Western University – London, Canada
The Canada Impact+ Research Chairs program is a unique tri-agency initiative aimed at attracting world-leading international researchers to Canadian higher education institutions. This program will grant awards of up to $8 million over 8 years to international researchers (including Canadian expatriates who wish to return to Canada) to lead a prestigious research program at Western University and to contribute to Canada’s excellence in research and innovation.
Western University is seeking up to 12 candidates for Impact+ Research Chair positions, based on award value. Successful candidates will be appointed as full-time tenured faculty members (with duties including research, teaching and service) and are expected to begin their position at Western, on a full-time basis, within 12 months of accepting the award.
The nomination is a two-stage process where applicants must first apply to Western University’s job posting. Afterwards, successful applicants will work with Western University to submit a nomination to the Canada Impact+ Research Chairs competition.
Review of applications will begin on January 19, 2026, and continue until all nominations are filled.
Research Alignment
Outstanding candidates in eight strategic priority areas (including the following four environmentally focused fields) are encouraged to apply:
- Clean Technology and Resource Value Chains
- Environment, Climate Resilience and the Arctic
- Food and Water Security
- Manufacturing and Advanced Materials
Candidate Eligibility
Candidates must fulfill the following eligibility criteria:
- Must be internationally based (both working and residing outside of Canada) at the time of the application deadline.
- Must be fluent in English (both written and oral fluency).
- Must be top-tier researchers whose accomplishments have major societal impact and who are recognized internationally as leaders.
- Must be full professors (or equivalent) or associate professors expected to be promoted to full professor within 2 years of starting the chair appointment. Candidates from outside the academic sector must possess the qualifications necessary to be appointed at these levels.
- Must have a PhD or equivalent (e.g., JSD, MD, DDS, with relevant professional designation or licensure) in a discipline appropriate to the field of research, be engaged in a program of research and have a demonstrated record of excellence in scholarly research and teaching.
How to Apply
Visit Western University’s website to see the full program details and to find out how to apply:
About Western University:
Established in 1878, Western University is a world-leading research-intensive university with over 1,500 faculty members and 44,000 students from 128 countries. As a founding member of Canada’s U15 group of research-intensive universities, Western is placed 14th worldwide in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings and ranks 24th globally in the QS Sustainability Rankings. For more information about Western’s strategic priorities and areas of research activity, please see Western’s strategic plan, the Western Research strategic plan and the Indigenous strategic plan.