Support for IVADO student groups (SOURI)

This funding program aims to amplify exposure for student research and help strengthen student communities in all fields of artificial intelligence, including methodological research in data science (machine learning, operations research, statistics) and its applications in multiple fields, among them our primary fields (health, transportation and logistics, energy, business and finance) but also any other field of application (e.g., sociology, physics, linguistics).

The Soutien aux Regroupements IVADO (SOURI), or Student Group Support program, provides up to $5,000 in funding to a group made of students in the majority for a project or set of projects pursuing at least one of the following objectives:

• Develop a dynamic, multidisciplinary student community of practice in artificial intelligence;
• Increase the reach and reputation of artificial intelligence research conducted by students;
• Promote development of technical and/or crosscutting skills by participants.

Please note that due to the popularity of the program, we are no longer accepting applications for funding for activities taking place during the Winter 2023 semester.

Applications can be submitted at any time. However, to ensure that funding will be available for the date of an activity, please apply at least 45 days prior to the event.

Unless otherwise stated, the funding amount will be $500, $1,000, $2,000 or $5,000, depending on the scale of the initiative supported as well as the following selection criteria:

• Innovative nature of the project;
• Relevance of the project to the academic path;
• Benefits for the university community;
• Potential for exposure for participants;
• Reach of the event, if applicable;
• Multidisciplinary aspect of the proposed project (collaborations across student associations and/or groups are encouraged);
• Reasonable use of the resources requested;
• Impact of IVADO funding on the implementation and success of the proposed initiative;
• Alignment of the project with the key visions, missions and values of IVADO and the main principles of our Framework for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.

Non-eligible expenses

The main expenses that are not eligible under this grant award are:

• Expenses for purchase of alcoholic beverages;
• Gifts/prizes for participants / guest speakers;
• Production and printing of conference proceedings;
• Cost of airline tickets purchased through a personal frequent traveller rewards program;
• Expenses related to passports/immigration;
• Compensation of organizing committee members.

For full details concerning funding possibilities, please refer to the Canada First Research Excellence Fund Administration Guide.

Eligible projects

To be eligible for SOURI funding, your project must match one of the following categories:

Academic advancement

Projects that contribute to enhancing students’ academic skills (e.g., in research, writing and communication) or that provide opportunities for them to acquire tools for academic success (e.g., workshops, conferences).

Dissemination of student research

Projects that contribute to dissemination of student research and are intended primarily for a student audience (e.g., Research Day).

Professional integration

Projects that contribute to development of students’ professional skills by fostering their job market integration and providing them with professional networking opportunities and professional support (e.g., mentoring, professional networking evenings).

Eligibility criteria

• The project must be the initiative of a group made up primarily of students;
• The students submitting the application for funding must be members of the organizing committee;
• The target audience for the project must be primarily students interested in or specializing in artificial intelligence;
• The project must correspond to one of the three categories of eligible projects.

Please note that due to the popularity of the program, we are no longer accepting applications for funding for activities taking place during the Winter 2023 semester.

Application process

Verify that the project meets all of the eligibility criteria, read the full regulations, and complete the Application Form.

On the part of IVADO:

In addition to financial support, IVADO provides the following services to the funded student groups, subject to feasibility.

• Promotion of the event, if applicable, on selected communications channels of the organization, subject to availability on the editorial calendar;
• Support for guest speakers’ research, where applicable.

On the part of the funded student group:

Following confirmation of IVADO funding, the organizing committee undertakes to comply with the following:

• Involvement of IVADO members as project participants;
• Ability for IVADO to present its services (e.g., presentation, kiosk);
• IVADO access to basic information on participants (number, field, academic level, affiliation). This list will be added to IVADO’s internal database for distribution of information about its services, unless an individual expressly opts out;
• IVADO logo included on all event communications tools;
• Sharing of IVADO activities that are relevant to students via the association/group’s communications channels;
• Writing of a report summarizing the activity, with assessments of the number of participants and of positive points as well as areas for improvement;
• A financial report of the project, detailing expenses incurred using IVADO funding and including the original invoices.

The members of the review committee will evaluate the applications, and a response will be sent electronically to those responsible for the application within 45 days following the application deadline.

The association/group must submit supporting documents for all project costs covered by the IVADO grant. The documents must be submitted no later than 60 days after the activity or set of activities funded.

Any student group recognized by its university institution and organizing an activity or activities with a artificial intelligence component is eligible for the SOURI program. There are no restrictions as to the number of participants in the activity or activities proposed, or as to participants’ academic level. However, the organizing group commits to making rational use of the funding provided by IVADO.

Can we submit an application for one semester and then apply again the following semester? 

Yes, it is possible for the same student association or group to submit an application for a given semester (e.g., Winter 2021) and then submit a second application for the subsequent semester (e.g., Summer 2021), provided that the total amount requested over the entire academic year does not exceed $5,000.