The agreement between Université Laval (ULaval), the Institut Nordique du Québec (INQ) and the Swiss Polar Institute (SPI) offers numerous opportunities for collaboration between researchers from their respective communities.
The purpose of the agreement is to generate and facilitate collaborations between groups based in Switzerland and Quebec, Canada. To this end, the SPI and the INQ act in support of each other to create links and synergies, and to identify opportunities for collaboration.
The agreement provides opportunities for collaborative projects to access infrastructures located in Canada's North. In some instances, and for certain infrastructures, access may also be possible for "Swiss only" groups. However, projects with a collaborative component involving researchers who are members of the INQ network will receive priority evaluation.
Submission processes are coordinated by the SPI and the INQ, which liaises with the northern infrastructure operators in its network. Submission deadlines vary depending on the infrastructure and destination. Projects submitted within the framework of this agreement are evaluated in accordance with each operator's own criteria, and in competition with all other projects submitted by the northern research community.