Carleton University researchers secure $7.5 million in federal partnership grants for cybersecurity and governance

Three Carleton University-led research initiatives have been awarded Partnership Grants from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), bringing $7.5 million in federal funding to support collaborative research on cybersecurity, democratic governance, and international trade.

The funding marks a record year for Carleton, with the university leading three of the 17 SSHRC Partnership Grants awarded nationally in 2026—the highest number of grants it has ever received in a single competition. Together, the projects will connect researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and community organizations across Canada and internationally to address complex societal challenges.

One initiative, the Canadian Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence (3CE), will be led by Carleton researchers Alex Wilner and Leah West at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. The national network is designed to strengthen Canada's cybersecurity capacity through interdisciplinary education, research, and training. It brings together researchers from four Canadian universities and partners from government, industry, and the non-profit sector. The initiative will train more than 160 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers while providing professional development and experiential learning opportunities across the cybersecurity ecosystem. The network will focus on six key areas including emerging technologies, critical infrastructure protection, national security, foreign interference, research security, democracy, privacy, and human rights.

The projects will also create new opportunities for student training, knowledge mobilization, and public engagement.