Grants and Contributions

The project presented by the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), through the Observatoire francophone pour le développement inclusif par le genre (OFDIG), consists of facilitating two forums for influential women in collaboration with the National University of Vanuatu and a closing activity. The project activities include: 1) organising a forum in Vanuatu in the second half of 2025; 2) organizing a second forum in Cambodia in 2026; 3) organizing a closing activity in Vietnam in 2027 which will conclude the project by disseminating and promoting the results of data analysis. During each forum, a portrait of gender equality, associated with women's participation in public life and decision-making powers, will be created. The participants in this project are: organizations involved in the promotion of women's rights, Francophone and Asian universities (including young researchers from the UQAM/OFDIG network), and experts and decision-makers. The project aligns with Strategic Objectif number 3 ("Investing in and Connecting People") of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy. This forum is a platform for reflection, sharing, and collaboration among opinion leaders, influential women, academics, and emerging young leaders from Francophone countries and the Asia-Pacific region.

Laval University proposes a research project in Thailand in collaboration with Thammasat University. This project's activities include: 1) analyzing the development of soft power by states in the region in cyberspace; 2) mobilizing of soft power in the expression of geopolitical conflicts in Southeast Asia; 3) identifying the opportunities that this situation represents for Canada, its population, its diplomacy, and its businesses. This project rely on a significant research component, around which training and knowledge dissemination activities are integrated. It will be structured around three main axes: the representation of geopolitical conflicts in the South China Sea in cyberspace, the online expression of soft power by Southeast Asian countries, and Canadians' perception of information circulating in and about Asian cyberspace. This project is aligned with 4 of the 5 Strategic Objectives of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy: 1. Promoting peace, resilience and security; 2. Expanding trade, investment and supply chain resilience; 3. Investing in and connecting people; 5. Canada as an active and engaged partner to the Indo-Pacific.

This project aims to develop and host an outgoing trade mission in fiscal year 2025, bringing a delegation of up to 20 First Nations leaders, entrepreneurs, subject matter experts, and key stakeholders from British Columbia to Aotearoa/New Zealand. This project is implemented in collaboration by British Columbia Assembly of First Nations and the Federation of Maori Authorities in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It seeks to build relationships with Maori counterparts through 8 events in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Canada, with 4 outgoing Canadian First Nations and 4 incoming Maori. The project focuses on building economic partnerships, sharing knowledge, and creating new connections between Indigenous communities and their respective countries. The mission delegates invited represent key sectors such as forestry, energy, mining, fisheries, agriculture and agri-business, and tourism.

This project aims to combine expertise from Digital Media Zone (DMZ) at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) with key assets from Chiba University (Japan) to promote entrepreneurship education, co-innovation, and ecosystem development, in a collaboration between Canada and Japan. It focuses on 2 strategic initiatives, including a Knowledge-Sharing Workshop at EXPO Osaka 2025 and an immersion program at DMZ’s Basecamp in Toronto. At EXPO, Japanese universities learn in a workshop about TMU/DMZ’s Zone Learning model, focusing on entrepreneurship hubs and mentorship programs, while Canadian organizations share their incubator methodologies. The project also features an Entrepreneurship and Innovation Challenge, where 10 Canadian and 10 Japanese students collaborate on real-world solutions, supported by preparatory workshops. The Toronto Immersion Program at DMZ Basecamp seeks to host 15 staff and students Chiba University for workshops, mentorship, and networking with Canadian startups.
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This project aims to conduct strategic visits to member institutions of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) in Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and South Korea to learn about their unique agricultural and sustainability needs. The APRU Food Security and Agritech Hub, co-hosted by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the National University of Singapore (NUS), supports this initiative. Through this project, Simon Fraser University aims to establish a collaborative research and innovation hub and seeks to co-host symposia on food security and agritech in Singapore (2025 and 2027) and Canda (2026). The project also aims to explore innovative solutions using advanced technologies such as alternative proteins, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things sensors, and robotics in agriculture.

This project aims to organize and deliver a 2-part innovative symposium designed to strengthen the capacity of Indigenous communities to further implement the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Agreement (IPETCA). The University of Victoria (UVic) implements this project in collaboration with the National Dong Hwa University (NDHU) in Taiwan. The project includes 2 conferences, the first aims to host over 2 days by UVic in British Columbia in Spring 2025 and the second by NDHU’s department of Law in Taiwan over 2 days in Spring, 2026. This project seeks to establish and strengthen Canada's commitments to working with Indigenous partners in Canada and the Indo-Pacific region, removing barriers for Indigenous economic empowerment, and facilitating trading relationships. The conferences are guided by Indigenous laws and governance principles, including trade, economic empowerment, ecological balance and community wellbeing. Participants include Indigenous thought leaders, lawyers and community re

The Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE), in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in the Philippines, proposes a project designed to enhance the internationalization capacities of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines. The project consists of a three-phase program featuring online learning tailored to the CHED/ASEAN context, experiential learning in Canada, and in-country training, all aimed at fostering sustainable partnerships with Canadian institutions. In Phase 1, the project will support up to 40 participants, providing them with comprehensive training and resources to strengthen their internationalization efforts. In Phase 2, a select group of up to 15 internationalization champions selected from the Phase 1 cohort will attend the CBIE Annual Conference in Canada. In Phase 3, these champions, along with other selected participants, will further build their capacity through in-country training. These champions will be instrumental in ensuring the p

The EQUIP: Equity Partners for Indigenous, Rural and Remote Health project aims to foster knowledge sharing by recruiting, training and retaining health providers to serve and advocate for Indigenous, rural and remote communities. University of Calgary (UCalgary) and institutional collaborators in Nepal, Philippines, Laos and Mongolia will engage through a series of virtual meetings, model site visits, and a multi-day workshop/symposium to be hosted by Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS), Nepal. This year-long project will strengthen relationships and professional networks and stimulate new opportunities for co-research and co-learning on topics including gender inclusive and anti-racist approaches, Indigenous ways, remote/Indigenous health provider recruitment and retention, and climate impacts on vulnerable groups. The project includes a visit for 3-4 co-leads from PAHS Nepal to UCalgary, a model site visit in rural Nepal for up to 30 participants and a workshop/symposium in Nepal. EQUIP project aligns

Dr. Meherali from the University of Alberta, Faculty of Nursing in collaboration with the Aga Khan University (AKU), proposes a research project aiming to understand how Indigenous Knowledge (IK) contributes to climate change adaptation and resilience in Sindh, Pakistan amid extreme heat and flooding. The project will follow a community-based participatory research approach to identify and document traditional practices and local wisdom to address climate change challenges within communities. In Phase 1 (Jan-Oct 2025), a rapid systematic review and in-depth interviews will be conducted in regions of Sindh. Phase 2 (Nov 2025-Feb 2026) will involve consultative workshops to co-design knowledge-sharing strategies. Phase 3 (Mar-Nov 2026) will focus on capacity-building and knowledge-sharing events to disseminate these strategies, fostering dialogue and strengthening community networks. The project aims to integrate IK with scientific approaches to enhance climate resilience. The project aligns closely with Canad

This project will build a three-year collaboration between Thompson Rivers University and the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. This will allow researchers across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen their research collaboration through the support of a major research project on food security. In Year 1, the project will conduct a literature review, design surveys, and hold a conference in Sri Lanka in December 2025. Year 2 will expand research to other South Asian countries and host a hybrid conference in Canada, with ongoing dissemination activities. Year 3 will focus on further dissemination and establishing a Food Security in the Indo-Pacific Working Group for future research. The publication of open-source conference proceedings as well as two op-eds will be published in major media outlets in Sri Lanka and Canada, a co-authored peer-reviewed manuscript will be submitted to a top-tier journal, and a public policy document will be created to propose a framework for food security as a core objective of Canada’s