Update on NSERC’s Vision Initiatives
Since Council adopted its new vision last year, NSERC staff have been busy
designing the programs that will make it a reality. The new thrusts, which all complement NSERC’s core role of supporting university
research in science and engineering, were developed after extensive reflection and
consultation in 2002 and 2003. On a national scale, NSERC is working with NRC to
develop a framework that will make it easier to deal with big science projects.
In addition, NSERC came to the conclusion that math and science education,
research capacity building in small universities, and innovation at the community
level are important matters that NSERC can help with on its own. As you know,
NSERC is setting out to do just that, beginning with small-scale pilot projects in
these three areas.
As well, NSERC will be setting up small regional offices to help with supporting the
three pilot projects, all of which have regional dimensions.
“I’m hearing good things about the new vision from people all over Ottawa. We are
seen as ready to roll up our sleeves and do what has to be done for Canada. I believe
that expanding our sphere of influence will make NSERC a much more attractive
competitor for scarce federal dollars, and the entire NSERC community will benefit,” says President Brzustowski. “In fact, one Minister summed up his reaction in the
words, ‘NSERC is a federal agency starting to act like a national agency,’ and praised
the Vision initiatives enthusiastically.”
Atlantic Regional Office to Be Set Up in Moncton
After visits to all four Atlantic provinces and consultations with more than
100 university, community, and government leaders, the recommendation to NSERC
management was that the Atlantic regional office should be located in Moncton,
New Brunswick.
“The advantages of Moncton are its central location within the Atlantic region and
the broad support it received from the people consulted,” said Danielle Ménard, who
conducted the consultations with the help of Madeleine Bastien.
The office will focus on building good relations with local communities and facilitating
access to programs. But the consultations revealed that the community expects
more. They expect that the regional office will make it easier for NSERC to talk to
researchers and students, understand their needs and concerns, and participate in the
development of research projects and opportunities. The four staff in the office will
obviously have to work on creating productive links with other organizations
involved in research, innovation and the promotion of science in the region. Priority
will be placed on ensuring that the office serves the whole Atlantic region. As the
situation evolves, there may be a need to have a more significant presence in other
locations in the region to address specific needs.
A similar office for the Prairies will be set up in Winnipeg. Consultations on detailed
arrangements will begin later this year. Work on the British Columbia office will
follow next year, and the Québec and Ontario offices after that. It should be noted
that NSERC is creating these offices within its current administrative and salary
resources in its administrative budget.
For information on positions at NSERC’s Atlantic office, visit Career Opportunities.
Big Science Framework Discussions Ongoing
The framework for assessing and ranking “Big Science” projects is progressing well.
We have received helpful input from a number of researchers who have previously
been involved in Big Science projects, as well as NRC and NSERC Councils. The
framework has also been validated and improved by applying it to recently funded
projects. The Canada Foundation for Innovation and the Canadian Space Agency
have both become involved.
Some of the key issues raised in the consultations were the need to determine all the
life-cycle project costs and to make provision for them in the funding decision, the
need for a robust oversight and monitoring mechanism once a project has been
funded, and the potential role of the new National Science Advisor in the priority-setting
process.
The second version of the framework will be discussed again by NRC and NSERC
Councils in February and March. After that, the framework will be circulated among
other agencies and within government in a broader consultation process.
College and Community Innovation Pilot
Program Announced
NSERC is going to start making it easier for community colleges to assist local
companies with innovation by assigning expert college staff and students to help
with R&D on a project basis. This pilot project is expected to expose students to
innovations and to help local companies remain competitive by adopting new
technologies and launching new and improved products and processes. Over three
years, NSERC will make up to six awards of up to $600,000 each to colleges that are
successful in the competition.
The program is a unique partnership between NSERC, the
Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC), and
the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME).
The Honourable Mauril Bélanger, Deputy Leader of the
Government in the House of Commons, announced the pilot
program at an ACCC symposium February 12.
Visit http://www.nserc.gc.ca/about/initiatives/college_e.htm for program details.
Centres for Research in Youth, Science Teaching and Learning
(CRYSTALs): Pilot Program to
Be Launched Soon
CRYSTALs will make NSERC a partner in developing and
enhancing the skills of, and resources available to, science and
math teachers (K-12). We hope our contribution will help
improve the preparation of Canadian children in these subjects.
K-12 education is a new domain for a federal organization,
but we have learned that we would be most welcome as a
partner in activities that already occupy many others.
NSERC decided to launch this pilot program after extensive
consultation with university science and education faculties, and
many other stakeholders, including provincial ministries of
education, schoolboards and schools, and the science promotion
community. These consultations confirmed what NSERC had
heard earlier from the research community during workshops
on Highly Qualified People (HQP) held in 2002: the future
demand for HQP is a critical challenge for Canada, and NSERC
should work in partnership with other key players to ensure
that more young Canadians will be ready for and interested in
advanced training in science, mathematics and engineering.
NSERC will provide funding for five or six Centres, hosted at
Canadian universities, for research and knowledge transfer/
outreach programs. Each Centre will have the flexibility to
develop its own specific theme and activities. The objectives of
the CRYSTALs program are to: establish effective collaboration
between researchers in education and those in science, math,
engineering, and other areas as appropriate, as well as with
partners from the education and science promotion communities;
foster excellent research in science and math education;
support the training of researchers and professional educators;
and transfer knowledge and expertise to the education and
science promotion communities.
Complete program details will be available April 1 on NSERC's Web site, and the deadline for letters of intent is May 29.
Research Capacity Development
Pilot Program Receives
Overwhelming Response
In February, NSERC followed a strong recommendation from
the Research Capacity Development in Small Universities (RCD)
advisory committee, and expanded the list of eligible institutions
taking part in the RCD pilot program from 11 to 38.
All institutions receiving less than $3 million in NSERC
grants and scholarships in 2002-03 were invited to participate
in the program – 33 out of 38 confirmed their intent to apply.
The price of a more inclusive program is a much lower
success rate, but the potential applicants are aware of that,
and not deterred by it.
Successful institutions must demonstrate how the additional
funds they receive will contribute to a significant and
sustainable increase in their existing research base. In addition
institutions must indicate how the award will substantially
reduce or eliminate existing barriers to research productivity
and, when successful, report annually on the progress made
against specific performance indicators.
The final program description will be available on NSERC’s
Web site as soon as it is approved by Council.
If you have any questions on the RCD program in the
meantime, contact the following NSERC staff members:
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