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International Peer Review

The NCRC currently provide two basic type of awards for which International Peer Review is sought:

International peer reviewers are chosen independently by the NCRC based on their expertise, international publication record, scientific reputation and, where appropriate, clinical reputation.

The Review Process

Phase 1 – International Peer Review

To ensure that only the highest quality research is funded, all eligible applications are subjected to independent, international peer review. A minimum of three experts, each with a significant international reputation in a suitable field of research, are invited by the NCRC to review each application. The assessment process is anonymous and confidential. In addition, reviewers are asked to declare any potential conflicts of interests prior to assessing an application.

Phase 2 – The Scientific Advisory Committee

The second stage of the review process is an assessment of the highest ranked internationally peer reviewed applications by the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC). This committee provides an expert, constructive, and objective critique of the applications under consideration. Applications are judged based on defined criteria, including:

  • compliance with NCRC priorities, and alignment with the NCRC strategy;
  • whether the application meets the full requirements and objectives of the funding call;
  • the applicant(s) track record from previous grants;
  • value for money.

Following SAC review, the projects are ranked, with the highest-ranking projects recommended for funding to the NCRC and CMRF Boards. The most significant contribution to this ranking is the external peer reviewer’s score.

Principles of NCRC International Peer Review

International Peer Review at the NCRC is governed by three fundamental principles:

  • Anonymity – To support the open and honest exchange of views, reviewers’ identities are never shared with applicants;
  • Confidentiality – To ensure that the sensitive information provided in the application form is protected appropriately, reviewers must abide by our confidentiality policy;
  • Integrity – The integrity of the peer review process is of paramount importance. The personal interests of a reviewer must never influence the outcome, and the reviewers must comply with our policy on the declaration of interests.
International Peer Reviewer Guidelines

A PDF (334 KB) of the complete International Peer Reviewer Guidelines can be downloaded here:

International Peer Reviewer Guidelines