News and commentary

OTTAWA – The federal government’s investments in university research, skills and talent will help to make Canada more innovative and competitive, says the organization representing Canada’s 97 universities across the country.

“One million young people will graduate from Canada’s universities by the year 2017,” says Stephen Toope, president of The University of British Columbia and chair of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. “They’ll be equipped with the knowledge, experiences and skills Canada will need for decades to come. And they’ll have gained the ability to adapt to the jobs of today – and tomorrow.”

“Canada needs more university, college and trades graduates to compete in the new global knowledge economy,” adds Paul Davidson, president of AUCC. According to a recent CIBC report, most jobs in high demand in Canada require a university degree, including managers in health, education, social and community services; human resources and business service professionals; and supervisors in manufacturing and processing.

The federal government’s research investments have made Canada a top research nation. “Even in difficult fiscal times, the government recognizes that university research fuels a competitive advantage for Canada,” says Mr. Davidson. “Over successive budgets, the federal government has increased support for research and innovation in Canada –investments that nurture talent, create jobs and make us more competitive internationally.”

Canada’s universities also welcomed the importance that today’s budget places on international education initiatives. “Investments in international education leverage economic benefits of more than $8 billion a year – and they benefit every region of Canada,” Mr. Davidson points out. “Employers tell us they want a versatile international workforce. Canada benefits – and Canadian students benefit – from a global outlook.”

AUCC is part of an education sector-led consortium that has urged the government to enhance international education efforts to drive Canada’s global competitiveness, and is ready to work with partners to help ensure the international education strategy advances.

A new element of the international education efforts announced today is enhanced funding for Mitacs’ Globalink Program, which brings top undergraduate students from around the world to Canadian universities to undertake research projects and will now allow Canadian students to go abroad for research experiences. “This is an opportunity for Canada’s universities to enhance their profile and attract the brightest international students to our campuses,” says Mr. Davidson.

University leaders also welcomed a new scholarship program that will improve access and achievement for Aboriginal postsecondary students. The budget provides funding to be matched by the private sector for new scholarships for Aboriginal students through an initiative of Indspire, in collaboration with Canada’s universities.

“Aboriginal youth is the fastest growing segment of our population, yet Aboriginal university graduation rates lag far behind those of the non-Aboriginal population,” notes Mr. Davidson. “These measures are a concrete step towards closing the education gap.”

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For interviews and information, please contact:

Helen Murphy
Assistant Director, Communications
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
613.563.1236, ext. 238
Cell: 613.608.8749
hmurphy@aucc.ca

Nadine Robitaille|
Communications Officer
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Tel: 613.563.3961, ext. 306
Cell: 613.884.8401
nrobitaille@aucc.ca

This op-ed was published in Research Money magazine, December 6, 2012

By Heather Munroe-Blum, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University

As Prime Minister Stephen Harper has said, “you simply can’t build a modern economy without investing in world-class research.”

Our modern knowledge economy depends heavily on research and innovation, both of which require talent, perseverance and funding. Innovation – the search for a new idea, a new way of doing things, a new product – is what allows us to put our knowledge to use and to be competitive in a global economy. High-quality research makes innovation happen. And both take place at universities.

The OECD’s Innovation Strategy and the Canada’s 2011 Jenkins Report demonstrate that universities play a crucial role in driving innovation and prosperity, and for that matter, the health, social well-being and security of nations.

In 2011, Canada’s universities were responsible for 38 percent of Canada’s R&D activities and conducted more than $11.3 billion in research, including approximately $1 billion in directly funded contract research for the private sector. The overall economic impact of Canada’s universities is estimated to be more than $60 billion annually.

What’s more, research and innovation translate into jobs. According to the OECD, innovation accounted for two-thirds to three-quarters of economic growth in Austria, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States between 1995 and 2006.

Innovation also attracts talent. When Canadian universities take a lead in conducting research, we draw bright minds to our country. In recent years, universities have attracted or repatriated more than 450 Canada Research Chairs and Canada Excellence Research Chairs from abroad. Talent follows opportunity.

In this globalized world it’s no longer enough for us to succeed or even excel at home – Canada must compete globally. Nurturing top talent at home and attracting leading researchers from around the world is what will position Canada as an innovation leader.

We have a strong foundation upon which to build. A report by the Council of Canadian Academies recently highlighted the high regard that the world’s most cited researchers have for the quality research conducted in our universities. We can strengthen that reputation by leveraging and growing partnerships between Canadian universities and international institutions, both public and private.

I recently had the opportunity to serve on the U.S. National Research Council’s Committee on Research Universities, and it is clear that research universities on both sides of the border are working to respond to their changing environment.

The U.S., a long-time front-runner in research and innovation, is at risk of falling behind in the innovation race, due in part to stagnating investment in innovation. Asia’s emerging economies steadily and dramatically increased R&D spending as a percentage of GDP between 1996 and 2007 – Japan’s reached 3.4 percent in 2007, and South Korea’s 3.5 percent. In comparison, U.S. spending remained between 2.5 and 2.8 percent of GDP over the past three decades, while Canada’s was still below 2 percent of GDP in 2007.[1]

In a globally competitive environment, partnerships between universities and the wider community, including industry and civil society, have never been more critical. Countries, institutions and companies need to tap into and contribute to international knowledge networks.

Innovation is, at its core, a creative endeavour. Creativity often means heading down a path without knowing what’s at the end.

Earlier this year, after almost 50 years of searching, researchers confirmed the existence of the Higgs-Boson particle. While there may be no known applications for the Higgs-Boson particle today, the search for it has contributed to discoveries in health instrumentation, diagnostics and treatments, as well as the information and communication technologies that power the Internet.

Innovations and discoveries enrich our daily lives. Research in social science and humanities is increasingly important in our globalized world. Trading with partners in Canada and from around the world requires a deep understanding of history, culture, religion, law, ethics, marketing, supply-chain development and data analytics – research skills that come primarily from social science and humanities programs.

As our government develops national strategies for science and technology, international education and global commerce, Canada’s universities – and their tremendous capacity for talent development, research, innovation and collaboration – will play a key role in our country’s roadmap for the future.

