Polytechnics Canada members welcome Budget 2010:
Humber Supports 2010 Federal Budget | Humber News Release
BCIT lauds further investments in the innovation agenda in federal budget | BCIT News Release
Federal Budget presents new innovation opportunities | SAIT Polytechnic News Release
Olds College research contributions recognized in 2010 Federal Budget | Olds College News Release
Conestoga Applauds Research Funding in Federal Budget | Conestoga College News Release
George Brown College applauds Federal Budget support for College Innovation | George Brown College News Release
Research contributions of Canada’s polytechnics recognized in Federal Budget 2010
Ottawa, March 4, 2010 - