Archived - CIHR Three-Year Implementation Plan and Progress Report 2010–13

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Health Research Roadmap: Creating innovative research for better health and health care

Table of Contents

President's Message

About CIHR

Strategic Directions:

1. Invest in World-Class Research
   • Goal 1: Train, retain and sustain outstanding health researchers
   • Goal 2: Select and sustain research excellence
   • Goal 3: Promote interdisciplinary and international innovation
2. Address Health and Health System Research Priorities
   • Goal 1: Improve focus, coherence and impact from CIHR’s strategic investments
   • Goal 2: Build strategies and initiatives that address health and health system priorities
3. Accelerate the Capture of Health and Economic Benefits of Health Research
   • Goal 1: Reap the socioeconomic benefits from research through KT and partnerships
   • Goal 2: Enhance the application of research and its evaluation
4. Achieve Organizational Excellence, Foster Ethics and Demonstrate Impact
   • Goal 1: Advance organizational excellence and ensure transparency and accountability
   • Goal 2: Evaluate the overall success of CIHR
   • Goal 3: Foster a culture of ethical research by promoting and assisting the discussion and application of ethical principles to health research
   • Goal 4: Assess progress and impact by demonstrating the impacts of CIHR investments

President’s Message

As highlighted in CIHR’s 2009-14 Strategic Plan, Health Research Roadmap: Creating innovative research for better health and health care, we are committed to providing Canada’s health research community with a clear overview of strategies and priorities that will be acted upon. This Implementation Plan highlights activities CIHR will undertake over the next three years to implement the Strategic Plan. It also outlines some of the key results achieved over the course of the 2009-10 fiscal year. In subsequent years, the results achieved will reflect the performance measures identified in this document.

This Implementation Plan is CIHR’s first and is therefore a prototype. A refresh of this Implementation Plan will be developed on an annual basis. Each year the plan will bring focus to short-term actions and deliverables and will provide updates on how each strategic direction has been addressed by highlighting measurable progress for greater transparency and accountability, essential for CIHR to maintain its status as a leading-edge organization.

The successful development of this first Implementation Plan is a result of the ongoing support received from CIHR staff and each of our 13 Institutes. Numerous internal consultations took place to ensure that the appropriate initiatives and activities are accurately reported in the following pages so that this document becomes a clear planning and progress report.

I thank all those involved in the development of this first Implementation Plan and I am looking forward to your feedback and support.

Alain Beaudet, MD, PhD
President
Canadian Institutes of Health Research

About CIHR

Mandate

CIHR’s mandate 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." (Bill C-13, April 13, 2000)

Vision

CIHR’s vision is to position Canada as a world leader in the creation and use of health research knowledge that benefits Canadians and the global community.

Achieving the mandate and vision

Established in 2000, CIHR promotes a solutions-focused, multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to health research. Its unique structure brings together researchers from across disciplinary and geographic boundaries through its 13 Institutes. Currently, CIHR supports more than 13,600 health researchers and trainees in universities, teaching hospitals and other health organizations and research centres across the country. The agency supports health research in a transparent process that meets the highest international standards of excellence and ethics in four research areas: biomedical; clinical; health systems and services; and the social, cultural and environmental factors that affect the health of populations.

Institutes

CIHR’s 13 Institutes share responsibility for achieving the fundamental objective of CIHR and have their own distinct strategic plans that are aligned with the overarching directions, mandate and vision of CIHR. The Institutes promote and build upon Canada’s firm foundation of research excellence, engage the research community and encourage interdisciplinary, integrative health research and knowledge translation. Through their Scientific Directors and Institute Advisory Boards and under the oversight and guidance of CIHR’s Governing Council, the Institutes work with stakeholders to forge a health research agenda across disciplines, sectors, and regions that embraces scientific opportunity and reflects the emerging health needs of Canadians, the evolution of the health-care system and the information needs of health policy decision makers.

CIHR’s 13 Institutes:

Aboriginal Peoples’ Health
Aging
Cancer Research
Circulatory and Respiratory Health
Gender and Health
Genetics
Health Services and Policy Research
Human Development, Child and Youth Health
Infection and Immunity
Musculoskeletal Health and Arthritis
Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction
Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes
Population and Public Health

Strategic Directions:

1. Invest in World-Class Research

Goal 1: Train, retain and sustain outstanding health researchers

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Attract and retain the best health research trainees	Number and type of trainees supported by CIHR	Conduct a scan of CIHR support for trainees
		Design and implement reforms to enhance CIHR support for trainees
Attract and retain the best postdoctoral fellows	Number and type of postdoctoral fellows supported	Implement the prestigious postdoctoral fellowship program announced in Budget 2010
Attract and retain the best early career researchers	Number and type of early career researchers supported	Design and implement reforms to enhance support for early career researchers
Break down professional and sectoral barriers in health research and prepare young researchers for various labour markets	Diversity of academic and professional backgrounds of trainees (graduate students), postdoctoral fellows and early career researchers supported Diversity of post-training academic and non-academic career paths of CIHR-supported trainees	Harmonize Vanier scholarships program delivery with NSERC and SSHRC

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

• Developed a strategy to support training graduate students abroad
• Initiated environmental scan of support for trainees in Canada
• Launched revised Science to Business training program

Goal 2: Select and sustain research excellence

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Strengthen peer review	Number and type of experts belonging to College of Reviewers	Establish a College of Reviewers
	Number and type of reviewers participating in panels	Develop and implement a training and evaluation process for peer reviewers
		Make enhancements to peer review processes
Improve funding mechanisms to support health research	Scope and excellence of research supported	Assess current suite of funding mechanisms and identify best international practices
		Design and implement reforms to research funding mechanisms ensuring an appropriate balance between sustainability and creativity

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

• Redesigned CIHR’s peer review website
• Consolidated peer review recruitment functions across CIHR
• Standardized peer review recruitment processes
• Integrated the Randomized Controlled Trials funding tool with the Open Operating Grants Program
• Initiated an evaluation of the Open Operating Grants Program
• Initiated planning to transfer integrated knowledge translation programs into the open suite of programs

Goal 3: Promote interdisciplinary and international innovation

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Attract and retain the best international scholars and experts to Canada	Number and quality of international researchers recruited	Review and reform funding programs to attract and retain international researchers
Increase number of international partners investing with CIHR	Amounts invested by CIHR and leveraged in international partnerships	Develop and implement a new CIHR international strategy
		Foster key international partnerships
		Lead the development of international health research consortia
Facilitate health research capacity building in low- and middle-income countries	Amounts and type of investments by CIHR in building research capacity in low- and middle-income countries	Develop and implement a global health research strategy

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

• Launched new Chairs of Excellence in Research competition
• Initiated development of CIHR’s International Strategy
• Funded research projects for the Canada-California cancer stem cell competition
• Launched Canada-France-Quebec Alzheimer’s initiative
• Established a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
• Signed MOU as founding member of Global Alliance on Chronic Diseases (GACD)
• Launched funding opportunity with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on childhood obesity
• Funded six interdisciplinary projects with Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)
• Launched several programs and co-funded research with the Academy of Finland (AF)
• Developed CIHR principles for global health research

2. Address Health and Health System Research Priorities

Goal 1: Improve focus, coherence and impact from CIHR’s strategic investments

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Establish a comprehensive process for selecting strategic priorities	Highly focused strategic initiatives that are aligned with Roadmap with clear objectives, robust performance indicators and sufficient funding to succeed	Develop and implement a new strategic investment planning process
		Develop and implement a program design framework
Identify and launch strategic initiatives with clear and measurable objectives that are aligned to strategic priorities and designed to achieve the desired impact		Identify and launch strategic initiatives
		Monitor and evaluate strategic initiatives

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

• Developed and initiated implementation of a program design framework
• Established a new strategic investment planning process
• Completed environmental scans of each of the five health research priorities identified in Roadmap
• Assessed 60 potential strategic initiatives in terms of alignment, impact and likelihood of success
• Selected 13 initiatives to be further developed and moved to the next phase in the approval process

Goal 2: Build strategies and initiatives that address health and health system priorities

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
CIHR will focus its activities on the following five broad priorities: Enhance patient-oriented care and improve clinical results Support a high-quality, accessible and sustainable health-care system Reduce health inequities of Aboriginal peoples and other vulnerable populations Prepare for and respond to existing emerging threats to health Promote health and reduce the burden of chronic disease and mental illness	Number, value and type of partnerships created to advance these priorities	In collaboration with partners, researchers and other key stakeholders, develop strategies to address specific priorities that identify key gaps and opportunities and propose solutions
	Funding associated with each priority, including that provided via CIHR’s open suite of programs	Launch strategic initiatives to advance knowledge, build capacity and translate knowledge for the benefit of Canadians
	Number of publications and their average relative citations and average relative impact factors derived from CIHR funding in each of the priority areas Increases in Canada’s capacity to conduct health research and exploit its findings Number of initiatives helping to improve the health outcomes of Canadians, strengthen the health-care system and develop new or more effective health services and products	Use CIHR’s convening power to engage decision makers and experts on issues of concern to health researchers, institutions, health providers, public policy makers and citizens

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

Enhance patient-oriented care and improve clinical results

• Developed the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) and started consultations with stakeholders
• Integrated the Randomized Control Trials funding tool with the Open Operating Grants Program
• Initiated the development of standard operating procedures for clinical trials, and a model template agreement to facilitate industry-hospital research collaborations
• Completed a study of clinician and non-clinician personnel engaged in this area of research

Support a high-quality, accessible and sustainable health-care system

• Held a summit on primary health care that engaged multiple stakeholders
• Expanded the successful Partnerships for Health System Improvement, Best Brains and Evidence on Tap programs as core programs
• Established the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network office and initiated the launch of several funding opportunities that address research gaps in the post-market use of drugs

Reduce health inequities of Aboriginal peoples and other vulnerable populations

• Finalized CIHR’s Global Health Strategy to guide how global health considerations should be integrated into CIHR’s activities, programs and initiatives
• Initiated work on the development of a northern strategy for CIHR in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples and health researchers active in this domain
• Launched funding opportunities in the area of intervention research to address specific needs of Aboriginals and other vulnerable populations

Prepare for and respond to existing emerging threats to health

• Continued to advance HIV/AIDS research, with a strong focus on evaluating community-based initiatives and further our understanding of the interplay of HIV/AIDS with other diseases
• Initiated several rapid-response funding opportunities to address the H1N1 pandemic and the worldwide shortage of medical isotopes
• Supported a collaboration of Canada’s three federal granting councils for multidisciplinary research on Climate Change and Adaptation

Promote health and reduce the burden of chronic disease and mental illness

• Held a variety of workshops on topics such as: access to quality cancer care; sodium reduction; gender and health
• In collaboration with partners, launched several funding opportunities on topics such as: late effects of pediatric cancer treatments; physical activity, mobility and health; early origins of mental health and addictions in children
• Launched the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging CLSA)
• Completed a draft of the International Collaborative Research Study for Alzheimer’s disease and concluded the France-Quebec-Canada partnership to fund research on the early diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease

3. Accelerate the Capture of Health and Economic Benefits of Health Research

Goal 1: Reap the socioeconomic benefits from research through KT and partnerships

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Facilitate and strengthen partnerships between researchers and knowledge users and between CIHR and a variety of organizations to achieve impact	Number and quality of integrated knowledge translation applications	Enhance suite of integrated knowledge translation and other partnered funding mechanisms
	Number of partners participating in workshops and meetings and in funding opportunities Number of partners, level of partner investment and partner satisfaction	Implement improved partnership practices
Support evidence-informed policy making to improve health and the health system at the provincial, territorial and federal levels	Number of CIHR engagements and events with policy makers	Implement programs to support evidence-informed policy making and increase policy makers’ access to high-quality evidence
Facilitate innovation and commercialization by creating incentives for health researchers and private sector partners to work together to translate health research findings into improved health products, technologies and tools for Canadians	Number and quality of applications	Enhance funding mechanisms to support commercialization and industry engagement
		Refresh and implement funding strategies to reflect changing commercialization environment
Increase citizen engagement and public outreach initiatives	Number and type of activities engaging citizens and attendance at events	Develop and implement tools and resources to increase external participation and uptake in citizen engagement activities
	Number of media citations in both official languages, number of hits on the CIHR website, uptake of social media	Develop and implement communication and engagement strategies to elevate CIHR’s profile nationally and internationally

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

Partnerships

• Developed specific CV module for knowledge users
• Designed a new funding mechanism to support networks of researchers and knowledge users
• Implemented a number of partnered initiatives including Institute initiatives and Tri-Council programs
• Developed and initiated implementation of CIHR Partnership Plan, including Partnership Handbook and other tools and resources

Evidence-Informed Policy Making

• Launched The Best Brains Exchange, Evidence on Tap and the Preventive Healthcare Synthesis Centre
• Introduced educational modules on the CIHR website
• Carried out a variety of Institute-initiated activities with federal and provincial policy makers
• Held a science policy interface workshop with Health Portfolio
• Held a deputy ministers meeting with CIHR officials and Nobel laureates to discuss the research process, science and society

Commercialization

• Revised and promoted commercialization and industry-partnered programs (Proof of Principle, Industry Partnered Collaborative Research)
• Launched revised Science to Business training program
• Actively collaborated with stakeholders (e.g. NSERC, ACCT, FPTT meetings)

Citizen Engagement and Public Outreach

• Held second Communicating the Impact of Health Research workshop with voluntary health organizations
• Developed and implemented CIHR Citizen Engagement Framework, handbook and implementation plan
• Established Journalism Awards and the Health Research Communications Award
• Held annual CIHR Health Research Awards event
• Held symposium targeting scientists, practitioners, policy makers and citizens to explore specific topic areas, such as age-friendly built environments
• Held over 125 Cafés Scientifiques
• Launched proactive media campaign
• Attracted over 40,000 Facebook fans in both official languages

