Sponsor

The Office of the Governor General and the Rideau Hall Foundation.

Description

Universities Canada invites nominations for the 2023 Governor General's Innovation Awards‎. Universities Canada is a nominating partner of the Governor General’s Innovation Awards and will be submitting nominations on behalf of its member institutions. 

The objectives of the Governor General’s Innovation Awards are to celebrate excellence in innovation across all sectors of Canadian society and inspire Canadians, particularly Canadian youth, to be entrepreneurial innovators.

The Awards are given to individuals, teams and/or organizations whose innovations are:

  • Truly exceptional;
  • Transformative; and,
  • Positive in their impact on quality of life in Canada.

The awards are not intended for lifetime achievement or innovations that have not yet demonstrated impact - the innovation must have demonstrated impact. By recognizing active, current innovators across the breadth of our economy and society, the Awards help foster an active culture that celebrates innovation that is having a meaningful impact on our lives.

In addition to being assessed on whether the innovations are truly exceptional and transformative, and are having an active and positive impact on society, nominations are assessed based on the following specific selection criteria:

  • Inspiration – how the process leading to this innovation, its implementation and its developer(s) inspire future innovators in Canada
  • Leadership – evidence of initiative, collaboration, risk-taking and problem-solving in the process of developing and implementing the innovation
  • Impact – quantifiable demonstration of the impact the innovation is having because of its successful implementation in the sector, economy, society or culture​

Eligibility

Up to six award winners are chosen each year. The Nominees can be at any stage in their life or career.

The innovations for which nominees are proposed must be demonstrably having an active impact in the economy or society.

Nominations are sought through a national network of organizations that have been designated as nominating partners.

Nominees must be living Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Posthumous nominations are not eligible. Nominees may be from any sector of activity – the arts, sciences, business, not-for-profit or community-based, for example.

Prize

Six recipients from across Canada are recognized for their groundbreaking work and excellence in innovation.

Special Notes

Please note that research activities carried out in the context of COVID-19 need to adhere to the University of Guelph COVID-19 research principles, policies, guidelines and processes as they may be updated from time to time and communicated on the Office of Research web-page.

Deadlines

If College-level review is required, your College will communicate its earlier internal deadlines.

TypeDateNotes
Internal Deadline

If you wish to be considered for VPR nomination: 

  1. We recommend discussing your interest in this award with your College Research Manager and Associate Dean (Research).
  2. Complete the Expression of Interest document
  3. Send the completed Expression of Interest document and a CV to research.honours@uoguelph.ca and copy your College Research Manager. 

Career interruptions due to parental leave, family care, extended illness, or community responsibilities will not negatively impact the committee’s assessment of a candidate’s research productivity. These will be taken into consideration when EOIs are assessed.

External Deadline

The University will submit its nomination to Universities Canada, a Governor General's Award for Innovation nominating partner.  

How to Apply

The Vice-President (Research) encourages nominations for this prestigious award, and will serve as nominator for those nominees recommended by the Honours and Awards Advisory Committee. If you wish to nominate a colleague or to be considered for VPR nomination:

  1. We recommend discussing your interest in this award with your College Research Manager and Associate Dean (Research).
  2. Complete the Expression of Interest document
  3. Send the completed Expression of Interest document and a CV to research.honours@uoguelph.ca and copy your College Research Manager by the internal deadline.

Career interruptions due to parental leave, family care, extended illness, or community responsibilities will not negatively impact the committee’s assessment of a candidate’s research productivity. These will be taken into consideration when EOIs are assessed.

For More Information

For more information please contact research.honours@uoguelph.ca or visit the Governor General's Innovation Awards website.

Alert Classifications
Category:
Honours and Awards

Disciplines:
Health and Life Sciences
Humanities
Information and Communications Technology
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Social Sciences