New Mitacs-CIFAR Global Excellence Awards stream will support industry-focused postdoctoral fellowships and strengthen Canada’s research competitiveness

CIFAR is partnering with Mitacs, an organization that drives industry-academic collaboration, to support up to 10 Mitacs-CIFAR Global Excellence Award recipients. The new stream, under the Mitacs Accelerate Global Excellence Award program, is designed to attract outstanding international postdoctoral fellows and PhD graduates to Canada.

Through this joint initiative, scholars training under CIFAR fellows will have the opportunity to apply for the Global Excellence Award while also engaging in CIFAR’s Next Generation programming. The partnership brings together Mitacs’ expertise in industry-focused research training and CIFAR’s global research networks to support the next generation of research leaders.

The Mitacs Accelerate Global Excellence Award is a competitive, two-year award valued at $170,000 that supports the relocation and integration of postdoctoral fellows and PhD graduates into Canada’s research and innovation ecosystem. Awardees receive funding for stipend, research and relocation expenses, while working in collaboration with Canadian industry partners.

“Canada’s future competitiveness and prosperity depend on our ability to attract and develop exceptional research talent,” said Stephen J. Toope, President & CEO of CIFAR. “By combining Mitacs’ industry-research focus with CIFAR’s global research networks and next-gen programming, this partnership strengthens the bridge between discovery and innovation, and helps position Canada as the convenor for outstanding research and impact.”

“The new Mitacs Accelerate Global Excellence Award exemplifies our commitment to developing top talent both within Canada and on a global scale. Mitacs is pleased to partner with the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research (CIFAR) to offer additional fellowships. Through this award, we’re strengthening Canada’s ability to attract and retain talent, and furthering our global competitiveness for a strong and resilient future,” said Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO of Mitacs.

For over 25 years, Mitacs has helped grow the economy and develop the workforce of tomorrow, connecting industry with academia and global partners to solve real-world challenges. It supports business-academic research collaboration through internships, co-funded with businesses, for undergraduate to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. 

Through its 15 research programs, CIFAR convenes more than 500 of the world’s top researchers from 167 institutions, spanning 6 continents. Its community of Fellows, Chairs, Scholars and Advisors is among the most highly cited in the world, including 26 Nobel Prize laureates and 6 Turing Award winners.

Applications are now open until May 1, 2026.