Calls for projects
6th call – Deadline – January 27th, 2023
The Chaire Fintech carries out call for research projects for Quebec universities and research centers to finance the most promising projects.
Call for projects will be carried out with respect to the multidisciplinary and inter-university Chair’s mission in the fintech ecosystem. Researchers are invited to fill out an application form.
The Chair aims to promote its studies and research results to publicize its initiatives in collaboration with the AMF, Finance Montreal, researchers, the business and corporate community as well as universities. In this regard, funded researchers will have to commit to present their results during seminars at ESG UQAM, the Fintech Station and the AMF if they are invited to do so. Moreover, research papers and reports will become Chaire Fintech’s working papers and results might be submitted on the Chair’s website to promote public accessibility.
Call for projects list:
> Fintechs and COVID 19 (application deadline: June 18th 2020)
> Quebec’s fintechs: from ecosystem development to experience, from regulation to security issues (application deadline: September 30th 2020)
> ESG criteria, digital assets use trends and regulatory framework in fintechs (application deadline: May 31st 2021)
> NFTs “tokens” and gamification of investment decisions (application deadline : February 18th 2022)
> Decentralized finance, DeFi : mystery or development (application deadline : September 30th 2022)
> Issues, Risks, and Solutions: Consumers and investors in the digital age (application deadline : January 27th 2023)
“Issues, Risks, and Solutions: Consumers and investors in the digital age”
November 28th , 2022 – January 27th 2023
The Chair is launching its sixth call for research projects to the entire Quebec academic community interested in fintech, with the subject “Issues, Risks, and Solutions: Consumers and Investors in the Digital Age“.
This call aims to popularize and disseminate knowledge on the interactions between fintech, the investment field, and certain digital engagement practices. In the current context of globalization and the ubiquity of information technologies, it is important to understand the risks related to cybersecurity and data protection that organizations, investors, and consumers must face.
The topics of interest targeted by this call for projects include the following three research areas:
Area 1: Use and protection of data
a. Risks and benefits of holding an asset on a personal computer, phone, or “cold wallet” versus a conventional intermediary (virtual exchange, broker).
b. Ethical, technological, and human aspects of cybersecurity.
c. Protection of data, transactions, and balances.
d. Metaverse I – Fraud, phishing, and money laundering.
e. Metaverse II – Offering financial products and services in the Metaverse.
f. Cyber insurance – Costs, benefits, and self-insurance.
g. Bill 25 – Privacy: Best Practices for Businesses.
Area 2: Fintech and Portfolio Management
a. Fraud risk and capital protection.
b. Use of modern technologies (Big data, Machine learning, AI, etc.) to measure hedge fund risks.
c. Portfolio management strategies using fintech and new technologies.
d. Behaviors and financial literacy in the context of fintech evolution.
e. Social networks and portfolio manager performance.
f. Ethics, sound management, and risk disclosure in a hedge fund context.
g. Non-financial information and hedge fund performance from a capital protection perspective.
Area 3: Decentralized finance, fintech, and digital engagement practices
a. Risks and challenges of decentralized finance for individuals and financial markets.
b. Social impact of decentralized finance.
c. Development or creation of a responsible digital practices guide for digital financial service providers.
d. Issues related to the control of personal data of fintech.
e. International fintech best practices.
f. Comparative advantages in fintech and maintaining best practices.
g. Gamification of investment – Impacts on consumers of financial products and services.
h. Good and bad uses of gamification techniques – Issues and solutions from a consumer protection perspective.
Each research project must include an empirical or theoretical component or take the form of a case study. A project will not be accepted if it only takes the form of a literature review. Funded researchers commit to participating in a knowledge transfer activity such as, for example, participation in a conference organized by the Chair or the production of a 10- to 15-minute video clip bearing the Chair’s logo that summarizes the research project and that will be published on the Fintech Chair website.
Launch date: November 28th , 2022
Application deadline: January 27th, 2023
Date of announcement of results: March 2023
Date of availability of funds: April 2023
Final submission date for research projects: April 2024
Duration of research projects: maximum 12 months
Allocated funds: $200,000 total, with a maximum of $15,000 per research project
Availability of funds, if accepted: 6 to 8 weeks after signing of fund transfer agreements
Evaluation criteria: click here
Eligibility: University professors, researchers associated with recognized research centers and students at a Québec university under the supervision of a professor at that university as part of a master’s or doctoral thesis, or an essay.
Research projects duration: The final paper must be handed over to the chair within a maximum of 12 months after approval. The chair will follow-up with recipients.
Eligible expenditures: Purchase of or subscription to databases and students’ salaries. For information purpose, indirect research costs and purchase of computer equipment and hardware are NOT eligible expenditures.
Application procedure: For professors, funds will be transferred to their host university or research center. For students, their supervising professor will have to co-sign the student’s application. Funds will be transferred to their host university in the name of the professor who will then pay the student according to the hourly rate in force at their host university.
To apply, fill in the following form AND send a copy of your application by email to chairefintech@uqam.ca (You should receive an acknowledgement of receipt from the Chair’s office within 24 to 48 hours).
