The VPRI has transitioned to an online application process for its internal research competitions.
The streamlined online platform, UBC Research + Innovation Apply, is easy to use, eliminates fillable PDF application forms, and allows research teams to develop applications collaboratively and save draft versions before submission. To apply for VPRI’s internal research competitions:
- Applicants simply log in at https://apply.research.ubc.ca using their Campus Wide Login (CWL).
- Select the competition they wish to apply for and follow the simple instructions.
- Applications can be saved at any point and completed at a later date before final submission and downloaded as a PDF at any time for review.
- Lead principal investigators must initiate and submit the application, and can invite others to contribute.
- In the event that co-applicants are external to UBC, please contact Stacey Herzer to set up short-term guest access.
- After an application has been submitted, confirmation of receipt is sent to the applicant via email. The application is now ready for peer review.
For additional support regarding UBC Research + Innovation Apply, please contact Stacey Herzer, Manager, Internal Research Competitions.
Peer Review Process
The VPRI is committed to incorporating inclusive excellence and supporting research excellence throughout our internal research competitions processes. Our peer-review process is generally modelled after Tri-Agency best practices and incorporates our values of integrity, rigour, and fairness in order to support top-quality research.
Our peer-review process is conducted using the following steps:
1. Strike a diverse and balanced interdisciplinary review panel and match them with applications
Care is taken to invite reviewers with diverse perspectives and experience including, career stage, race, ethnicity, and gender so that the finalized review panel is well-balanced.
- Invite reviewers who are well-versed in research areas that directly align with those of the notices of intent and applications received.
- Reviewers are primarily UBC faculty, but may also include faculty from other universities, or experienced consultants specializing in grant review.
- Each application is assigned up to three reviewers, making sure to avoid conflicts of interest.
- Reviewers independently assess the assigned applications and provide their initial scores for the review panel meeting.
2. Hold in-person or virtual review meetings
- Review panels for our primary programs typically meet in person.
Note: Peer-review for competitions held between March 2020 to July 2021 were reviewed virtually due to COVID-19 restrictions.
- Panel formats are tailored to the size of our funding programs
- Large competitions (e.g., Grants for Catalyzing Research Clusters) have multiple review panels, where applications are ranked in each panel independent of one another; funding is then typically determined proportionally.
- Small competitions (e.g., UBC Collaborative Research Mobility Awards) are reviewed virtually and without a panel meeting.
- Each of the assigned reviewers is encouraged to share unbiased feedback and discuss the application with the rest of the panel.
Note: Some applications with non-competitive initial scores are excluded from panel discussion (i.e., triaged) to ensure adequate time is devoted to discussing competitive applications.
- After a robust discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of the application, the assigned reviewers agree on a revised consensus score which sets the range for the panel to vote.
- All panel members, excluding those with conflicts of interest, anonymously vote on the final score within a range of +/- 0.5 from the consensus score. The final score is the average of all provided scores.
- After all non-triaged applications are discussed, the panel finalizes the application rank and budget.
- The panel Chair provides the finalized rankings to leadership for approval.