An exciting new initiative of the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research) will see major investments being made in support of the research enterprise at Queen’s.

In September 2015 the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research) will launch a new suite of internal research award programs: the Queen’s Research Opportunities Funds (QROF). In its first year, the QROF will provide up to $1 million to support research excellence at Queen's.

"Research is a core component of the mission of Queen’s University and a key driver in our Strategic Framework” says Dr. Daniel Woolf, Principal and Vice-Chancellor. "The QROF will present new opportunities to build on our areas of institutional research strength."

The QROF replaces the existing complement of Queen’s internal research awards, which were reviewed in 2014 based on a key recommendation of the Strategic Research Plan (SRP). Developed in consultation with numerous stakeholders across campus, the QROF represents a strategic investment which will provide researchers and scholars the opportunity to accelerate their programs and research goals.  

The QROF consists of four funds:

• The Research Leaders’ Fund – for strategic institutional commitments to aspirational research in support of the university’s research strengths and priorities
• The International Fund – to assist in augmenting the university’s international reputation through increased global engagement
• The Arts Fund – designed to support artists and their contributions to the scholarly community and to advancing Queen’s University
• The Post-Doctoral Fund – to both attract outstanding post-doctoral fellows to Queen’s and to support their contributions to research and to the university

"The QROF represents the largest investment made by an internal research awards program at Queen’s," says Dr. Steven Liss, Vice-Principal (Research). "This program will help to advance the goals of the Strategic Framework, the SRP and will ensure that our researchers, across a range of disciplines, can accelerate their research programs and continue to push the boundaries of knowledge and break new ground."

The official launch and call for applications for the QROF will occur in September 2015. For more information on the QROF, visit the website of the Office of the Vice-Principal (Research).