Evaluation of the Vanier CGS Program - Summary
About the Vanier CGS Program
- The Government of Canada launched the Vanier CGS program in 2008 to strengthen Canada's ability to attract and retain the world's top doctoral students.
- Valued at $50,000 per year for three years with a167 new awards annually.
- Open to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and foreign citizens; administered by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
- Final competition held in 2024-25 as program transitions to the harmonized Canada Research Training Award Suite (CRTAS).
Results: What we found
- The Vanier program has had a positive but modest impact on recipients' career outcomes, recognition, and research contributions as career trajectories were not markedly different than applicants consistent with findings from previous evaluations.
- The design of the Vanier program limited inclusivity and international recruitment and affected the program's reach and impact highlighting the importance of a flexible, equitable design and monitoring barriers to access posed by quotas and nomination processes.
- Despite the Vanier program's modest incremental impact on recipient careers and recognition, there is a need for continued doctoral support to develop research leaders in Canada as well as the long-term tracking of the outcomes of CRTAS recipients and applicants.
Recommended Actions and Management Response
-
The CRTAS needs to monitor whether the changes made to improve inclusivity, access, and diversity reduce barriers.
Management Response: Agree. Agencies will improve data collection and implement CRTAS indicators to monitor inclusivity.
-
The CRTAS has retained specific design elements that posed challenges for the Vanier CGS Program (e.g., the quota and institutional review model). These elements should be assessed to ensure they are not limiting access.
Management Response: Agree. Agencies will review quota vs. non-quota outcomes and pilot changes if inequities are found.
-
The CRTAS needs to establish performance baselines for the Canada Graduate Research Scholarship-Doctoral (CGRS-D). The Vanier CGS Program evaluation data can inform these baselines.
Management Response: Agree. Agencies will set CGRS-D performance baselines under the CRTAS performance measurement strategy.
-
The CRTAS should ensure there is a mechanism in place to track trainees (including applicants) and link funding data across tri-agencies.
Management Response: Agree. Agencies will create unique applicant identifiers for tracking and linking data.
-
The CRTAS Performance Measurement Strategy needs to include an end of award report along with 5-year follow ups as data sources to ensure availability of data for immediate, intermediate and longer-term outcomes.
Management Response: Agree. Agencies will implement a CRTAS performance measurement strategy with End of Award Reports and 5- and 10-year Career Surveys.
About the Evaluation
CIHR's Evaluation Unit conducted a targeted and rapid evaluation that meets CRTAS program authorities and requirements of the Policy on Results and focused on lessons learned and longer-term outcomes to inform CRTAS implementation.
- As the third evaluation, it built on the 2014 and 2021 evaluations and focused on the first four cohorts (2008-09 to 2011-12) which are 10+ years post award. Covered the period from 2019-20 to 2024-25
- Methods included analyses of documents and administrative data; review of end of award reports, and a tracker survey of Vanier award recipients and applicants.
Associated Links
- Date modified: