The Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation (“PETF”) is pleased to announce that our 2021 Scholarship competition launched on October 27, 2020. The PETF Scholarship offers a three-year leadership program designed to train Engaged Leaders, equipping doctoral candidates with the skills to translate their ideas into action, for the betterment of their communities, Canada, and the world. Up to 16 Scholars will be selected for the leadership program, in addition to receiving generous funding for their studies.
This year, the selection process will be slightly different as, in the spirit of Inclusive Excellence, we are excited to announce that we will welcome all candidates to apply directly to the Foundation, via a new application platform. University officials (notably, awards officers) will no longer be required to nominate a limited number of their preferred candidates: the number of candidates from each university will no longer be limited. All candidates who submit completed applications by the January 5, 2021, deadline will be reviewed and assessed by the Foundation. In spite of this new process, the Foundation remains committed to regional representation, linguistic representation, a plurality of perspectives and disciplines, as well as other forms of diversity. During the process, and in the lead-up to interviews, university officials may be asked to confirm the candidate’s academic standing and other credentials related to their studies.
This Scholarship competition recognizes excellence in the humanities and social sciences. The PETF Scholarship offers a three-year leadership program designed to train Engaged Leaders, in addition to offering a stipend of up to $40,000 per year and additional support up to $20,000 annually for research-related travel, and to attend Foundation leadership training institutes and events.
The selection process for 2021 Scholars ushers in important changes rooted in the Foundation’s Strategic Plan 2019-2024. First, we are excited to announce that we will welcome all candidates to apply directly with the Foundation, via a new application portal (link available on our website). In recent years, universities selected a shortlist of up to three or four nominees, a step that has been removed from the process to allow far more candidates to be considered for the Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholarship. All eligible candidates who submit completed applications by the January 5, 2021, deadline will be reviewed and assessed by the Foundation.
Second, while the Foundation continues to seek scholars with the greatest intellectual capacity and a track record of academic achievement, we are also looking for those demonstrating a willingness to engage with a plurality of perspectives, people, cultures, and ideologies, and who are committed to deep listening, profound curiosity, and exploring grey areas. Accordingly, the Foundation is pleased that its programs are now bearing the emblem of Brave Spaces, accountable and democratic spaces where a multiplicity of ideas may be expressed and debated in an open and welcoming fashion.
We welcome applications from candidates in a wide range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences, in business schools, public health and law. Candidates’ research must be related to one or more of the Foundation’s four central themes: Human Rights and Dignity; Responsible Citizenship; Canada and the World; and, People and their Natural Environment.
Doctoral students should apply through our platform.
The Foundation remains committed to ensuring that universities in all regions of the country are represented and is committed to recognizing First Nation, Métis, and Inuit scholars in our selection. We are also committed to ensuring diversity in other respects, including gender, race, language, disability, socioeconomic background, and Indigenous knowledge, as well as a plurality of perspectives and disciplines.
Detailed information on the program is available here on the Foundation’s website.