Goal 2: Enhance the application of research and its evaluation

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Advance the application of research and its evaluation	Number and quality of KT-related applications Number of knowledge users participating in research proposals	Develop and implement KT innovations to move knowledge into action
Build capacity of both researchers and knowledge users to engage in KT	Number of applications from researchers and knowledge users engaged in integrated knowledge translation	Promote and support effective dissemination and exchange of research findings from CIHR investments with relevant knowledge users
		Develop and implement guides and tools to support end of grant KT and Integrated KT for applicants and reviewers
Increase the number of researchers advancing the science of KT	Number of CIHR-funded KT researchers, number of new KT science trainees, number of KT-related training opportunities for researchers	Launch funding mechanisms that support KT science and build KT capacity

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

Knowledge Translation

• Funded the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care and the Canadian arm of the Joanna Briggs Collaboration
• Funded Synthesis Network, Canadian Virtual Health Library and Canadian Cochrane Centre
• Implemented open access policy including the establishment of PubMed Canada
• Made enhancements to integrated knowledge translation programs
• Raised awareness and promoted KT through communication with stakeholders by participating in and partnering on national and international conferences and meetings
• Developed educational materials for researchers and knowledge users
• Published Knowledge Translation in Health Care (2009)
• Supported KT science through grants and supported DRAs, fellowships and new investigators focused on KT science
• Funded KT Canada and supported and promoted KT Canada initiatives such as the Summer Institute, Seminar Series, etc.

4. Achieve Organizational Excellence, Foster Ethics and Demonstrate Impact

Goal 1: Advance organizational excellence and ensure transparency and accountability

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Develop state-of-the-art human resource management practices across the organization	Results of the Public Service Employee Survey (PSES) Realization of performance targets set in HR action plans	Implement Human Resources strategy and action plans
Apply technology-based solutions across the organization	System performance indicators	Develop and implement a three-year information-technology plan
		Design and implement an architecture framework (technology, information, business process) aimed at aligning services
		Develop and implement a health researcher database

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

• CIHR named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers and one of the National Capital Region’s Top 25 Employers
• Met or exceeded HR action plans’ performance indicators
• Developed information-technology three-year plan
• Designed information architecture framework
• Completed design of CIHR Health Researcher Database to leverage Common CV renewal project

Goal 2: Evaluate the overall success of CIHR

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Ensure relevancy and effectiveness of CIHR programs	Evaluation findings being used to make improvements to programs Evidence of CIHR programs being relevant and effective	Implement a CIHR five-year evaluation schedule
	Feedback from the International Review Panel	Complete CIHR’s second International Review

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

• Completed six CIHR and interagency program evaluations and commenced work on six others
• Initiated planning for the second International Review

Goal 3: Foster a culture of ethical research by promoting and assisting the discussion and application of ethical principles to health research

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Be nationally respected and internationally acknowledged for CIHR’s role in the creation of health ethics knowledge and in its continuous translation into the highest standards of ethics and integrity in health research, policy and practice	Number of CIHR-funded ethics researchers, number of new ethics trainees, number of ethics-related training opportunities for researchers, number of policy documents developed and implemented	Develop and implement a health ethics strategy to: ensure ethics-based inclusion of diverse communities and vulnerable persons in health research strengthen governance of research promote ethics of health research in a globalized world build capacity in ethics research and KT
	Amount and type of ethics research funded	Enhance funding mechanisms to support the creation and foster the use of knowledge in health ethics
	Number and type of policy guidelines developed and implemented	Develop and implement policies and guidelines to promote the ethical conduct of Canadian health researchers and institutions supported by CIHR

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

• Developed draft best practices document for research involving children and adolescents
• Identified recommendations on possible improvements to the next version of the Tri-Council Policy Statement on Research Ethics
• Established a collaboration on education with the Secretariat on Research Ethics (SRE)
• Developed a decision-making tool for public health professionals dealing with ethics review
• Developed a draft go-forward strategy to address ethics review for multisite trials (in consultation with Standing Committee on Ethics (SCE))

Goal 4: Assess progress and impact by demonstrating the impacts of CIHR investments

Five-Year Objectives	Performance Measures	Actions
Build conceptual and technical infrastructure to track and demonstrate the impacts of health research and CIHR investments	Impact metrics Robust Research Reporting System (RRS) data is collected	Implement changes to requests for applications process to ensure clear objectives and performance measures are established
		Develop and implement corporate-wide research classification system
		Implement the CIHR Impact Assessment Framework through the completion of specific studies
		Implement the Research Reporting System

2009-10 Highlights of Results Achieved

• Developed CIHR’s first Health Research Roadmap Action Plan
• Developed an end-of-grant definition for the research community
• Initiated impact assessment studies
• Implemented pilot of Research Reporting System with a sample of operating grant holders