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AGREEMENT OF COLLABORATION
ON PERSONNEL TRAINING
BETWEEN
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
AND
THE CANADIAN INSTITUTES OF HEALTH RESEARCH
THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA AND THE CANADIAN INSTITUTES OF HEALTH RESEARCH, hereinafter referred to as “the Participants”,
Description of Partners:
The Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China (MOE):
MOE is the central government body under the State Council, whose mandate includes the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies, guidelines and standards on education reform and development at all levels as well as international cooperation and exchanges in the education sector.
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR):
CIHR is Canada’s major federal funding agency for health research. Its objective is to excel, according to internationally accepted standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system.
Whereas the Participants have agreed to strengthen collaboration on personnel training in the future;
Now therefore, based on principles of trust, equality and mutual benefits, the Participants have reached the following understanding:
1. OBJECTIVES
The Participants will collaborate under this Agreement in the sector of health with the primary objectives to:
1) To enable students of outstanding academic merit and potential from the People’s Republic of China to pursue research leading to the degree of PhD at Canadian universities and their affiliated research institutes.
2) To facilitate exchanges of researchers and graduate students of Chinese Universities and Research Institutions with Canadian experts, and provide each of the Participants with opportunities to exchange scientific information.
3) To foster scientific collaboration and promote mutually beneficial joint projects amongst Chinese and Canadian Universities and Research Institutions.
2. IMPLEMENTATION AND COORDINATION
From the Chinese side, this Agreement will be coordinated by the Department of International Cooperation and Exchanges of MOE, and implemented by the China Scholarship Council (CSC).
From the Canadian side, this Agreement will be coordinated by CIHR’s International Relations Office and implemented by CIHR’s Research Capacity Development Branch.
Representatives from both sides will meet when necessary, at mutually agreed times and places, to review progress and recommend areas for collaboration, and coordinate administrative matters.
3. FORMS OF COLLABORATION
1) The Participants will set up a joint scholarship scheme, which will be tenable at all CIHR partner universities and affiliated research institutes in Canada and will be known as the Canada/China Health Research Scholarship Program.
CIHR will implement the Scholarships using its Strategic Training Initiative in Health Research (STIHR). Through the STIHR, CIHR funds Strategic Training Program Grants. Each Training Program consists of a group of excellent mentors/educators, accomplished in health research, who work collaboratively to offer a research training program of defined format and content to a group of trainees. Programs are recognized nationally for:
· The research excellence of the mentors, and their success in training health researchers
· The interdisciplinary nature of the programs
· Innovative and effective approaches to the training experience, which are advantageous to successful trainees when they enter the health research workforce
· Raising the national standard for best practices in training and dissemination of curriculum materials.
a) Number of Scholarships
There will be up to thirty (30)scholarships offered annually, each for tenure of four or five years, for research leading to the degree of PhD.
b) Funding Mechanism
CSC will provide each Canada/China Health Research Scholarship holder a living allowance (minimum of $14,400 per year) as prescribed from time to time by the Chinese Government (which includes Student Health Cover), a return airfare to Canada by the most economical route, and visa application fees. On the Canadian side, each potential Canada/China Health Research Scholarship holder accepted into a research training program supported by a CIHR Strategic Training Program Grant will receive a supplement to their living allowance from the grant sufficient to cover the cost of their tuition fees at a Canadian university. Certain Canadian universities may waive part or all of the tuition fees. The supplement from the grant will be sufficient to ensure that each scholarship holder will receive a total stipend of at least $17,850 per year to cover costs, including living expenses and tuition fees. This is the current minimum stipend for a PhD student being paid from a CIHR grant. The actual amount paid to a student depends on the grantee and could be higher depending upon factors such as the local cost of living and tuition fees at a particular university.
c) Areas of Study
The Scholarships are intended to enable candidates to pursue research leading to the degree of PhD in a broad variety of areas as determined by currently funded CIHR Strategic Training Program Grants.
d) Selection
The Participants will jointly identify selection criteria.
2) The Participants will promote the exchange of scientific and technical personnel;and,
3) The Participants will facilitate the process of having Canadian experts travel to China to give lectures and guidance on research and academic paper writing at Chinese Universities and Research Institutions.
4. COMING INTO EFFECT AND DURATION
This Agreement will come into effect on the date of the signature by both Participants, and will remain in effect for a period of five (5) years. It may be extended upon mutual written consent of the Participants.
This Agreement may be amended at any time by mutual written consent of the Participants.
Any Participant may terminate this Agreement by giving the other Participant a written notice, ninety (90) days in advance, of its decision to terminate this Agreement. Termination will not affect activities already underway at the time of termination.
5. ENFORCEABILITY AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION
The Participants acknowledge that this Agreement shall not be legally binding or enforceable.
Any conflict arising out of the interpretation or implementation of this Agreement will be settled amicably by the Participants by consultation.
SIGNED in duplicate, in the Chinese and English languages, by exchanging of letters by the Participants. Each version is equally valid.
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FOR THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA
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FOR THE CANADIAN INSTITUTES OF HEALTH RESEARCH
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Zhang Xinsheng
Vice Minister
Ministry of Education
P. R. China
DATE
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Alan Bernstein
President
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
DATE
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