Evaluation of the France-Canada Research Fund (December 2013)
The France-Canada Research Fund (FCRF) is designed to support joint Franco-Canadian high-level research projects by financing student, PhD and researcher mobility schemes. The FCRF was created in 2000 at the initiative of the French embassy in Canada and a consortium of leading Canadian universities to boost and structure bilateral scientific cooperation.
More than 10 years after its creation, an initial evaluation was necessary to pinpoint the strengths and weaknesses of this instrument. This analysis, which confirms the quality of Franco-Canadian relations, has helped identify avenues for improvement in terms of strategic orientation, governance, efficiency and the marshalling of funds.
The evaluation, entrusted to an external consultancy, was carried out based on the documentation provided for the most part by the Directorate-General of Global Affairs, Development and Partnerships of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, by the French embassy in Canada and by the University of Ottawa, which manages the FCRF. It was supplemented by interviews held in France and Canada of all stakeholders in the fund.
The evaluation conclusions and recommendations should enable the FCRF to adapt to the challenges of the next decade.
