Canada is quickly advancing efforts to respond to the current COVID-19 pandemic both at home and around the globe. Last week, Prime Minister Trudeau launched a CAD $1.1 billion medical research strategy.

As part of this response, the Canadian High Commission in London has shared information with Warwick regarding a COVID-19 Rapid Research Funding Opportunity which was recently launched by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and its partners.

Whilst UK universities cannot access Canadian funding, it does provide the opportunity for international collaborators to align proposals and seek extensions for existing projects, or for Canadians to bid for funding to join international projects. Such a collaboration may also enhance a bid to UKRI/ NIHR’s open calls for research and innovation ideas to address COVID-19.

Professor Carsten Maple, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (North America) who is leading the University’s strategy development and implementation in Canada and the US commented:

‘Even in these challenging times, it is crucially important that we continue to pro-actively build on existing links, and take advantage of new opportunities to collaborate with North American partners in order to position us well in a post-Brexit, and indeed, post-pandemic, international research landscape’.

Professor Kerry Kirwan, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research (Knowledge Exchange and Partnerships) added:

'This is an interesting opportunity to collaborate with Canadian partners, and a useful reminder of the relevance and added value that can come from international research partnerships to leverage efforts and increase the timeliness, efficiency, and impact of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic'.

Colleagues interested in exploring this opportunity should contact Emily Lim in International Strategy and Relations to find out more about the High Commission’s matchmaking service.