Dr. Heather Munroe-Blum is Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University and a Professor of Epidemiology in the Faculty of Medicine. She is a member of Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation Council, and was named an Officer of the Order of Canada for her outstanding record of achievements in science, innovation and higher education policy.

OTTAWA – A new report from the Council of Canadian Academies highlights the outstanding quality of Canada’s university researchers and points to Canada’s growing influence on global knowledge. Commissioned by Industry Canada and released today, The State of Science and Technology in Canada, 2012 underscores the excellence and breadth of research taking place at Canadian universities in a broad range of fields. The State of Science and Technology is a follow-up report to a 2006 study. The new report found “a high international regard for the quality and rigour” of Canada’s science and technology researchers.

 “The new report by the Council of Canadian Academies emphasizes the crucial role Canadian university researchers play on the world stage,” says Paul Davidson, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. “Our universities are driving research and innovation, and gaining international respect for the quality of their work in a broad range of fields.”

Prepared by an 18-member expert panel that was chaired by Eliot Phillipson, the former president of the Canada Foundation for Innovation and included Sara Diamond, president of OCAD University, the report takes and ambitious and wide-ranging look at the current state of Canadian research.

Among its key findings:

• Between 2005 and 2010, Canada produced about 60 percent more academic papers than it had in the previous five years – the highest increase among G7 nations.
• Nearly four in 10 of the world’s top-cited international researchers ranked Canada in the top five countries in their field, and 68 percent rated Canada as strong compared to the rest of the world. This puts Canada fourth in the world (behind only the U.S., the U.K. and Germany).
• Canada produces nearly five percent of the most frequently cited research papers in the world, despite having only 0.5 percent of the world’s population.

 “Our universities are well-positioned to help Canada compete in the global marketplace of ideas,” says Mr. Davidson. “Canada’s research contributions are healthy, growing, internationally competitive and well-respected.”

AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 94 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.

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Media Contact:

Nadine Robitaille
Communications Officer
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
nrobitaille@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 306

Op-ed published in Research Money September 21, 2012

By Daniel Woolf
Principal and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University
Chair of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada’s Standing Advisory Committee on International Relations

New and returning students have unpacked their things and settled back into campus life here at Queen’s University, but many graduate students have been here all summer, working alongside faculty researchers on a variety of projects. The research endeavour never sleeps.

In Canada, we’re doing well in terms of research achievements. Canadian research teams have elevated our status as a world leader in areas of expertise such as information and communications technology, health education and environmental stewardship. But we need to push further to compete in today’s highly competitive, multi-disciplinary, trillion-dollar global research industry. Our contemporaries are already focusing their resources and attention to compete in this market.

Take a look at Brazil, projected to become the fifth-largest economy over the next few years. Already, it has 5.4 million university students and produces more PhDs than Canada. Other parts of the world have become the planet’s economic drivers. In fewer than two decades, more than 40 percent of the world’s GDP will come from Asia.

A culture of collaboration among top world talent has already become both the norm and the necessity. In Canada, some 40 percent of today’s university faculty earned their first or highest degree in another country, and 30 percent of Canada Research Chairs have been recruited from abroad. Top research talents are collaborating at a record level to leverage their combined data, research and knowledge. Close to 50 percent of Canada’s research papers have co-authors from other countries – twice the rate of 15 years ago and double the world average. Now we must step up our momentum to keep pace with the changing context of global research.

The shift toward international partnerships comes as traditional world powers cope with difficult fiscal realities. The United States’ slower-than-anticipated recovery and the European Union’s ongoing economic fragility have allowed Brazil, China and India to seize the lead. In this climate of change, what remains constant is the collective global recognition that university research, as a key investment, drives both short- and long-term economic growth. Over the past decade, our competitors have been pouring considerable resources into all sectors of research.

The Royal Society of London estimates the number of researchers, globally, at seven million. In our research-driven global economy, the new challengers – with their booming populations – are very serious about research and economic growth.

As I, and others, have stated elsewhere, Canada is facing fundamental choices. Economic, social and technological revolutions are underway throughout the world. We will confront significant economic, health, and labour market challenges as a result of shifting demographics in the decades ahead. By 2030, the proportion of the Canadian population that is over the age of 65 will double, while the working age population (ages 25-64) will grow by only eight percent. To offset these differences and remain competitive in the global marketplace, we must use our considerable research assets to drive innovation and become more productive.

There are already clear results from global collaborations, and more will follow. Working as teammates, our international partnerships on pandemic research and planning mean we’ll also combat the spread of infectious diseases with greater insight and speed. Collaboration in the face of major environmental shifts and surging world populations will ensure better planetary resource management.

For example, Queen’s University partners with Fudan University in Shanghai and the Southwest University of China to offer the Ontario Universities Program in Field Biology. Students from both countries do field study on aquatic environments and ecosystems along the Yangtze River in the vicinity of the Three Gorges Dam Project in China, and in the St. Lawrence River and Frontenac Arch regions of Eastern Ontario.

Moreover, Colin Funk, Canada Research Chair in Molecular, Cellular and Physiological Medicine at Queen’s, is the only Canadian scientist working with an international consortium of 39 investigators from 18 institutions and four countries to personalize drug therapy for the most common medications consumed worldwide, with the goal of reducing the risk of heart attacks, heart failure and strokes.

These examples show Canada has top talent to bring to the table. But if we expect others to view Canada as an attractive partner, we must commit to R&D as an investment priority, and make this commitment well-known across the globe. Competition is fierce. Our international colleagues seeking collaboration on highly complex issues will naturally pursue the most readily available resources, talent and investment.

As our competitors surge forward, Canada must commit more in R&D investment, particularly on the private sector side. Either we demonstrate comparable commitment, or potential collaborators will take their business elsewhere: we then run the further risk of Canadian researchers moving outside Canada.

To build prosperity at home, our international competitors must also be our allies. Competition and collaboration now go hand-in-hand. The result of doing both well will be increased innovation, productivity, social well-being, entrepreneurship and jobs for Canadians.

