Access opportunities to partner with us to further your research.
Updated December 21, 2022
What is an affiliated researcher?
Affiliated researchers are non-Fraser Health researchers who have been granted ‘affiliated status’ with Fraser Health. In some cases, the researcher may be employed by another health authority or an academic institution.
We have research affiliation agreements, also known as research collaboration agreements, with academic institutions which describe the institutional requirements for a non-Fraser Health researcher to become affiliated with Fraser Health.
What are the benefits of becoming a Fraser Health affiliated researcher?
- Matches academics with Fraser Health clinicians and decision-makers
- Supports development of knowledge translation strategies for bringing forward results for implementation
- Provides access to patients and data
Do I need to become affiliated with Fraser Health?
External researchers who wish to conduct research at Fraser Health owned and/or operated sites must become affiliated. This does not apply to:
- research conducted in the Fraser Valley that is outside of the direct Fraser Health Authority jurisdiction, e.g. private physician offices, community centres, not for profit centres. Fraser Health does not have jurisdiction over research conducted at non-Fraser Health sites;
- placement of recruitment materials in Fraser Health sites (as long as there is no actual recruitment being conducted);
- research that is approved by another Research Ethics Board, besides Fraser Health Research Ethics Board, and for which a participant has already consented to the release of their health record data and/or tissue that is held by Fraser Health.
What type of affiliation agreement do I need?
Type of agreement |
Agreement coverage |
Institutions that fall under the affiliation type |
Affiliation agreement process |
| Master affiliation agreement | Any studies conducted under affiliated researcher | Academic institutions, research centres and few health organizations (see list below) | Individual researchers must still sign the master affiliation agreement in order to obtain affiliation status |
| Study specific affiliation agreement | One specific study under the affiliation agreement | Most health organizations | Study specific affiliation agreement is negotiated between Department of Evaluation and Research Services (DERS) and your institution’s legal team at the time of affiliation status request. |
What universities and health organizations are affiliated with Fraser Health?
We have master research affiliation collaboration agreements with:
- Acadia University
- Adler University
- BC Center for Excellence in Women's Health
- Douglas College
- Douglas Hospital Research Center
- Emily Carr University of Art and Design
- Interior Health
- Kwantlen Polytechnic University
- Langara College
- McGill University
- Providence Health Care
- Royal Roads University
- Simon Fraser University
- St. Michael's Hospital
- Trinity Western University
- University of the Fraser Valley
- University of British Columbia
- University of Calgary
- University of Northern British Columbia
- University of Queensland
- University of Victoria
- Wilfred Laurier University
Study specific affiliation agreement is required for:
- Provincial Health Services Authority
- Vancouver Coastal Health
What are the terms and conditions in the affiliation agreement?
The terms and conditions in the affiliation agreements include but are not limited to the following:
- Research ethical review and approval must be obtained from the Fraser Health Research Ethics Board (FHREB) or harmonized ethics review.
- Operational approval must be obtained from Fraser Health’s Department of Evaluation and Research Services (DERS) prior to conducting the study at Fraser Health.
- Our ethics and research policies and procedures apply to affiliated researchers.
- Intellectual property clause in accordance with Fraser Health policy
- Publication clause
- Confidentiality and privacy clause
- Insurance clause
What is the process to obtain affiliation status?
First, submit an affiliation agreement intake event form through ROMEO and include the following information:
- Brief description outlining why the applicant wishes to become affiliated and their area of research study.
- Current academic curriculum vitae specifying the applicant’s academic affiliation and area of research study.
- Copy of the applicant's completed TCPS-2 tutorial certificate.
- Legal contact of your organization, if applicable.
- Acknowledgement that there will be a Fraser Health co-investigator for the study.
Following confirmation of eligibility, an Initial Letter of Confirmation and Research Collaboration Agreement will be sent to the applicant with instructions for the next steps.
A Letter of Confirmation is then emailed to the applicant and the applicant's institution to confirm the affiliation status once appropriate signature have been obtained on the Research Collaboration Agreement.