Article

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

Published Online April 5, 2009

Last Edited December 16, 2013

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is Canada's federal funding agency for university-based research and graduate training in the social sciences and humanities.

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) is Canada's federal funding agency for university-based research and graduate training in the social sciences and humanities. Its clientele consists of approximately 54% of the full-time professors and 55% of the full-time graduate students at Canadian universities.

SSHRC's mission includes supporting high-quality research and research training designed to help Canadians understand the evolving nature of our society and address emerging challenges and opportunities. It also extends the benefits of research by promoting the transfer of knowledge among researchers, research partners, policy-makers and other stakeholders within Canadian society.

SSHRC has a staff of 200, based in Ottawa. Its 2008-09 budget (approved by Parliament) was approximately $319 million. The type of research funded ranges from proposals of individual scholars to major collaborative research initiatives involving networks or teams of researchers in universities and their community partners. The SSHRC's priorities include to: invest in the renewal and continued excellence of Canadian research in the social sciences and humanities; support advanced, high-quality research training and an effective research training environment; ensure that knowledge generates benefits for Canadians; sustain a strong and balanced research environment; and strengthen SSHRC's governance and internal operations.

Created in 1977 by an Act of Parliament, SSHRC began operations 1 Apr 1978, taking over the programs previously administered by the CANADA COUNCIL's humanities and social sciences division. Its other federally funded sister research councils are the CANADIAN INSTITUTES OF HEALTH RESEARCH and the NATURAL SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING RESEARCH COUNCIL. SSHRC is governed by an appointed council selected from the academic community and other groups. It reports to Parliament through the Minister of Industry.