This op-ed was published in the Globe and Mail on September 3, 2012

By Paul Davidson
President and CEO
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

Like the rush to buy new running shoes for the kids and the shortening of summer evenings, the last days of August routinely bring a wave of editorial comment questioning the value of a university education, bemoaning the cost of tuition, and lamenting a supposed by-gone golden age of higher education. More recently, these have been coupled with articles suggesting today’s graduates are ill-prepared for the workforce and that universities are failing to advance Canada’s research and innovation agenda.

While it is true that tuition has increased in recent years, so too has the value of a degree. The income premium of a university degree is large and growing. University graduates will on average earn $1.3 million more during their careers than a high school graduate and $1 million more than a college grad. And contrary to what you read in the papers, there are jobs for university graduates. Between July 2008 and July 2012 there were 700,000 new jobs for university graduates in Canada compared with 320,000 for college grads, and a net loss of 640,000 jobs for those with no postsecondary education.

Student debt load is a serious issue that we should all work to address – but it is important to note that more than four out of 10 students in Canada graduate completely debt-free. For those that do have debt, almost one-third owe less than $12,000. How do we make sure that the balance among private value, public benefit and access is appropriate?

Canadians typically overestimate the cost of a degree and underestimate its value. In a world of greater uncertainty, a university education remains the surest path to prosperity for Canadians.

One of the greatest public policy achievements of the last three decades is expanded access to Canada’s high quality higher education system. Once the preserve of Canada’s elite – in 1980, only 10 percent of Canada’s young people attended university – full-time enrolment has since increased steadily so that this fall, one in every four young Canadians will be enrolled full-time. Indeed, university enrolment has grown by more than 50 percent since 2000 alone. In fact, undergraduate enrolment surpassed the one million student mark for the first time last fall. Canada will need all of them, and more, to offset the retirement wave that is already underway. In the next 20 years, six million Canadians are set to retire. Many of those jobs, as well as new jobs being created in an increasingly knowledge-driven world, will need to be filled by university graduates. Public investment to ensure today’s students get the quality education experience of previous generations is essential to Canada’s economic strength in the years ahead.

Frankly, public investments have not kept pace with the dramatic expansion of enrolment. In fact, on a per student basis, provincial support for university operating budgets remains at the same level as it was in 1997. You read that right. While 20 years earlier, government operating support averaged $22,400 per student, by 1997 it had fallen to $11,600 and it has stayed at that level ever since. It can be argued that universities today are delivering substantially more with substantially less.

The development of co-op, internship and work placements – both in industry and broader society – has become a distinguishing characteristic of the Canadian university experience. Once an opportunity in a few programs at a few universities, today more than half of all students will have the opportunity of putting ideas to work during the course of their studies. These students benefit from this early exposure to the working world – as do businesses benefit from a ready source of new ideas, approaches and energy.

With more than half of Canada’s faculty hired in the last 10 years, campuses across the country have a new generation of professors providing their students with opportunities for hands-on research experiences – experiences that excite the imagination and help build a culture of innovation. Going to university is more than a rite of passage. It is an opportunity to engage in the pursuit of ideas and research that generates new knowledge, which can then be transformed into products, processes and services. The research environment is a critical training ground for students. The ability to identify a problem, test solutions, and apply new knowledge in related areas is the very definition of innovation and at the heart of the university mission. Research transforms how we think, act and live.

Federal investments in research and innovation since 1997 have provided Canada with an extraordinary platform upon which to conduct leading research that benefits Canadians and the world. These investments are integral to ensuring Canada a prominent place in a globalized world. More important, they are an essential component in finding the new discoveries and nurturing the talent that will lead to enhanced economic prospects for all Canadians. And perhaps most importantly, learning in a research-enriched environment provides university graduates with the 21st century ideas and skills that today’s employers want – and need.

Oh, and those back-to-school running shoes you’re buying? They’re better than ever, thanks to the work of university researchers including those at the University of Calgary’s Human Performance Lab – home to one of the world’s leading experts in the biomechanics of sports shoes.

This op-ed by Stephen Toope, chairman of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and UBC president, was published in the National Post.

In the global knowledge economy, a country’s greatest strategic advantage is its capacity to discover and innovate.

The federal government acknowledged this clearly in Thursday’s budget, with its commitment to make smart investments in research and innovation. Maintaining such priorities at a time of difficult fiscal decisions affirms the Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s declared ambition to position Canada as a centre of excellence in research, innovation and higher education.

That last component — higher education — is critical to the mix. Education is our best tool for cultivating creativity and equipping citizens to engage globally.

When it comes to developing our human potential, Canada’s universities deliver the greatest possible return on investment. They prepare today’s students for tomorrow’s challenges. They strengthen our communities and drive discovery through dynamic research. They are where critical questions are asked — curious, provocative questions — yielding insights that reframe challenges and expose new possibilities.

Universities play a vital role not only in generating specific innovations, but in building an overall culture of innovation, embedding it in the character of our country.

To make the most of our investments in higher education, we have to create conditions within our universities that will attract highly qualified international students and professors — and entice talented Canadians from all walks of life to stay and do their best work here at home.

The benefits associated with investing in higher education, research and innovation are profound: A strong economy, unlocking human potential, enhancing our quality of life. Fortunately, public investments in Canadian research and innovation have increased nearly fourfold since 1995 — and continue to rise even during the economic downturn.

Around the world, countries are moving quickly to advance their discovery and innovation agendas. This is especially true among emerging economies, which are transforming themselves through dramatic investments in higher education and research. The number of people graduating from China’s universities and specialized colleges has nearly quadrupled since 2000, and the so-called BRIC countries — Brazil, Russia, India and China — tripled their output of scientific articles between 1996 and 2007, a measure of their drive to innovate. Canada cannot afford to rest on its laurels, and our government understands that reality.

In presenting a strategic, multi-year agenda for discovery and innovation — including stable funding for the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, and new investment in the Canada Foundation for Innovation — the federal budget signals a commitment to ensuring that Canada is a leader in innovation.

