Section III – Supplementary Information

Organizational Information

NSERC is a separate employer of the Government of Canada, reporting to Parliament through the Minister of Industry, and governed by a Council as mandated in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act¹² (1985).

Mandate

The functions of NSERC, based on the authority and responsibility assigned to it under the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Act (1976-77, c.24), are to:

• promote and assist research in the natural sciences and engineering, other than the health sciences; and
• advise the Minister in respect of such matters relating to such research as the Minister may refer to the Council for its consideration.

Council and Governance Structure

NSERC is governed by a Council which consists of a president and 21 members who are drawn from universities as well as from the private and public sectors, and are appointed by the Governor-in-Council. Members serve part-time and receive no remuneration for their participation. NSERC’s President serves full-time and functions as the Chair of the Council and the Chief Executive Officer.

NSERC Governance Structure

The diagram below describes NSERC’s governance structure.

NSERC Corporate Structure

NSERC and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) share a Common Administrative Services Directorate which is responsible for finances, facilities, security, human resources and information services for both Councils. This structure maximizes the efficiency of both Councils’ administrative requirements and is one of the reasons that NSERC is able to maintain its administration budget at less than five per cent of total planned spending.

Pilot Programs and Recent Initiatives

NSERC has developed and implemented several pilot programs to address particular issues with research capacity, technology transfer from colleges to industry, and the training of young Canadians in fundamental science and mathematics concepts.

Pilot Programs

The following programs are currently funded on a pilot basis. In all cases, a national competition was held to select grantees for the pilot phase and the programs are being monitored to determine their impact on the issues they aim to address. These pilot programs have been designed so that results can be measured against the program objectives early in the life of the program. For pilot programs that have a positive impact relative to their stated objectives, continued funding for the program will be sought.

• College and Community Innovation – When technical expertise is made available to local industry, and particularly to small business, the local capacity for innovation is enhanced. In October 2004, NSERC awarded six grants to increase the capacity of community colleges, institutes of technology and Cégeps to work with local industry and businesses and to advance innovation at the community and regional level. NSERC is working with the colleges funded through this program to measure its progress and impact.
• Research Capacity Development in Small Universities – Researchers in smaller universities across Canada face particular challenges in establishing high quality research programs. Some universities have a very limited supply of graduate students due to a lack of graduate programs, while universities in rural areas may have difficulty establishing partnerships with a diverse range of businesses. To make the most of Canada's research talent, wherever it is located, NSERC launched a pilot program to help small universities further develop their research capabilities. Seven awards were announced in October 2004 to help small universities build the foundations and reduce barriers to increased productivity in research.
• Centres for Research in Youth, Science Teaching and Learning (CRYSTALs) – To be counted among the world’s most innovative people, Canadians must build a stronger foundation of understanding and appreciation of science and math, and attract more of the brightest youth to science and engineering careers. CRYSTALs are multi-disciplinary research centres that work with the provinces to improve research into primary and secondary school science and math education. In May 2005, five grants were announced for such centres across Canada.

Recent Initiatives

• Regional Offices – NSERC is committed to building a network of small regional offices to play a stronger role in research, training and innovation in all regions of the country. NSERC officially opened its Atlantic Regional Office in Moncton, New Brunswick, in July 2004 and a second Regional Office in September 2005 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 2006-07, NSERC will open a Regional Office in Vancouver, British Columbia, with offices in Québec and Ontario to be opened in the next two years.
  
  While the mandate of each Regional Office is tailored to the needs and makeup of the community it serves, in general their role includes:
  • Presence – Being aware of the needs of clients and partners and participating in the development of new opportunities for the region;
  • Access to programs – Promoting greater understanding in the region of the programs and opportunities provided by NSERC; and
  • Promotion – Showcasing science and engineering, celebrating research and innovation successes, and promoting science and math education.

Measuring the Impact of Government Investments

It is important to demonstrate to Canadians the results of public investments in research, training and innovation, and to ensure that such investments are the most efficient and effective methods of furthering the goals of Canada’s productivity agenda.

NSERC is committed to monitoring the results of its investments. It maintains a long-term evaluation plan to ensure its programs are reviewed regularly and program mechanisms are achieving their intended objectives. NSERC posts the results of program evaluations on its Web site, and each year provides information on all scholarships, fellowships and grants awarded as well as key statistics relating to Canadian research, training and innovation performance.

NSERC will continue to work with its stakeholder communities, other funding agencies, and other federal departments and agencies to ensure that the information collected and disseminated properly demonstrates the impact of such public investments.

NSERC Participation in Government-Wide Initiatives

NSERC is committed to organizational innovation to improve its program delivery and reach, and to better communicate the impact of publicly funded research on quality of life. To further this goal, NSERC is an active participant in federal working groups and multi-departmental initiatives.

NSERC will continue to liaise with science-based departments and agencies on government priorities and issues that transcend a single department’s mandate. NSERC will also pursue opportunities to develop policies and initiatives in conjunction with SSHRC and CIHR, especially when such initiatives relate to research that falls within the mandate of more than one granting agency, or where common policies, procedures and systems will provide more efficient service for the Canadian research community.

Major Science Framework

The Office of the National Science Advisor is currently developing a Framework for the Evaluation, Funding and Oversight of Canadian Major Science Investments. A partner with the National Research Council in launching the initiative, NSERC will continue to work with the Office of the National Science Advisor in developing a comprehensive framework for the planning, evaluation, funding and oversight within the overall context of Canadian science and technology.

Service Improvement Initiative

NSERC is participating in the TBS-led Service Improvement Initiative designed to achieve significant, measurable and sustainable improvement in client satisfaction with services provided by federal departments and agencies.

NSERC has developed a structured service improvement plan that covers the key services it provides to its clients. The plan details the expectations and priorities for service improvement throughout NSERC, and calls for periodic client-satisfaction surveys with the objective of improving service delivery, and for updating the current client-centred internal service standards applied by NSERC’s directorates.

Most of NSERC’s key services are delivered to its clients through the eBusiness Project, the Web site, and the Helpdesk service. For these key services, NSERC has established baseline client satisfaction levels and performance improvement targets. This plan, as well as the results of periodic surveys, is available on NSERC’s Web site.

NSERC will also continue to refine its on-line application submission and peer review system. This will include developing new tools for the on-line review and evaluation of applications by selection committee members and referees. It will also include collaboration with SSHRC and CIHR to improve clients’ ability to conduct all of their business with the three granting agencies electronically.

Over the next three years, NSERC will manage the following transfer payment programs in excess of $5 million.