News and commentary

Ottawa, March 29, 2010 – The January 12 earthquake in Haiti devastated the country, its people and its infrastructure. The Haitian people and their government are now focused on rebuilding for a sustainable future.

Haiti’s “knowledge infrastructure” has been deeply affected. Several universities, colleges and schools and related facilities were destroyed, more than two hundred professors and teachers were killed and thousands of students were displaced and unable to continue their studies.

• Canada and Canadians have taken a lead role in responding to the Haitian crisis. Canada’s universities and colleges and the national and provincial associations that represent them are also responding to the devastation in Haiti.
• The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada, the Association of Canadian Community Colleges, the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie, the Canadian Bureau for International Education, the Council of Rectors and Principals of Quebec Universities, Cégep International and World University Services of Canada are working together to achieve a coordinated response. The effort is guided by the principles of sustainability, responsiveness to local needs, mobilizing local capacity and leveraging existing mechanisms.
• Many of our members and some provinces (for example, Quebec and New Brunswick) have taken immediate action to waive tuition and residence fees for Haitian students and provide other forms of support including scholarships, counseling services and emergency financial aid.
• Our sector has considerable experience and capacity, as well as extensive networks on the ground in Haiti, to assist in the longer-term reconstruction and development effort.
• Postsecondary institutions in Canada and in Haiti have a critical role to play in sharing expertise and training Haiti’s current and future leaders to address food security, basic health and education, economic recovery and governance needs.

While the immediate concerns are relief and recovery, the Haitian government and international donors will meet in New York City on March 31 to map out an action plan for reconstruction efforts over the next 10 years. The Haitian government has identified higher education as a priority sector within its broader plan of action.

Given the Canadian government’s clear commitment to Haiti over the long term, we urge that postsecondary education be a central component of Canada’s plan of action and a feature of discussion at the donors’ conference.

One step in this direction is an upcoming conference hosted by the Agence universitaire de la Francophonie – an international organization with 728 members including eight Haitian universities. On May 25-26, 2010, the Assises internationales, hosted by the Université de Montréal, will allow members, partners and key donors to develop an action plan for the reconstruction of Haitian postsecondary education based on needs and priorities identified by Haitian academic leaders.

This is a major initiative to support Haiti’s long-term development and we encourage active participation and support from the Canadian government. We and our members will contribute actively to ensure an effective and coordinated Canadian effort results from the conference deliberations.

On behalf of Canada’s postsecondary sector, we stand ready to support Canada’s efforts in Haiti and look forward to making a meaningful and lasting contribution to Haiti’s future.

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

For additional information on this release and AUCC, please contact:

Alison Hebbs
Assistant Director, Communications
Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada

OTTAWA, March 4, 2010 – The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada welcomes the government’s strategic choice to invest in university research as announced today in Budget 2010.

“Given Canada’s fiscal outlook, we are pleased that the government is continuing to invest in university research and innovation to create jobs today and to build the economy of tomorrow,” says Michel Belley, chair of the AUCC Board of Directors and rector of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi.

The $32 million annual investment in the three major granting councils will help universities to pursue the kinds of research that will drive innovation and produce the highly skilled workers that all sectors of the economy need. The budget also provided $8 million for the Indirect Costs Program.

“This budget sends an important signal,” says Paul Davidson, AUCC president and CEO. ”It shows that the government recognizes the vital role universities play in creating opportunities for Canadians in the new economy.”

Economic stimulus efforts such as the Knowledge Infrastructure Program are helping Canada to emerge from this recession and to accelerate economic growth. This program is making a difference on campuses across Canada and paying dividends. As the program enters its second year, Canadian universities and research partners will leverage these new and renovated facilities to generate cutting-edge discoveries.

The new investments in post-doctoral fellows will build on the stimulus provided by the Knowledge Infrastructure Program and the research funding announced today. The fellowship program, funded at $45 million over five years, will be internationally competitive and will help attract and keep talented recent PhD graduates in Canada. Their skills and knowledge will help drive innovative research and discoveries in universities, industry and other knowledge sectors.

Canada’s universities will continue to work in partnership with governments and stakeholders to recruit more international students and improve access and success for Canada’s Aboriginal youth.

