Sculpture in tribute to Félix Leclerc

International Research and Experiential Learning

International Research and Experiential Learning (IREX) helps University of Ottawa researchers address challenges facing the world, in collaboration with international partners. The office serves the research community by:
i) securing external research funds and ensuring compliance
ii) offering seed funding programs to build international collaborations
iii) supporting students conducting research at uOttawa and abroad
iv) strengthening and growing existing research collaborations

International impact

5th

QS World University ranked uOttawa's international research network as among the Top 5 in Canada (2025)

310

International students conducting research activities as Visiting Research Students (2022-2023)

1st

Rank in growth of International Collaboration Publication (580% over 2000-2019 period)

Research Support

Tabaret Hall

Pre-Award Administration of International Grants and Contracts

IREX supports international research grants and contracts of uOttawa’s full-time Faculty members through the provision of supporting documentation and the review, negotiation, and approval of agreements with funding agencies. uOttawa researchers are invited to submit all documentation (including the RE form) to the attention of: recherche.contrats_research.contracts@uottawa.ca.

Useful links:

uOttawa students

Procedure for Visiting Research Students

Visiting research students are enrolled in a degree program at a university in Canada or abroad and are coming to the University of Ottawa to conduct research under the supervision of a full-time faculty member. Visiting research students are not entitled to the conferring of a degree from the University of Ottawa, nor do they pay tuition fees.

Find out more about the Procedure for Visiting Research Students

Funding opportunities

Asia

Network Development Program

This program supports University of Ottawa researchers with the development and expansion of new research networks with Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and ASEAN Member States.

Canal view of uOttawa

Global Open Program

This program supports University of Ottawa early career researchers in initiating new collaborations with partners anywhere in the world.

EU and Canada Flags

Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the world’s largest research and innovation program with a total budget of €95.5 billion (CAD 140 billion). It aims to tackle global challenges and facilitate international collaboration in all research areas.

uOttawa students

Doctoral Mobility Program

This program supports PhD students from abroad who would like to conduct research visits at the University of Ottawa.

Fulbright logo

Fulbright Canada Research Chairs

Through this program, American researchers spend four months on campus conducting collaborative research, providing public lectures, and instructing and mentoring students.

Canada and France flags

France Canada Research Fund

This fund supports new collaborations between Canada and France. Open to all research fields, these two-year projects promote researchers and graduate students research mobility. The 2026 call is now open. Deadline for applications is November 14th, 2025.

Students in laboratory

Globalink Research Award (GRA) – Mitacs

Through this program, senior undergraduate students, graduate students, as well as postdoctoral fellows receive a $6,000 research award to conduct a 12- to 24-week research project in Canada or abroad.

uOttawa students

Globalink Research Internship (GRI) – Mitacs

The program provides funding for international undergraduate students in Mitacs partner countries to participate in a 12-week research internship in Canada under the supervision of Canadian academic-institution faculty members in a variety of academic disciplines.

uOttawa students

Undergraduate Student Research Awards Program (USRA) – NSERC

Undergraduate Student Research Awards are meant to stimulate students’ interest in research in the natural sciences and engineering and encourage students to do graduate studies and pursue a research career in these fields.

Hand writing

Catalogue of Funding Opportunities

A catalogue including external funding opportunities to support research stays abroad open to students.

Explore other opportunities

Should you be interested in other types of international activities, please consult the Guide to International Services offered by the University of Ottawa.

Key partners

  • Chinese Academy of SciencesThe academy is ranked a top research institute in the world by Nature Index. Since the original 2005 agreement, joint collaborations have expanded rapidly, from obstetrics to systems biology, fish biology, social sciences and many other areas of knowledge. 2017 saw the creation of the Joint Research Center on Systems and Personalized Pharmacology, a platform established between uOttawa and the Shanghai Materia Medica Institute. The center was renewed in July 2022.

  • Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST): JST is a Japanese national research and development agency that has many research collaborations with various countries including Canada. As one of the largest research funding agencies in Japan, JST works with leading universities, companies and other influential research institutions in Japan and overseas to promote science, technology and innovation by implementing multidisciplinary projects in natural sciences, humanities and social sciences. In June 2024, the JST Office for Canada was established at the University of Ottawa.

  • Max Planck Society for the advancement of science: The society has numerous research collaborations with the University of Ottawa in the natural, life and social sciences, arts and humanities. Of note is the Max Planck - uOttawa Centre for Extreme and Quantum Photonics established in 2015, and renewed in 2019, encompassing many topics of interest in optics and photonics, such as the development of high intensity laser sources and optical methods of relevance to quantum information science and the fabrication of quantum devices.

  • National Centre for Scientific ResearchThis French state research organization is the largest basic science agency in Europe. Over the years, several joint research projects and other forms of exchanges have involved a significant number of uOttawa researchers. In January 2022, the Centre national de la recherche scientifique Office for Canada was established at the University of Ottawa.

Contact us

International Research and Experiential Learning (IREX)

Tabaret Hall
550 Cumberland St.
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 6N5 Canada

Research students requests for information

Contact the following addresses for the VRS and USRA programs. Please note that requests sent to other addresses will not be answered.