Evaluation grid
The Chair will evaluate submitted research projects under three major criteria. The first will address the quality of the proposal (40%), the second the results relevance (40%) and the third the development and knowledge transfer (20%).
The details are presented in the following grid:
Quality of the proposal (40%)
● Exceptional proposal: the objectives and the deliverables are comprehensive; the planned activities are highly likely to achieve the objectives and expected outcomes. The expenditures are clearly aligned with the activities and justified.
● Qualitative proposal: the objectives and the deliverables are clearly defined; the planned activities are likely to achieve the objectives and expected outcomes. The expenditures are aligned with the activities and justified.
● Unsatisfactory proposal: the objectives and the deliverables are not adequately defined or the planned activities are not appropriate to achieve the objectives and expected outcomes. The expenditures are not adequately justified.
Appropriateness of the identified indicators and methods for monitoring progress during the project and for assessing outcomes after the project
● Exceptional proposal: indicators and methods correspond to clearly established criteria according to research best practices. They are highly effective for monitoring progress and assessing outcomes.
● Qualitative proposal: indicators and methods are well defined and effective for monitoring progress and assessing outcomes.
● Unsatisfactory proposal: indicators and methods are not clearly defined or are not appropriate.
Appropriateness of academic researchers’ expertise to carrying out the project and mentoring students
● Exceptional proposal: the researchers’ expertise is highly appropriate and linked to the project in at least one of the following topics: artificial intelligence, chatbots, robots-advisors, cyber security, blockchain, open banking, cryptocurrencies, cryptographic assets, smart contracts, information technologies in Fintech. The principal investigator has high-level competencies to manage the project. The principal investigator has already successfully managed similar projects in the past or has clearly demonstrated the potential to do so.
● Qualitative proposal: the researchers’ expertise is sufficient to carry out the project. The principal investigator has demonstrated the capabilities to manage the project.
● Unsatisfactory proposal: the application does not demonstrate researchers have the necessary expertise to carry out the project or the capabilities to manage it.
Relevance of the results (40%)
● Exceptional proposal: results are of exceptional importance; they are coherent with the objectives and will have significant repercussions for the Quebec Fintech industry. The research will overcome knowledge gaps to develop new and innovative policies, standards, products or services in the Quebec Fintech industry.
● Qualitative proposal: results are important; they are linked to the objectives and will have repercussions in the Quebec Fintech industry. The research will contribute to addressing knowledge gaps to develop new and innovative policies, standards, products or services in the Quebec Fintech industry.
● Unsatisfactory proposal: the submission does not establish why the topic is important to the Quebec Fintech industry. The submission does not demonstrate enough how the research will help compensating knowledge gaps to develop new and innovative policies, standards, products or services in the Quebec Fintech industry.
Research originality
● Exceptional proposal: the proposal demonstrates the topic will be addressed through exceptionally innovative research. It brings new coverage and innovative concepts which have not yet been studied and which have the potential to contribute to important breakthrough in the Quebec Fintech industry.
● Qualitative proposal: the proposal demonstrates the topic will be addressed through original research. The research includes some concepts that may lead to an advance in the Quebec Fintech industry.
● Unsatisfactory proposal: the proposal does not clearly demonstrate the topic will be addressed through original research or is not well-positioned within the state-of-art. It is not clear how the research will lead to an advance in the Quebec Fintech industry.
Results measurement
● Exceptional proposal: the proposal demonstrates the topic will be addressed through exceptionally innovative research. Results measurement elements (indicators, benchmarks, etc.) are compatible with best practices and in line with the objectives. Results have the potential to contribute to important breakthrough in the Quebec Fintech industry.
● Qualitative proposal: the proposal demonstrates the topic will be addressed through original and measured research. The research includes some concepts that may lead to an advance in the Quebec Fintech industry
● Unsatisfactory proposal: the proposal does not clearly demonstrate the topic will be addressed through original research or is not well-positioned within the state-of-art. It is not clear how the research will lead to an advance in the Quebec Fintech industry.
Knowledge transfer and development (20%)
● Exceptional proposal: the principal investigator in charge of the research is recognized for his/her capacity to link his/her research and the industry needs. He/she commits to presents the results to the Fintech’s industry actors and to the Chair’s stakeholders.
● Qualitative proposal: the principal investigator in charge of the research commits to presents the results to the Fintech’s industry actors and to the Chair’s stakeholders.
● Unsatisfactory proposal: the principal investigator in charge of the research is not recognized for his/her capacity to link his/her research and the industry needs.
Knowledge and learning experiences development
● Exceptional proposal: through an exemplary environment and leading-edge approach, the project will provide an enriched experience for the students that leads to innovative and valued skills by the Fintech industry.
● Qualitative proposal: the project will provide an experience for the students that leads to innovative and relevant skills for the Fintech industry.
● Unsatisfactory proposal: the proposal does not adequately establish that the project will provide an enriched experience for the students or the opportunity to develop relevant skills for the Fintech industry.
Ethics and diversity
● Exceptional proposal: the proposal outlines best practices that support ethics in the research project management, results and diversity.
● Qualitative proposal: the proposal shows it has taken into account ethics and diversity.
● Unsatisfactory proposal: the proposal does not outline ethics and diversity questions.
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