1. Building Graduate Communities: A Policy Imperative for Knowledge-based Societies University of Alberta and China Scholarship Council Conference “Quality and Relevance: Canada-China Forum on Graduate Education and Research”, 26 and 27th of August 2010. Louis Maheu, FRSC, Emeritus professor, Department of Sociology, University of Montreal, Canada

2. 2 Focus on 5 Dimensions Relevant to Today Graduate Education Socially Distributed Knowledge Production (SDKP) System’s Requirements S&T Recent Innovation Policies Characteristics Canadian Assets / Challenges for Building Graduate Communities Canadian Strategy: ‘Building vs Buying’ Graduate Communities? Conclusion: Key Challenges for Building Graduate Communities in a SDKP Context

3. 3 Socially Distributed Knowledge Production System (SDKP) 4 Fundamental Characteristics:  KP within more complex world of partners / clusters / webs = Fundamental RD and University position revisited  Emergence of Contextualized RD: Up / Downstream of complex problem solutions  Research open to ‘linked’ disciplines  KP Quality control: peers and partners M. Gibbons et al.1994: ‘The new Production of Knowledge; The Dynamics of science and research in contemporary societies’, London, Sage

4. 4 Plus: The R&D and D Requirements Robert C. Dynes (Former UC President): Robert C. Dynes (Former UC President):  …what ‘we’re going to focus on at UC. The first is, we will fuel innovation and expand its impact on people’s lives by focusing on what I call R, D, and D. You’ve heard of research and development, R and D. The second D is as important, … The second D is delivery. If we do all the R and D in the world, and it isn’t delivered, it’s not effective.’  A Case in Point: Biomedical Sciences Delivery System: Translational RD, ‘From the Bench to the Bed’ Keynote Address ‘State of the State 2006’ Conference, October 30, 2006

5. 5 3 Characteristics of Recent Science & Technology Innovation Policies People matter more than technical / fiscal measures Competencies:  Level: Graduate Education  Disciplinary… Plus: Professional Development and Interdisciplinary Skills Clusters:  Beyond Academic / Organizational Boundaries  Beyond National Boundaries: Regional / International Clusters

6. 6 Cdn Assets / Challenges for Building Graduate Communities Sources: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2006; Science,Technology and Innovation Council, Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation System. State of the Nation. 2008

7. 7 Higher Education Performance of R&D, 2006 Sources: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2006; Science,Technology and Innovation Council, Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation System. State of the Nation. 2008 Higher Edu. Expend. On R&D as % of GDP: 1981-2004 Source: Council of Canadian Academies, the State of Science & Technology in Canada. 2006

8. 8 Source: Statistics Canada data as reported in CAGS (Canadian Association for Graduate Studies) Statistical Report for the years 1980; 1988; 1990-2001 and 1995-2006. 1 Statscan taxonomy changes for fields of study: this estimated figure includes, for 1998, 878 degrees awarded in maths and computer sciences, in engineering and architecture, in natural resources and half of the 1 010 degrees awarded in physical and life sciences 2 Estimated figure including, for 2006, 246 degrees awarded in maths and computer sciences, 735 in engineering and architecture, 144 in natural resources and half of the 1 161 degrees awarded in physical and life sciences. Cdn Assets / Challenges …

9. 9 Evidence-based Impact of S&T / Innovation Policies: The Case of Doctoral Education $$$ R&D as % of GDP (2003 or latest available year) All doctoratesDoctorates in science and engineering R & D Intensity Graduation rate at doctorate level, 2002

10. 10 Cdn Assets / Challenges … Sources: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2006; Science,Technology and Innovation Council, Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation System. State of the Nation. 2008

11. 11 Cdn Assets / Challenges … Source: OECD Education database, 2009. L. Auriol, 'Careers of Doctorate Holders: Employment and Mobility Patterns', OECD, Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry, 2010 Average annual growth of doctoral degrees – 1998-2006

12. 12 Canadian Strategy: ‘Building vs Buying’ Graduate Communities? Source: Database on Immigrants in OECD countries, 2009 L. Auriol, 'Careers of Doctorate Holders: Employment and Mobility Patterns', OECD, Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry, 2010 Share of foreign-born among doctoral and tertiary-level graduates in OECD countries, circa 2000

13. 13 Number of Doctorate Holders (2006) by Place of Birth and Place of Doctorate Award Source of data: Census of Population 2006. OECD, 2007 OECD/UIS/Eurostat data collection on Careers of doctorate holders.

14. 14 Cdn Strategy: ‘Building vs Buying’ Graduate Communities? … '...century evidence of broadly declining migration rates between Canada and the USA even among those with high level skills.’ Canadian-born living in the USA: about 20% beginnning of the 20th Century vs about 2% beginning of the 21st Century Canada's position in northbound/southbound migration flows: a net importer of skills J.F. Helliwell. 2006. 'Highly Skilled Workers: Build, Share, or Buy?', Ottawa, Government of Canada, Skills Research Initiative

15. 15 Key Challenges to survive / perform well in a SDKP context Priority to the Building Strategy for Graduate Communities (Including Retention of International Graduates) Invest in People with Accurate Graduate Training Levels and Relevant Competencies : Priority to PhD Graduates Strenghten Incentives for Both Fundamental and Decontextualized RD Stimulate Partnerships Within / Beyond Academia and National / International Clusters More $$ for Innovative Training Programs and Graduate Student International and Between Organizations Mobility