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 more information:

Lyse Huot
Director, Government Relations and Communications

Canada has the fiscal capacity to make decisions now about supporting research and development that will enhance our competitive position and lay the foundations for growth, health and prosperity in the decades ahead, and to position Canada internationally

By Heather Munroe-Blum

This op-ed was published in The Hill Times on February 22, 2010

Heather Munroe-Blum is chair of the Standing Advisory Committee on University Research of the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and Principal and Vice-Chancellor of McGill University.

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There is a growing worldwide consensus that countries which invest strategically and competitively in education, research and innovation will emerge from the global recession in a better position to lead on economic and social development.

World-class research at Canadian universities and research institutes and the talent we foster, are the lifeblood of global knowledge societies. They feed innovation and generate cutting-edge discoveries that drive economic, social and cultural growth and thus improve our quality of life nationwide. Our university scholars and researchers are developing the next generation of innovators, discoverers and community leaders who will ensure that economic growth is sustained and that civil society flourishes.

Universities represent a $30-billion enterprise in Canada, employing more than 150,000 people and generating a substantial economic impact in communities, large and small, across the country. In 2008, Canada’s universities conducted more than $10-billion worth of research and development for the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, in addition to substantial cultural, public policy and design contributions. We, in Canada, pride ourselves on our strong social values and we require the economic productivity necessary to support and act on them.

The recent economic downturn has threatened continuing growth in research investments across all sectors. But it is vitally important to remember that research is not a luxury. Continuing to invest in leading, transformational research, scholarship and innovation is central to the advancement of Canada’s place in the world.

And, as last week’s Conference Board of Canada report on innovation underlined, this country needs to do more to support research and innovation if we are to keep pace with others that have made gains at our expense. Again this year, as it has since the 1980s, the Conference Board gave Canada a “D” grade, despite some progress observed over previous years, and it explained the importance of innovation.

“Despite a decade or so of innovation agendas and prosperity reports,” the Conference Board said, “Canada remains near the bottom of its peer group on innovation, ranking 14th among the 17 peer countries. … Canada’s low relative ranking means that, as a proportion of its overall economic activity, Canada does not rely on innovation as much as some of its peers. Overall, countries that are more innovative are passing Canada on measures such as income per capita, productivity, and the quality of social programs.”

The knowledge generation at our universities affects the everyday lives, and futures, of Canadians; it helps us grow healthier food, advance new treatments to combat disease, make transportation more environmentally friendly and safer—and even contribute to our partnership with Haitians as they manage the devastating social and psychological effects of the recent earthquake.

In Canada, there has been increased investment in research and in highly-qualified and prepared citizens and this has paid dividends across the country. But the world is changing quickly and, as the Conference Board and others have noted, we are falling behind. A recent study from Thompson Reuters predicts, for example, that India’s research productivity will be on par with most G8 nations within seven or eight years and is positioned to overtake them by 2020. Canada, it is very clear, can find ways to do more than ever before to develop, attract and retain top talent, and to take advantage of our relatively good position in managing global economic assaults.

Economic stimulus efforts, such as the 2009 federal budget’s Knowledge Infrastructure Program, have helped place Canada well to emerge from this recession to resume expansion. The federal government’s $2-billion contribution to upgrade research and teaching facilities at universities and colleges across the country has been an essential component to maintaining a healthy and productive research environment, and the investment in the Canada Excellence Research Chairs positions Canada to lead in key research fields of importance at the world level. In order to leverage fully the opportunities created by these programs and the federal granting councils, it is now critically important to continue to support world-leading research and scholarly programs.

In its report to government, the Science, Technology and Innovation Council stated: “…investments in science, technology and innovation will help us ensure that we bounce back quickly from the current global economic downturn. … Now is the time to up our game.”

The House of Commons Finance Committee’s report, released late November 2009, said the government should “increase its support to research through federal granting councils and research agencies as well as for the indirect costs of research.”

