Program Description

The Institute on Municipal Finance and Governance (IMFG), at the University of Toronto’s School of Cities, in partnership with the Municipal Finance Officers’ Association (MFOA), is pleased to announce the launch of the Dan Cowin Visiting Professor Program.

The program will provide up to $18,500 CAD in funding to support a visiting professor whose research examines pressing finance and governance issues facing cities and city-regions in Canada and around the world. The program is intended to bring leading scholars to the University of Toronto and IMFG to foster research and knowledge exchange that can help municipalities better understand and respond to the evolving fiscal and governance challenges they face.

Appointment periods run from July 1 to December 1 of each year.

Eligibility

Visiting Professors must:

  • Have a clear project focus aligned with IMFG and MFOA’s research interests
  • Have a track record of excellence in research and/or teaching related to municipal finance and governance
  • Be physically in Toronto, Canada during the period of the visiting appointment
  • Hold a continuing professorial appointment at their home institution and plan to return to their home institution at the end of their stay at the IMFG
  • Have evidence of funding or salary continuance for the duration of the visiting residence
  • Be eligible to secure entry into Canada

Responsibilities

During their appointment, Visiting Professors are expected to:

  • Publish one IMFG paper
  • Deliver one presentation at an IMFG event (seminar or moderated panel)
  • Deliver one presentation at MFOA’s annual conference

Applications

Applications for the 2027 appointment period are now open. The deadline for applications is January 15, 2027. Full application instructions can be found here.

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