Our future economic strength and social cohesion will depend less on what we now know, and more on what we are capable of learning. We must enhance our capacity to acquire, discover and utilize knowledge. This is — and has always been — the role of universities.

With sustained support, Canadian universities will continue to be laboratories of change and incubators of resilience-producing global citizens who are ready to thrive in a world where nothing stands still and the future belongs to those who imagine it, and build it, first.

This op-ed by Heather Munroe-Blum, chair of AUCC’s Standing Advisory Committee on University Research and principal of McGill University, was published in the Montreal Gazette.

Last fall, Prime Minister Stephen Harper put it about as directly as it could be said: “You can’t build a modern economy without investing in world-class research.”

World-class research, and the preparation of our citizens to succeed in a globally oriented and complex world, starts at Canada’s universities. It produces knowledge that transforms the ways we think, work and live. It connects us to fellow innovators near home and across the globe. It also pays tangible dividends.
 
Since 1999, more than 1,200 companies have been spun out of discoveries made at Canadian universities – and our graduates have used the knowledge gained over the course of their degrees to create thousands more. Each year, our universities conduct close to $1 billion in direct collaboration with the private sector and another billion with the not-for-profit sector. Overall, the annual economic impact of university research exceeds $60 billion. McGill University’s contribution toward the development and dissemination of knowledge in Quebec alone, for example, was estimated at $3.2 billion in 2008. And every year, more than 200,000 students graduate and go to work in Canadian organizations, large and small, helping them to prosper.
 
Over the past 10 years, and notwithstanding the clear need for real-time austerity measures, government investment in university research has increased by more than 80 per cent. In keeping pace with the growth rate of investment of other countries, the government signals a sustained national priority of achieving high-quality university research and an investment in educated, well-prepared people.
 
The longer-term perspective on research and innovation evident in Budget 2012 is encouraging. Notably, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s budget provides ongoing program funding for the federal granting agencies Genome Canada and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.
 
This funding is crucial to developing knowledge, global awareness, creativity and innovation, and will support research that is at the root of Canada’s health and successful growth, allowing our top university talent to create new ideas and breakthroughs that private and not-for-profit sectors can develop into products and services.
 
What is less known is the vital role that federal grants play in developing the highly qualified personnel at the core of our innovation society. Up to three-quarters of the budget of most grants fund salaries for graduate students and research technicians. Programs also provide students and organizations with opportunities to connect in the workplace, promoting knowledge exchange. The expansion of the Industrial Research and Development Internship program for master’s students will provide Canada’s small-and mediumsized enterprises with increased access to cutting-edge research skills and will serve to foster knowledge mobility and a stronger culture of innovation for companies that may not be able to otherwise afford this calibre of talent.
 
Through Canada’s firm commitment to research, we are bringing the energy and expertise of our universities to bear on problems that really matter – whether creating more effective biomedical devices, providing policy advice to regions transitioning to democracy or helping communities devise sustainable solutions to nutrition problems.

Research in the social sciences and humanities allows universities to provide Canadians with the tools necessary to navigate through an increasingly complex world, where intercultural fluency, understanding of the role of demographics and insight into human development are key to achieving and maintaining healthy communities and civil society.
 
Canada’s health and future growth and prosperity will depend on our ability to innovate – that much is certain. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, summed it up nicely in a speech last month: “We have what it takes to build a competitive advantage in the global economy that will result in jobs, growth and prosperity. We just have to be bold!”
 
Canada’s universities, our students and professors, are taking up that challenge and, with the sustained and growing commitment of government to high-quality research and scholarship, and Canada’s increasingly deep, international engagement, we will be bold indeed.

OTTAWA – Canada’s universities welcome the smart, strategic investments in research and innovation contained in today’s federal budget.

“In the face of tough fiscal choices, the government showed leadership by continuing its investments in research, innovation, research infrastructure and university-private sector collaborations,” says Stephen Toope, chair of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada’s board of directors and president of the University of British Columbia. “These investments will build a stronger future for our society and economy.”

In a climate where some federal government departments are seeing reductions, the federal budget provides ongoing funding for research and innovation through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council to enhance their support of industry-academic research partnership programs. These investments will preserve current levels of basic research and scholarships funding, securing Canada’s position as a global leader in research and discovery.

An additional $500 million over five years for the Canada Foundation for Innovation reflects the importance that high-quality research infrastructure plays in attracting and retaining top students and researchers from around the world. In addition, the budget includes measures to give graduate students valuable research experience in the private sector – an initiative called for by AUCC.

Other strategic investments in research and higher education include:

• $60 million for Genome Canada to launch a new applied research competition in the area of human health, and to sustain the Science and Technology Centres until 2014–15,
• $40 million over two years to support CANARIE’s operation of Canada’s ultra-high speed research network,
• $6.5 million over three years for a research project at McMaster University to evaluate team-based approaches to health care delivery,
• $17 million over two years to further advance the development of alternatives to existing isotope production technologies, and
•  $10 million over two years to the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research to link Canadians to global research networks.

“The budget provides new opportunities for talented graduate students to gain research experiences in companies across Canada,” says AUCC president Paul Davidson. “We’re also pleased the budget recognizes the importance of deepening international education and research linkages.”

The government is also investing in knowledge transfer and commercialization with $24 million over two years and $12 million per year thereafter to make the Business-Led Networks of Centres of Excellence program permanent. This initiative supports research on business priorities by teams of private-sector researchers and academics.

In addition, the budget contains funding to improve educational outcomes for Canada’s Aboriginal people, including $275 million to support First Nations education on reserve. This is a shared priority, and Canada’s universities will continue to work with Aboriginal organizations, the Government of Canada and private sector partners to ensure that our growing population of Aboriginal youth has access to high quality postsecondary experiences.

AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities.

Watch the video of Paul Davidson’s response to budget 2012 »

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For interviews and information, please contact:

Helen Murphy
Manager, Communications
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
613.563.1236, ext. 238
Cell: 613.608.8749
hmurphy@aucc.ca

Mélanie Béchard
Communications Officer
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Tel: 613.563.3961, ext. 306
Cell: 613.884.8401
mbechard@aucc.ca

This op-ed  by Paul Davidson was published in the Toronto Star.

