2008 W.E. Harris Teaching Workshop University of Alberta May 25, 2008 Anne Alper Research Partnerships Programs Supporting People, Discovery and Innovation

Overview NSERC overview Federal S&T Strategy, Budgets 2007 and 2008 How NSERC supports People, Discovery and Innovation – what’s new Research and Teaching Building Bridges –engaging the entire research enterprise Teaching Innovation

NSERC…an important tool of the federal government The Mission of NSERC is To make Canada a country of discoverers and innovators for the benefit of all Canadians To achieve this NSERC invests in people, discovery and innovation through programs that support research in the natural sciences and engineering in universities and colleges

What We Do at NSERC We invest more than $950 million every year in people, discovery and innovationWe invest more than $950 million every year in people, discovery and innovation 25,000 science and engineering25,000 science and engineering students Master’s and PhD students Master’s and PhD 11,500 university & college11,500 university & college professors professors Funding based on excellenceFunding based on excellence and peer review and peer review Leverage funding of 1,400Leverage funding of 1,400 companies companies

NSERC Budget (millions of dollars) Total: $957

People Advantage Attract, retain and grow base of knowledge workers. Entrepreneurial Advantage Translate knowledge into wealth, wellness and well-being Knowledge Advantage Build on research strengths, generate new ideas IMPLEMENTING THE S&T STRATEGY Mobilizing S&T to Canada’s Advantage PEOPLEDISCOVERY INNOVATION Core Principles Foster Partnerships Promote Excellence Focus on Priorities Enhance Accountability

New S&T Funding in 2007 & 2008 Budget 2007 provided $9.2 Billion for new investments in S&T including: $85M per year for the granting councils: -$37M for NSERC, targeted to research in energy, the environment and information and communications technologies (Priority Areas) -$37M for CIHR for research in the health sciences -$11M for SSHRC, targeted to research in management, business and finance The councils are to collaborate in managing these targeted resources, in order to combine the strengths of various disciplines and achieve the greatest impact.

New S&T Funding in 2007 & 2008 Budget 2007 also provided: $48M over 5 years to NSERC to make permanent and expand the College Pilot Program $510M to the CFI $11M to accelerate the creation of new networks, to be led by the private sector. (Business-led NCEs) $270M for centres of excellence in commercialization and research (CECRs) $4.5M over two years to establish a new Industrial R&D Internship program (IRDI)

New S&T Funding in 2007 & 2008 Budget 2008 provides : $80M per year for the three granting councils to jointly support multidisciplinary and internationally peer-reviewed research in priority areas, and partner with public and private stakeholders to ensure that practical solutions are found. This includes: - $34M per year for NSERC for collaborative research that directly contributes to the knowledge and innovation needs of Canada’s automotive, manufacturing, forestry and fishing industries.

New S&T Funding in 2007 & 2008 Budget 2008 also provides Canada Graduate Scholarships - $25M per year to support 500 Canadian and International PhD students International Study Stipends stipends at $6K for Canadians to study abroad Canada Global Excellence Research Chairs - 20 new Chairs at up to $10M over 7 years (in priority areas) Canadian Light Source - $5M per year for 2 yrs. Indirect Costs of Research - $15M per year

Building the People Advantage Scholarships and Fellowships support graduate and undergraduate students and post docs Industrial Scholarships enable industry to hire undergraduates and post docs and to collaborate with graduate students and NSERC shares costs Industrial Research Chairs assist universities to build critical mass in an industrially relevant area of research Discovery and Partnership Grants enable faculty to support students and post docs

Building the People Advantage Major Awards and Prizes celebrate and highlight Canadian excellence in research and innovation PromoScience promotes science interest and awareness Centres for Research in Youth, Science Teaching And Learning (CRYSTAL) support transformative research into science and math education

Building the People Advantage New program – LOIs due June 30 CREATE Collaborative Research and Training Experience Supports training of teams of students and post docs through innovative programs that – encourage collaborative & integrative approaches – address significant scientific challenges – facilitate the transition of new researchers from trainees to productive employees

Building the People Advantage CREATE Program continued Encourages – acquisition & development of professional skills – student mobility – interdisciplinary research Funding – 6 years – Year 1 up to $150K; Years 2-6 up to $300K – Minimum 80% of grant for stipends for HQP

DISCOVERY Building the Knowledge Advantage Discovery Grants contribute to the support of ongoing programs of research Accelerator Supplements provide resources to accelerate progress of a research program supported by a DG - new in 2006; 79 in Special Research Opportunities support new and emerging research opportunities or develop new national and international collaborations Research Tools and Instruments and Major Resources Support Grants provide access to facilities and equipment

International Review of Discovery Grants Program (DGP) Conclusions The DGP is an effective and efficient way to support research From the researchers’ perspective the DGP makes Canada more competitive in the “war for talent” Breadth of support provided reflects Canada’s regional realities without sacrificing excellence. The best researchers use DG to lever an internationally –competitive level of funding from other sources

International Review of DGP Conclusions continued The success rate is not incompatible with, and in fact, encourages a high degree of research excellence across a broad range of fields The broad base of DGP grants contributes significantly to meeting the nation’s needs for research results and HQP The DGP is an exceptionally productive investment and deserves additional funding to ensure that the value of its grants keeps pace with growing opportunity

International Review of DGP Recommendations An applicant’s previous DG should not be starting point for new grant Double the number of Accelerator Supplements Revise the Grant Selection Committee structure In also a GSC Structure Review – recommendations implemented by 2010 competition Increase support for training HQP Increase funding for DGP to ensure the level of the grants keeps pace with growing opportunity

Innovation - Building the Entrepreneurial Advantage Innovation occurs when a business introduces new products or services to the marketplace, or adopts new ways of making products or services. The concept may refer to technical advances in how products are made or shifts in attitudes about how products and services are developed, sold and marketed.