Canada’s universities are committed to ensuring that our research and scholarship contribute to effective economic, social and health progress for the country. We want to do more. Universities contribute by generating the kind of creative and innovative research and graduates that will drive Canada’s future. Indeed, even in the midst of the recent downturn, jobs for university graduates have continued to expand, with 104,000 more university graduates employed in December 2009 than in September 2008 – while there were 410,000 fewer jobs in the rest of the labour force.

As Canada emerges from the downturn, we face strategic choices. Notwithstanding understandable constraints, Canada has the fiscal capacity to make decisions now about supporting research and development that will enhance our competitive position and lay the foundations for growth, health and prosperity in the decades ahead, and to position Canada internationally as a model of progressive society.

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

This op-ed was published in the Special Eduation Report of the Embassy newspaper on February 17, 2010.

Across the country, Canadians are recovering from the deepest financial crisis in 70 years. The recession has been severe, but it has also been uneven. More than 135,000 new jobs for university graduates have been created since September 2008, compared to 770,000 jobs lost for those without a university degree over the same period. This illustrates the ongoing and profound shifts in the nature of our economy, and underscores the need to continue investing in Canada’s new economy.

In recent years, the Government of Canada has shown great foresight by making vital investments in research talent, innovation and knowledge. These investments are paying dividends in communities from coast to coast. Research and teaching facilities are being revitalized; university enrolment is at a record high; and universities are more engaged with the private sector, charitable sector, and communities than ever before.

Canada needs to keep investing in these areas to address our demographic challenge. In the last four decades, virtually all of Canada’s economic growth has been driven by growth in the labour market. Over the next forty years, Canada can expect the labour market to grow by less than 10 percent, even taking into account the arrival of New Canadians. This means we must ensure every qualified Canadian has access to postsecondary education, that we attract bright young minds to Canada from abroad and that we improve our capacity for research and innovation to enhance our productivity and create wealth.

Canadians should be proud of their investments in higher education and research. The growth of Canada’s universities has transformed our country and is having global impact.

But Canada cannot be complacent in a rapidly changing world. Many nations are investing heavily in education and university R&D. For example:

• In Germany, the Higher Education Pact and Excellence Initiative, both renewed in June 2009 will result in significant new federal investments in education and research over the next decade. The Excellence Initiative will receive 30 percent more funds to promote world-class research, while the Higher Education Pact will see the national government contributing towards the institutional costs of research.
• In France, a commission created by President Sarkozy has recommended significant investments in higher education and research, as a major component of a package of investments to promote innovation. The French budget of January 2010 allocated an additional €19 billion (approximately $27 billion) for higher education and research.
• In Australia, this year’s federal budget increased investments by $5.3 billion in tertiary education, research and innovation over the six years as well as a 25 percent increase in their overall investments in research and innovation this year alone.
• India continues to expand investments in higher education and research, and is anticipated to create 1,400 new postsecondary institutions to serve seven million more students over the next decade.
• The ongoing expansion of higher education and research in China has helped drive a spectacular nine-fold increase rise in research publications. China has overtaken all countries but the U.S. in this important indicator of innovation.

There is a growing worldwide consensus that countries investing heavily in education, research and innovation will emerge from the global recession in a position to lead in economic and social development. The OECD concluded in a seminar held in February 2009 that “reforms aimed at strengthening innovation in the context of broader reforms to address the crisis can help countries emerge stronger from the crisis and help put them on a more sustainable growth path.”

In response to this rising global competition, U.S. President Obama stated in his budget presentation on February 1, 2010, that: “Investment in science and basic research is critical to long-term economic growth.” The budget includes:

• $66 billion in non-defense research and development, an increase of $3.7 billion or 5.9 percent over 2010 levels;
• Continued commitment to double funding for the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), for an overall increase of 6.6 percent;
• An increase of $1 billion or 3.2 percent for the National Institutes of Health;
• An increase from $6.9 billion to $7.4 billion (8 percent) for the NSF.

The U.S. budget measures demonstrate that even in the midst of severe fiscal stress, the U.S. administration understands that strategic investments are required for their country’s future prosperity and to strengthen their global economic competitiveness.