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is one of the world’s premiere science conferences. Between February 16 and 20,  8,000 people will meet in Vancouver to learn more about some of the world’s newest scientific discoveries and will introduce new areas of inquiry that will shape science for decades to come. It is only the second time in its 164 year history that this conference has met outside of the United States – the first time was in Toronto in 1981.

Back then, I was a high school student in Toronto with a motivated science teacher who encouraged us to attend the conference. To be blunt, Canada was not on the map of leading research, and we were encouraged to attend so that we might set our sights on joining the big leagues elsewhere – the United States or the United Kingdom. Sure we had studied about the discovery of insulin – some 60 years earlier, but the underlying message was “real science happens elsewhere.”

Today, students at that same high school are doing stem cell research during co-op placements at the Hospital for Sick Children working with global leaders in state-of-the art labs. Today, more than 1 million Canadians are pursuing an undergraduate degree, and over 190,000 are pursuing graduate studies – part of a drive towards opportunity and excellence taking place right across the country.

In 1981 there was only one university in Canada conducting more than $50 million in research annually.  Today there are 26 doing that level of research, and 12 of them conduct more than $300 million in research each year. The largest of them (University of Toronto) conducts close to $1 billion in research annually. Through sustained investments, Canada has become a leader in science, technology and innovation.

Back in 1981 there were fewer than 10,000 people pursuing PhDs in Canada. Today, there are about 45,000 full time doctoral students in Canada, and they are conducting research that will shape the 21^st century. This increased opportunity has helped ensure Canada has the highly talented people we need in the global economy.

Our universities today are much more global in their outlook and in their make-up. In 1981 there were just 28,000 international students in Canada, and today there are more than 100,000 from more than 200 countries. Universities are global gateways that strengthen the connections among and between nations and people.  

Consider Canada’s linkages with China. In 1981 there were only 250 Chinese students studying here – and now there are about 20,000. As Prime Minister Harper noted last week in Beijing, these global linkages are becoming increasingly important, particularly with new and emerging global superpowers.

These are all accomplishments about which we should be very proud. Looking ahead, Canada needs to continue its investments in research and innovation, and find new and better ways to collaborate in international research to harness the best minds on the world’s toughest problems.

In 1981, Toronto was a nice place to hold a conference just beyond the U.S. border. This week, when delegates come to Vancouver, they will see how dramatically Canada has changed. They will see what Canada has done to put us on the map as an international destination, partner and peer in doing ground-breaking research.

In preparing to attend the conference in Vancouver, I am delighted to see that there will be several hundred high school students attending, and I wonder what they will achieve in the next 30 years.

OTTAWA – Emerging economies around the world are transforming themselves through dramatic investments in higher education and research, and Western countries must take action now to not be left behind.

That’s the focus of a workshop hosted by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada at the AAAS Annual Meeting in Vancouver on Feb. 17. The session, “Establishing research collaborations with emerging economies: Canada’s experience in India and Brazil” will look at why and how Canada’s universities are establishing and enhancing educational and research partnerships with India and Brazil, the opportunities these collaborations are creating, and lessons that can be learned from the Canadian experience.

“International partnerships in research and innovation are vital to building prosperity in the new knowledge-driven economy,” says Paul Davidson, president of AUCC. “And in Canada, building international collaborations is increasingly about reaching out to emerging nations – countries that are building prosperity by investing in research and innovation.”

Brazil is an excellent example. This dynamic Latin American country is poised to become a top-five economy in the next five years and has set a research expenditure target of 2.5 percent of its GDP by 2022.

India, one of the fastest growing economies, will need 1,400 new universities in the next decade. It is currently sending about 160,000 students abroad annually and is poised to surpass all of the G8 in terms of research output.

The AUCC workshop will look at how Canada is positioning itself as a world leader in research and innovation – in part through enhanced partnerships and collaborations with emerging nations – and how this strategy fits with the country’s ongoing mission of attracting the best and brightest minds from around the world to its universities.

Workshop details:

Date: Friday, February 17, 2012

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm

Facility: Vancouver Convention Centre (West Building)

Room: 107-108

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 NOTE TO MEDIA: AUCC president Paul Davidson is attending the AAAS Annual Meeting Feb. 16-20 and is available for interviews on this workshop topic and also the importance of hosting the AAAS gathering in Canada for our university research community.

Media Contact:

Helen Murphy
Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238
Cell: 613-608-8749

OTTAWA – The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada welcomes news of increased cooperation between Canada and China in education, science and technology. The Government of Canada announced yesterday the renewal of the Memorandum of Understanding related to the Canada-China Scholars’ Exchange Program (CCSEP) and new calls for proposals under the Canada-China Framework Agreement for Cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation.

The CCSEP’s eligibility criteria will be expanded to include opportunities for Canadian undergraduate students and mid-career professionals to gain academic and professional experience in China (the program is currently open to graduate students and faculty members). “The renewal of this program signals the importance of higher education and research collaboration as a key pillar of bilateral relations between Canada and China,” said Paul Davidson, president of AUCC.

Canada’s universities also look forward to the upcoming calls for proposals for joint research projects, which are expected to be launched in spring 2012. A total of $18 million in funding will be available to support these initiatives, which will facilitate stronger ties between Canadian and Chinese graduate students and researchers in areas such as human vaccines and clean automotive transportation.

“Canada’s future growth and prosperity depend on our ability to be more innovative and competitive. Investments in international education and research will prepare our graduates to drive the innovative capacity of Canada’s economy and make positive contributions to their local and global communities,” said Mr. Davidson.

There are currently more than 475 active partnership agreements between Canadian and Chinese universities, facilitating student and faculty mobility, research cooperation and joint academic programming in a variety of fields. Canadian universities also hosted more than 30,000 Chinese students in 2009, which is the largest group of international students in Canada.

AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities and degree-level colleges.

