The Power of Data: Mitacs Program Outcomes & Why They Matter Val Walker Policy Director October 31, 2015

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4 The Power of Data 1.Policy data 2.Program outcomes data 3.How to make it powerful

5 What is Mitacs? A Snapshot Independent, not-for-profit research organization Governed by Canada’s research universities 3,500+ research projects now supported annually 130 staff, 30 offices  3 hubs: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal

6 Origins of Mitacs Industry Programs Measuring outcomes Policy Grown out of perceived gaps in innovation system Attract private sector funding Maintain high quality research Attract international students to Canada “Training the next generation of innovation leaders”

7 Mitacs Today The Programs Accelerate  Graduate Research Internship Program Elevate  R&D Management Training for Postdocs Globalink  International Research Mobility  Inbound & Outbound streams Step  Professional Skills Training Program

Policy Data

9 “Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is almost everything. A country’s ability to improve its standard of living over time depends almost entirely on its ability to raise its output per worker.” Paul Krugman, Nobel Laureate (Economics) The Age of Diminished Expectations (1994)

10 Productivity Canada’s productivity as a % of United States Jenkins Report, 2011

11 Productivity And we’re not catching up Canada’s productivity has actually fallen since 2002 Growth (%)OECD Rank (of 33) Canada0.929 US2.113 OECD Average1.918 OECD: Measuring Innovation, 2011v

12 Productivity How can we improve Canada’s productivity? – OECD 2012 report recommends two measures:  Improve quality and quantity of highly-educated workforce  Increased business R&D Both of these factors stimulate: Innovation

13 We significantly lag other leading economies in the graduation of advanced degree holders – 25 th in PhD graduates per capita in OECD Discussion about skills shortages generally focuses on trades and some professional qualifications Canadian firms spends $0.68 on training for every $1.00 American firms spend Education and Training

14 Research & Development Canada near bottom of the pack in industrial R&D spending

15 Research & Development And it’s getting worse

Outcome Data

17 Evaluation & Performance Measurement Our Evaluation Strategy includes: Program and integrated logic models Performance Measurement Frameworks

18 Evaluation & Performance Measurement Accelerate Logic Model

19 Evaluation & Performance Measurement 1. Program exit surveys – Completed within one month after the end of the internship – 3 exit surveys – Used for:  Better understanding of the program  Reporting purposes  Improved programming – Challenge  Too early to capture most academic, professionnal and business outcomes Interns Academic Supervisors Industry Partners

20 Evaluation & Performance Measurement 2. Longitudinal studies – 3-year cycle focusing on mid- and long-term outcomes for program participants – First survey launched in 2013 – Used for:  Better understanding of Accelerate outcomes  Decision making at the management level  Reporting purposes  Marketing purposes Full Cycle Year 1 Interns Year 2 Industry Partners Year 3 Academic Supervisors

Making Data Powerful

22 Clear and Effective Communication Key Results Business and R&D Outcomes: 25% of companies have hired one or several interns into a newly created position 40% of companies invested $100,000 or more of new money into R&D as a result of their Accelerate experience (including 10% that invested more than $500,000) Industry-Academic Research Collaborations: 66% of companies remained in contact with their Accelerate intern(s) in some capacity 82% of companies continued to collaborate with the academic supervisor involved in the Accelerate project

23 Clear and Effective Communication 25% of companies have hired one or several interns into a newly created position

24 Clear and Effective Communication 40% of companies invested $100,000 or more of new money into R&D as a result of their Accelerate experience

25 Clear and Effective Communication hired the intern into a newly created position 40% of companies invested $100,000 or more of new money into R&D as a result of their Accelerate experience 25% of companies have hired one or several interns into a newly created position

26 Looking Ahead 1.Globalink longitudinal survey report 2.Elevate longitudinal survey of fellows

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