Because of our strong fiscal position, Canada can better afford new investments than our competitors. As Canada considers how to accelerate out of the recession and into a period of sustained growth, it needs to continue to invest in the new economy. We can afford to do more to develop and unleash Canadians’ innovative and creative capacity. We can do more to attract talent from around the world. Investing in these areas will address Canada’s economic, demographic and productivity challenges and prepare us all to prosper in the new economy.

This op-ed will be published in a number of Aboriginal monthly newsletters in January 2010.

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

In the past 14 months, there have been 104,000 net new jobs for Canadians with university level education, and 410,000 fewer jobs for those without. This demonstrates the importance of developing Canadian human resource potential.

In the next decade, 400,000 Aboriginal Canadians will reach the age to enter the labour market. At the same time, Canada’s economy will need well educated young people to address the needs of an aging population and to increase our productivity.

As Canada begins to move out of recession, we need to set our sights on improving access to university for all Canadians and most especially for Aboriginal Canadians.

Canada’s Aboriginal population is growing at three times the national average, but their university attainment is just one third that of other Canadians. We need to close this gap.

A new report from the Canadian Council on Learning provides insight into the learning success of Aboriginal Canadians. Among other things, the report shows that Aboriginals are most successful at learning when their learning is linked to their own culture and is relevant to their own life experiences.

Increasingly universities across Canada are delivering educational programs that incorporate these elements. On Canada Day, I was in Iqaluit to attend the graduation ceremony for the first group of master’s students to earn their degree entirely in the North. The 21 Inuit women from across Nunavut had just graduated from the University of Prince Edward Island’s Master of Education in Leadership in Learning program. The curriculum they studied was specially designed to balance both western and Inuit knowledge of education and leadership. These students had gone from being teacher’s assistants to master’s degree holders and leaders in their communities.

This is just one example of the many successes universities, governments and Aboriginal communities are creating across the country. University of Winnipeg’s downtown Wii Chiiwaakanak Learning Centre provides educational opportunities and services to the local, and mostly Aboriginal, community. Student volunteers from the university assist neighbourhood children with homework after school and on Saturdays. Cape Breton University’s Toqwa’tu’kl Kjijitaqnn / Integrative Science concentration in the Bachelor of Science program integrates the study of modern western science with the Mi’kmaw conceptual view of Nature as reflected in their language and legends. The program leads to a four-year Bachelor of Science degree and a wide variety of potential careers in health, nature and science.

Universities, governments and most importantly Aboriginal communities have already shown that they can achieve concrete results. In the early sixties, only three Aboriginal students attended university in all of Canada. Today, it is estimated that some 25,000 to 30,000 attend university.

Despite these successes, Canada is far from where we need to be. After steady progress in the last decade, Aboriginal enrolment is not keeping pace with population growth and federal support has remained essentially static for a decade.

Looking ahead to an emerging labour shortage in Canada, a report released this past spring by the Centre for the Study of Living Standards estimated what would happen if in 2026 the educational and labour market outcomes of Aboriginal Canadians reached the same levels other Canadians had in 2001. The numbers were striking. Compared to the status quo, annual incomes for Aboriginal Canadians would be $36.5 billion higher in 2026. For all levels of government, this would represent an increase in total tax revenue of $3.5 billion in 2026 alone.

Universities want to do their part. Many institutions are working collaboratively with Aboriginal communities to increase access, retention and completion. Recently, Assembly of First Nations National Chief Shawn Atleo addressed over 70 university presidents from across Canada at the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada’s fall membership meeting. He outlined ways universities can do more and issued a call-to-action. In the coming months, university presidents will meet with Aboriginal leaders to plan and implement joint new initiatives which will assist more Aboriginal youth in pursuing a university education.

Achieving more will require resources to provide specialized academic and support programs for Aboriginal Canadians. For the most part, these programs are not covered by provincial operating grants or federal contributions. Funds will have to be found to achieve success on the scale Canada needs. Universities will work hard to find the resources they can internally, but will seek additional resources from the private sector, charitable organizations and governments.

All Canadians stand to benefit if Aboriginal Canadians have improved access to a university education and the tools they need to complete their studies and transition into the work force. I hope all sectors of Canadian society will join with Aboriginal communities and universities as they strive to achieve more together.