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For more information:

 Helen Murphy
AUCC Communications Manager
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238

OTTAWA - Canada’s university presidents are on Parliament Hill today to talk with MPs and senior civil servants about the role universities play in building a culture of innovation in Canada. The day’s activities and discussions are focused on the benefits gained by Canadians through investments in innovation, and the impressive results of university and private-sector partnerships. Close to 30 university presidents are participating.

“Our country’s future growth and prosperity depend on our ability to be more innovative and globally competitive,” says Paul Davidson, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. “The federal government is responding to this imperative, and universities are active partners.”

Canada’s universities do more than $1 billion in research each year with the private sector, and almost $1 billion of research for health and social service non-profit groups annually. A number of private-sector partners are joining the university presidents in their “Day on the Hill.”

The day begins with the “Big Thinking Lecture” on Parliament Hill, co-hosted with the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences, on the topic of re-thinking innovation. The closing event is an evening reception to demonstrate the university and private-sector partnerships that energize Canadian innovation.

AUCC is the national voice of Canada’s universities, representing 95 Canadian public and private not-for-profit universities and degree-level colleges.

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Media Contact:

Helen Murphy
Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236, ext. 238

New publication highlights economic, social and cultural contributions of universities

WINNIPEG – Universities are at the very heart of more than 100 communities across Canada, contributing to the quality of life of local residents in meaningful ways. How today’s universities are helping to build smart, healthy, vibrant and prosperous communities is the focus of a new brochure released today by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada.

“Universities are where people and ideas come together, for the benefit of all Canadians,” said Paul Davidson, AUCC president, who released the brochure today in Winnipeg where he was speaking to the University of Manitoba’s Board of Governors.

“For communities across Canada, the local university is not only a significant driver of economic activity, but also the place where the arts are enjoyed and celebrated, where lifelong learning takes place, and where families benefit from recreational facilities. There is no real dividing line between the university and the community; they are of mutual service and benefit, and work together to make Canada stronger,” he added.

As a $30 billion enterprise in direct expenditures alone, Canada’s universities generate more economic activity than the pulp and paper or residential construction industries. They are also a magnet for talent, attracting leading researchers and innovators from around the globe to our communities. For example, almost 550 or 30 percent of Canada Research Chairs have been recruited from abroad, almost half of whom were Canadian expatriates who were attracted home.

As well, the internationalization of Canada’s universities means 100,000 international students are now enrolled at Canada’s universities, compared to 25,500 in 1995, contributing to economic and social development, enhancing diversity and bringing unique perspectives and experiences to our communities.

For more on the impact of Canada’s universities on our communities, download a copy of AUCC’s new brochure.

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For more information or interview opportunities:

Helen Murphy
AUCC Communications Manager
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238

Universities welcome recognition of leadership in talent, discovery and ideas

OTTAWA – The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada values the vision of innovation outlined today in the report of the Independent Panel on Federal Support to Research and Development. The panel’s report is a timely call to action, and universities are ready to play their part in making Canada more prosperous and innovative.

“The panel’s analysis reaffirms the leading role that Canada’s universities play in providing the talent, discovery and ideas that serve as the cornerstone of our economy and society,” says Paul Davidson, president of AUCC. “We’re pleased the panel stayed focused on the major problem in our innovation continuum: the fact that Canada lags behind other highly developed countries on business investment and innovation.”

The recommendations in the report call for a series of measures that will create closer links among university research, business and governments in order to create a more dynamic culture of innovation in Canada. AUCC is pleased to note that many elements of the panel’s report mirror the analysis and proposals we made earlier this year in Canada’s universities: partners in the business of innovation, our recommendations to the panel.

In its report, the panel identifies the primary role that universities, and their faculty, students and graduates, occupy as the leading contributors to innovation. It recognizes the pressing need for support for the institutional costs of research. And it calls for Canada to invest in basic research at internationally competitive levels.

Canada’s universities welcome the panel’s recognition of the importance of talent development for undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral fellows (a move called for recently by Canada’s Science and Technology Innovation Council and by AUCC in its pre-budget submission to the House of Commons Finance Committee. “Our country needs more collaboration to bridge the gap between research and innovation. We are very pleased that the panel recognizes the willingness and efforts of universities to play our part,” says Mr. Davidson.

There are a number of very encouraging recommendations in this report, such as:

• creating vouchers to build relationships between small and medium-sized enterprises and universities;
• maintaining a broad range of intellectual property arrangements to meet the variety of needs Canadian businesses as they seek to engage in research and discovery collaborations;
• adopting procurement policies that encourage innovation.

The panel, which was chaired by Open Text chairman and chief strategy officer Tom Jenkins and included David Naylor, president of the University of Toronto, has charted “an ambitious and achievable agenda to make Canada a global leader in research, discovery and innovation,” Mr. Davidson states. Over the coming weeks and months, AUCC looks forward to meeting Parliamentarians, public servants and other stakeholders to further discuss the recommendations and move forward.

AUCC is the voice of Canada’s universities. It represents 95 Canadian public and private, not-for-profit universities and university-degree level colleges.

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Report of the Independent Panel on Federal Support to Research and Development

For more information:

Helen Murphy
AUCC Communications Manager
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238

By Paul Davidson
President, Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

Good morning. I’m pleased to be with you in Montreal, where AUCC was founded, and where we will be celebrating our centennial later this month. Looking back, we see a century of growth, dynamism and diversity. Looking forward, we see how vital high quality education and research will be to Canada’s prosperity in a global world.

I envy you. You have each earned the trust and confidence of voters in your community. And for the first time in almost a decade you have a four year mandate. Each of you has the opportunity to do something extraordinary for Canada.

Canada’s universities recognize we are facing a period of intense worldwide uncertainty. Universities are helping Canadians navigate through these challenging times.

When the last downturn hit, the government moved quickly to create the Knowledge Infrastructure Program. It showed tremendous alignment of federal and provincial governments in an area of national priority, and it has helped transform campuses.

From idea to announcement in six weeks, and from announcement to funding decisions in six months it was an example of public policy and implementation at its best.

