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New CSC agreements open opportunities for postdoctoral and undergraduate research collaboration
By Randy LieversDecember 18, 2013
The University of Alberta will have new opportunities to attract top research talent from China at both the postdoctoral fellow and undergraduate level.
Two new mobility agreements were recently formalized with the China Scholarship Council (CSC) to boost the number of sponsored postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate research interns from China.
“Internationalizing our research and collaborating with expertise from around the world is imperative at levels of our institution, all the way from eager undergraduate students excited to get their first practical research experience, to seasoned postdoctoral fellows looking to advance their careers,” says Britta Baron, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President (International).
“We’re thrilled to provide an avenue of learning for these two new cohorts of researchers from China and we’re equally thrilled to provide valuable, mentorship opportunities for our faculty. These students and postdocs will be some of the very best young researchers that China has to offer. They will certainly complement the tremendous discovery and learning already happening within our research centres and networks.”
The first agreement will see CSC-sponsored postdoctoral fellows conduct research at UAlberta for up to 24 months under the supervision of a UAlberta faculty member. The CSC will fund the stipends of fellows, plus provide living allowances and travel costs. UAlberta will provide research resources and equipment, such as office space, lab facilities, and access to computer and library networks.
Candidates for CSC postdoctoral funding must meet the qualifications outlined by UAlberta faculty members and be formally invited, as with any other postdoctoral appointment. The University of Alberta already has two CSC-funded postdocs, however the new agreement is meant to formalize and foster increase participation and capacity.
The second agreement provides research internship placements for up to 30 top senior undergraduate students from select Chinese universities. The students will engage in projects posted by UAlberta professors through the University of Alberta Research Experience (UARE) program. The CSC will fully fund the students and cover travel costs. This agreement also formalizes and encourages greater mobility. In 2013, UAlberta hosted 15 CSC-sponsored undergraduate research interns.
The new agreements build upon an already-strong relationship between UAlberta and the CSC, particularly in doctoral student mobility.
The University of Alberta has welcomed an average of 30 new full-time doctoral students with CSC scholarships each year, for the last for years—plus numerous visiting doctoral students who on short-term, visiting research placements.
Other connections include:
- In 2010, UAlberta and the CSC jointly coordinated the Canada-China Academic Forum: Quality and Relevance in Graduate Studies at the University of Alberta. Administrators from the top universities in China and Canada attended, along with government and granting council representatives. A follow-up forum, the Canada-China Academic Forum: Innovation in Graduate Studies, was held in 2012 at Sichuan University. A third forum is planned for 2014 at a difference Canadian university, although UAlberta will play a strong coordinating role.
- In 2011, 23 CSC-funded professors came to UAlberta for training in the Faculty of Extension’s English Language Program. Another cohort came in 2012 for Extension’s Teaching in English (TIE) program.
- In 2012, 26 senior university administrators from China participated in a UAlberta-delivered university management program. Two more cohorts of Chinese university administrators came to UAlberta in 2013 for similar academic leadership training.
According to the CSC, it sponsored a total of 253 new students and scholars to either study at or visit UAlberta in 2013, making the University of Alberta the top recipient of CSC-sponsored students and scholars in Canada.
“Our university has been a leader in Canada in the sponsored student arena and these new agreements are two more accomplishments we can be proud of,” says Baron.
“Sponsored students are an important pillar of our international strategy. They bring a wealth of knowledge and fresh ideas to our institution and allow our faculty to leverage their limited research dollars in other areas. It’s a win-win situation for all.”
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