The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is pleased to announce the launch of the Reviewer in Training (RiT) program for the Fall 2026 Project Grant competition. The RiT program offers Early Career Researchers (ECRs) a learning opportunity to gain a better understanding of the elements of high-quality review and the peer review process through participation in the Project Grant competition.
Participants in the RiT program can participate in the role of Mentee or ECR Reviewer:
- Mentee Role: ECRs that want to gain exposure to CIHR's peer review process with the guidance of a Mentor can apply to the Mentee role. Mentees will conduct practice reviews on up to three applications, attend the peer review meeting in full, present one of their reviews, and participate in the committee discussions.
- ECR Reviewer Role: ECRs who hold federal (or equivalent) funding and want to gain direct peer review experience can apply to the ECR Reviewer role. ECR Reviewers participate in the same capacity as regular reviewers but have a reduced number of applications to review (up to five) and present their reviews later in the meeting. They attend the peer review meeting in full and participate in all aspects of the committee meeting discussions including final consensus ratings, individual voting, and budget assessment.
The application process is now open and closes on July 28, 2026. Please promote this opportunity for ECRs within your networks and institutions.
If you have any questions, please contact support-soutien@cihr-irsc.gc.ca.
Sincerely,
Nadia Martino
Director General
Peer Review Quality and Competition Support, Research Programs