And next month, universities across the country will open their doors to showcase the upgraded, expanded or newly-built facilities made possible through KIP. It is our way of showing Canadians the lasting value of smart stimulus. There are more than 59 public events that will demonstrate how KIP is improving the quality of the research and learning experience for Canadian students, and we hope that you will join us.

This year, Canada’s universities welcomed the largest incoming class ever – because students and their parents recognize the value of a degree. Through the last downturn, from 2008 to 2010 there were more than 300,000 net new jobs for those with a university degree – compared to 430,000 jobs lost for those with no post-secondary education.

And we are going to need to continue to increase participation even more to meet the needs of an aging society, where the number of retirees will double and the workforce will grow by just 8%.

Let me talk now about the 2012 Budget.

We appreciate the recovery is fragile and there may be the need for flexibility in the months ahead.

This government is to be commended for sustaining investments in research – even during a downturn. And those investments are yielding results for individuals and communities. In the past the committee has asked me to elaborate on these results. I am pleased to say that today we are releasing new information to all MPs about the value of university research to Canada’s prosperity.

For next year’s budget, we have three major priorities.

First, university research. Funding through Canada’s three federal granting councils and the Canada Foundation for Innovation not only supports new discoveries, products and processes, it also allows faculty to engage students in hands-on research. And that gives students the analytical and innovative skills they need to thrive in today’s knowledge-based economy.

Second, enhancing links to the private sector and building a stronger innovation culture. We need to link university students and faculty more closely with private sector partners to build greater collaboration and networks.

What’s needed now is a new mechanism to help business engage new talent, and to help highly qualified graduates connect with Canadian enterprises. Such a mechanism will help create job experiences in the private sector for master’s and PhD graduates, and foster a culture of innovation in Canada.

And finally we need to improve Canada’s educational connectivity to the world.

Last year I spoke of India – in November, Canada’s universities committed $4 million of their resources to promote student mobility and research collaboration with India. And there is more to be done.

We are also delighted that the Prime Minister announced that the Governor General will lead an AUCC mission to Brazil in spring 2012.

Why do I keep referring to the need for greater educational connectivity? Because of scope, scale and urgency.

Brazil has just announced a scholarship program for 75,000 students to study abroad. India has 160,000 students studying abroad – but only 3,000 of them are in Canada. China has increased enrolment by two million in two years.

As a country we need to be able to seize these opportunities to connect to growing markets – especially when our competitors cannot.

That is why our third priority is a significant global research fund, focussed on priorities such as Brazil and India, enabling more students and faculty to participate in international collaborative research. And creating the linkages essential to prosperity in the years ahead.

Conclusion:

I am pleased that others have taken up our recommendation to improve access and success for Canada’s aboriginal youth, and we continue to see that as an urgent national challenge.

We need to make sure that this generation of students is the best educated and prepared to meet the challenges our country is facing. We believe that research-enriched, globally engaged university experiences within a culture of innovation are the best way for Canada to prosper as we navigate through a changing world.

MONTREAL – University research matters to Canada, now more than ever. In order to compete in the global economy, Canada needs university research to drive innovation and help build the country’s talent pool – the workforce of the future.

Paul Davidson, President of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, brought this message to Members of Parliament today during the House of Commons Finance Committee’s pre-budget consultations in Montreal.

“Prosperous societies are innovative societies, and innovation begins with basic research,” said Mr. Davidson. “Successful university research transforms knowledge into products and services that are needed in the global marketplace.”

Today, AUCC also released a new publication – The value of university research – outlining the important contributions of research to the Canadian economy and to Canadians.

The impact of university research is felt everywhere, from better cancer treatments, to more nutritional eggs, to improvements in solar technology. While improving the quality of life of Canadians, university research has an important economic impact – more than $60 billion a year.

The research-enriched learning environment at Canada’s universities benefits all students, helping them develop the critical thinking and analytical skills required in today’s global knowledge economy.

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Pre-budget presentation.

For more information or interview opportunities:

Helen Murphy
AUCC Communications Manager
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238

OTTAWA – Today’s announcement of $53 million in new federal funding for Canadian researchers and universities is an important investment in building a culture of innovation in Canada, says Paul Davidson, president of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. The announcement of funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) was made by the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), on the University of Manitoba campus.

“It’s very evident that Canada is building the talent pool to be an innovation leader,” says Davidson. “It’s this kind of investment that translates potential into action and gets results for Canadians. The discoveries and innovations of these research teams will help address the challenges facing Canada, improve our quality of life, create new jobs and position our country as a productivity leader in the years ahead. “

Canada’s universities have an impressive track record when it comes to contributing to a culture of innovation. A multitude of new products and exports have grown out of university research in recent years – from improved crop varieties of peas, beans and lentils, to more efficient and safer aircraft, to revolutionary cancer treatments that reduce wait times and treatment costs. University research is also addressing significant challenges in healthcare, changing demographics, energy needs and other areas.

This new investment in research is being made through the CFI’s Leaders Opportunity Fund. It will support 207 projects at 42 Canadian research institutions.

The CFI’s funding is awarded through a rigorous, objective, merit-based funding competition process. A full list of these funded projects is available at www.innovation.ca.

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For more information or interview opportunities:

Helen Murphy
AUCC Communications Manager
hmurphy@aucc.ca
613-563-1236 ext. 238

OTTAWA, August 3, 2011 – Today’s announcement of 167 new Vanier Scholars by Prime Minister Stephen Harper demonstrates the commitment of the federal government and Canada’s universities to attract the best researchers from around the world to our campuses.

“Perhaps Canada’s greatest asset during these challenging economic times is our talent,” says Paul Davidson, President of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. “Investments such as the Vanier Scholarships are bringing the best researchers and innovators to Canada, and enhancing our competitive position globally. The discoveries and innovations of these scholars and their colleagues will help build a better quality of life for Canadians and position our country as a productivity leader in the years ahead.”