Innovation - Building the Entrepreneurial Advantage NSERC Advances Innovation Builds on its base of support for discovery-based research and training Leads in developing strategies and support for innovation by: - Stimulating public-private research & training partnerships - Accelerating the development of technology - Facilitating the transfer of research results and technology to the users

Innovation - Building the Entrepreneurial Advantage Research Partnership Programs are grouped: Strategic Partnerships Programs - targeted to accelerate research in areas of national importance to Canada Industry-Driven Programs - addressing industry’s research and training needs and priorities, facilitating the productive use of knowledge Tech Transfer/Commercialization Programs – increasing market connection and knowledge and technology transfer

Innovation - Building the Entrepreneurial Advantage Strategic Partnerships Programs support research projects and networks in target areas of national importance Quality Foods and Novel Bioproducts Biomedical Technologies Advanced Communications and Management of Information Competitive Manufacturing and Value Added Products and processes Healthy Environment and Ecosystems Sustainable Energy Systems Safety and Security

Innovation - Building the Entrepreneurial Advantage In invested $24.5 M of the new funds in Strategic Partnerships Program to - fund additional projects in the priority areas in the regular Strategic Projects competition - launch an additional Strategic Projects competition in the priority areas - support expanded training and international activities in the Strategic Networks - NRC-NSERC-BDC Nanotechnology Competition

Innovation - Building the Entrepreneurial Advantage In continued Expanded the definitions of the target areas Support up to 30% social science activity in Strategic Projects Launched the College and Community Innovation Program Called for Strategic Networks proposals in the priority areas In Additional Strategic Projects and Networks in the Priority areas will be funded Consultations with the Automotive, Forestry, Fisheries, Manufacturing sectors re delivery of new funding

Research at Teaching-Intensive Institutions College and Community Innovation Program – now a permanent program Research Capacity Development in Small Universities pilot program Undergraduate Scholarships (USRAs)

NSERC and the Colleges NSERC views the colleges as –Closely linked with industry locally and regionally –Playing an important and growing role in advancing innovation – Having a unique role distinct from that of universities NSERC’s goal – Assist the colleges in advancing innovation – Using existing programs – Creating new mechanisms that recognize the unique role of the colleges

NSERC and the Colleges Existing Programs Open eligibility to regular programs appropriate to colleges’ role where they can compete on an equal footing - Idea to Innovation (I2I) Allow eligibility as co-applicants with universities - Programs supporting project research - Intellectual Property Mobilization Program (IPM) New Mechanisms Develop programs open only to colleges - College and Community Innovation Program

College and Community Innovation Program Objectives Increase innovation at the community and/or regional level by enabling Canadian colleges to strengthen their capacity to work with local companies, particularly SMEs Support applied research and collaborations that facilitate commercialization, technology transfer adoption of new technologies

29 College and Community Innovation Program Anticipated Impacts Encourage colleges and industry partnerships to increase local / regional economic sector Professors and Students participating in applied R&D activities on real industry problems Increase applied research capacity and technology transfer activities in colleges as well as in local firms including SMEs Local companies adopting new technologies, launching new and improved products and processes

Assessment of Contributions to Training NSERC supports research training of undergraduates, graduate students and post docs Contributions to training are evaluated when reviewing all proposals - individual applicants – training record - research proposals – number of graduate and undergraduates to be trained

Assessment of Contributions to Training NSERC also encourages researchers to: Participate in outreach activities and activities designed to engage students in the NSE Improve teaching and learning in NSE List these activities as part of their contributions to research and training.

Impact of Research on Teaching/Curriculum CRD Program – 276 final reports 72% report “use of real world examples”, 57% new content, 5% new courses College Pilot Program – mid-term review grant had an important impact on course content and curriculum in all cases 4 of 6 institutions reported new courses had been or would be developed as a result

Building Bidges – Encouraging Partnerhsips Research Partnership Programs link academic researchers with the public and private sectors by collaborative research projects Analysis of 349 Strategic Projects reports 94% of partners satisfied with relationship 71% of researchers and 66% of partners reported ongoing collaboration Strategic Workshops Program established

Building Bridges- Encouraging Partnerships Challenges Involving researchers – only 25% of NSERC- funded researchers participate in the Research Partnership Programs Involving SMEs – number of small companies participating in RPP growing but can/should increase

Teaching Innovation and Entrepreneurship Learning by Doing NSERC Industrial Scholarships and Fellowships Enhanced training in RPP: >85% of HQP work directly with partner; 15% partner supervised theses projects Programs Ontario Centres of Excellence VAP program Business schools Rewarding Innovation University reward system NSERC’s Synergy and Innovation Challenge Awards

For More Information Contact: Anne Alper ;

Performance in Building the Entrepreneurial Advantage NSERC currently partners with more than 1400 companies in supporting university-industry collaborative research projects 154 active spin-off companies have been created from NSERC-funded research. They employ nearly 19,000 Canadians and generate more than $3.4 billion annually Over the past decade, industrial contributions to projects supported by the CRD Program have totaled $450 million, outpacing NSERC’s investment by over 50%.