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Membership > Awards > CFAS–BFS Nursing Research Exchange Award

Fostering international collaboration in ART nursing research

Award Overview

Purpose:

The CFAS–BFS Nursing Research Exchange Award supports a bilateral research exchange between the Canadian Fertility & Andrology Society (CFAS) and the British Fertility Society (BFS). The goal is to advance nursing-led reproductive medicine research, harmonize best practices, and promote professional development across assisted reproductive technology (ART) domains. The Canadian portion of this award is supported through sponsorship by EMD Serono.

 Awards Highlights:

  • Strengthen cross-jurisdictional scholarship and innovation in ART nursing.

  • Encourage evidence generation in stimulation protocols, patient-centered models, and evolving technologies.

  • Build a shared research and education platform for multicentre studies and guideline development.

  • Develop common educational outputs (guidelines, abstracts, competency frameworks) for dissemination at CFAS and BFS annual meetings.

  • The recipient will receive:

    • Full complimentary registration to the BFS Fertility Conference (provided by BFS as host society)
    • An oral presentation slot (10–15 minutes plus discussion), as per BFS programming
    • Access to official conference social functions
    • Travel and accommodation funding provided by CFAS in accordance with society policy

Eligibility

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

  • Registered nurse (RN, NP, RPN, LPN, Inf., IPS, Inf. aux.) with a minimum of 3 years in ART practice.

  • Active member of CFAS or BFS (nominee and nominator).

  • Demonstrated research engagement (e.g., QI project, abstract, or pilot study as first author).

  • No travel grant received in the last 3 years.

  • Award must be used within 12 months; non-transferable.

  • Previous exchange recipients are not eligible.

Nomination type:

  • Self-nomination (requires one additional nominator), or

  • Direct nomination by a CFAS/BFS member.

Selection and Deliverables

Selection Criteria:

Applications will be reviewed by the CFAS Awards committee, with expert input from the NSIG executive and BFS representative panel (if required) based on:

  • Scientific rigor and methodological quality, including clarity of study design, appropriateness of methods, and feasibility of completion.
  • Relevance to ART nursing practice, with clear articulation of anticipated contributions to clinical care and professional standards.
  • Innovation and originality of the research question, approach, or application within reproductive medicine nursing.
  • Potential for international applicability, including relevance across jurisdictions and contribution to harmonizing global ART nursing practices.
  • Clarity and quality of the abstract and overall presentation, including organization, coherence, and completeness of submission materials.

Exchange Format:

  • One nurse per society per cycle (annual).

  • Visiting scholar will present an oral session at the host society’s annual conference.

Expected Deliverables:

  • Present the awarded research at the BFS Fertility Conference
  • Acknowledge the CFAS–BFS Nursing Research Exchange in presentation materials
  • Provide a brief post-conference summary for CFAS communications (e.g., newsletter or website feature).

Funding and Travel Support

Each society funds its own outbound participant, including:

  • Airfare and local ground travel (home–airport–hotel).

  • Accommodation (up to 4 nights).

  • Modest per diem for meals (annual cap set by funder).

Each society will waiver their host conference registration.

Recipients must manage travel bookings in accordance with their home society’s guidelines.

  • CFAS will coordinate logistics and support for the BFS prize winner attending the CFAS AM.
  • BFS will coordinate logistics and support for the CFAS prize winner attending the BFS Fertility

Research Ethics and Compliance

All exchange-related research must comply with:

  • Canada: Tri-Council Policy Statement; PHIPA/PIPEDA privacy laws.

  • UK: Health Research Authority and IRAS requirements; UK GDPR.

    Only de-identified datasets may be shared cross-border unless governed by a Data Transfer Agreement (DTA).

Contact and Support

For program inquiries: communications@cfas.ca

Before submitting, applicants should ensure all fields are complete and attachments are uploaded successfully.

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