Canada’s public investments in research and innovation, such as the Vanier Scholarships, have increased through the economic downturn, and the outstanding talent pool being developed by Canada’s universities is widely recognized. Canada leads the world in the growth rate of PhD degrees in the sciences, and comes second only to Sweden in the growth of doctorates in engineering – an important competitive advantage for an economy that depends on high-level skills and talent.

Launched in 2009, the Vanier Scholarships are designed to attract and retain world-class doctoral students from Canada and around the world. This year, 167 Vanier scholars were announced at 26 universities, with graduate students from the United States, Europe, Asia and Africa choosing Canadian universities for their doctoral studies. Today’s announcement is valued at $25 million, bringing the total government investment in the program to $75 million.

Vanier scholars receive $50,000 annually for up to three years, and each is selected based on his or her demonstrated leadership skills and high standard of scholarly achievement in the social sciences, humanities, natural sciences, engineering or health sciences.

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For more information or interview opportunities:
Helen Murphy
Communications Manager
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Tel.: 613-563-1236, ext. 238
Email: hmurphy@aucc.ca

This op-ed was published in the Financial Post on July 5, 2011

By Paul Davidson
President
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

William Watson offers an interesting theory on Canada’s productivity challenges in Saturday’s Financial Post (“Endless folly of innovation policy,” July 2).

Yes, bright young people tend to want to make the world a better place; let’s hope they always will. But today’s young people are also very focused on their role in the new economy, on very practical things like meaningful employment and their future prospects. A recession will do that to you.

Watson was responding to Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation Council’s second State of the Nation report (the first was published in 2009). It’s a 76-page document that benchmarks Canada’s STI performance against international standards. When viewed as a report card, it shows that Canada is heading for Bs and Cs in innovation, despite our potential to do better. In the new global knowledge economy, that just won’t cut it.

The council’s message boils down to this: Canada has to do better — particularly in the areas of private-sector investment in R&D and collaboration with universities — if we want to be more than a “mid-level player” in global innovation.

What the council makes clear is that talent is not the problem. The report finds that the number of Canadian university graduates is increasing, and notes strong growth in the important area of doctoral degrees in science. In fact, Canada leads the world in the growth rate of PhD degrees in the sciences, and comes second only to Sweden in the growth of doctorates in engineering. That’s great news for an economy that depends on high-level skills and talent. The council warns us, however, to guard against complacency and to continue building Canada’s talent pool.

What we’re missing, the report makes clear, is a “culture of innovation” in business. R&D spending by business has been decreasing in real terms since 2006. Others have noted that Canadian private-sector investment in R&D as a share of GDP is about one-half that of the United States, one-third that of Sweden and one-quarter that of Korea. This is not how Canada becomes a global leader in innovation. The alternative to strengthening Canada’s private-sector investment in R&D is the unpalatable prospect of an underachieving economy, unrealized human potential and unsatisfactory quality of life.

Underneath the discouraging top-line indicators, there are some better performers. Eight of 16 industries in Canada invest more in R&D than the OECD average in their industry. ICT manufacturing and transport manufacturing (including aerospace) are close to the top five in R&D-intensive countries, and the paper and lumber sector exceeds the top five comparators.

The council’s report emphasizes that better engagement of the private sector in research is fundamental to Canada becoming an innovation leader. It also tells us — and Canada’s universities agree — that we need to find better ways of transferring knowledge from universities and other research centres to the marketplace.

The report highlights a range of innovative ways in which enterprises already benefit from collaborating with universities. It cites new products and exports that have grown out of university research — from improved crop varieties of peas, beans and lentils, to more efficient and safer aircraft, to revolutionary cancer treatments that reduce wait times and treatment costs.

Where universities can make a real difference for business is in working with partners to improve the transfer of knowledge to the marketplace. That’s why it’s particularly encouraging to see the report highlight the important role of internships and other exchanges in making this happen. Finding more avenues of exchange between business and universities at all levels will help build a stronger innovation culture.

There are many other ways in which our universities are helping to position Canada as a productivity leader, including their responsiveness to labour-market needs. Our universities are producing graduates with the analytical, creative-thinking and problem-solving skills needed in today’s global economy. Recent data show that since 2008, Canada’s economy has created 300,000 jobs for university graduates, compared with only 78,000 for college graduates and the loss of 433,000 jobs for those without post-secondary education.

And those graduates enjoy rewarding careers. Over their working lives, university graduates will typically earn $1.3-million more than those who only complete secondary school and $1-million more than those with college.

Canada has the talent pool to be an innovation leader. But increased collaboration to transfer knowledge to the private sector and increased private-sector investment are vital to achieving our potential as a nation.

Ottawa, June 6, 2011 – The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) applauds the Government of Canada’s continued support for university research and international engagement as announced in Budget 2011.

“We’re very pleased to see this government honouring its commitment to Canada’s universities as initially presented in the spring budget,” says AUCC President Paul Davidson. “With a four-year mandate, the federal government has a meaningful opportunity to position Canada as a leader in research, discovery and innovation through investment in our university sector.”

Highlights of support for Canada’s universities include:

• a $37 million increase in the annual investment in the three major granting councils
• the establishment of 10 new Canada Excellence Research Chairs
• a total of close to $250 million over six years to strategic research initiatives led by or involving Canada’s universities, including an additional $65 million for Genome Canada to continue its ground-breaking work
• $10 million over two years to develop and implement an international education strategy that will reinforce Canada as a country of choice to study and conduct world-class research
• measures to build on recent efforts to strengthen connections between Canadian universities and India, including a $12 million investment in the establishment of a new Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence

“Canadian families know that a university education is the surest path to prosperity and economic security,” says Mr. Davidson. “These investments will help our universities strengthen communities and address Canada’s challenges and priorities in crucial areas such as health care, energy and climate change.

AUCC is the voice of Canada’s universities. It represents 95 Canadian public and private, not-for-profit universities and university-degree level colleges.

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For interviews and information, contact:
Helen Murphy
Manager, Communications
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
613.563.1236, ext. 238
Mobile: 613.608.8749

Mélanie Béchard
Communications Officer
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada
Tel: 613.563.3961, ext. 306
Mobile: 613.884.8401
mbechard@aucc.ca