About DRA
A free training platform for academic research professionals, powered by CISE Quebec & CEMDI
Our Mission
Digital Research for All (DRA) is Quebec's first open-access, accredited training platform for academic research professionals in Natural Science and Engineering. DRA provides free micro-courses from world-class research lectures - with recognized credentials.
Who Are Academic Research Professionals?
ARPs make up over 25% of PhD graduates in Canada. They include lab technicians, research associates, platform scientists, program coordinators, and research administrators. Despite being pillars of the research ecosystem, they often lack standardized career paths, institutional recognition, and job security — with 73% of Quebec ARPs on term contracts.
Who Is DRA For?
PhD students, postdoctoral researchers, research associates, lab technicians, platform scientists, and professors in Natural Science & Engineering — particularly those in geographically isolated regions and underrepresented groups.
Our Vision
To become Canada's leading open-access platform for academic research professional development — free, accredited, bilingual, and designed to strengthen the research ecosystem from within.
Partner Network
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
EDI is at the core of DRA. Over 55% of platform scientists in Canada are women, and 49% self-identify as being from underrepresented groups. Our programs use intersectional approaches to ensure women, Indigenous, racialized, and geographically isolated researchers have equitable access to training and career advancement.
Behind DRA
The Platform
CISE
Quebec
CISE Quebec (Équilibre) provides the vision, strategic mandate, and funding for DRA. As a NSERC and FRQ-funded Chair for Inclusion in Science and Engineering, CISE Quebec's Pillar 2 — "Empower Research Professionals" — is the initiative under which DRA was created. CISE Quebec is co-chaired by Prof. Claire Brown (McGill), Prof. Kulbir Ghuman (INRS), and Prof. Marie-Eve Paquet (Laval).
CEMDI
INRS
CEMDI (Computational Energy Materials Design Infrastructure) designed, built, and operates the DRA platform — from the technology stack to curriculum design.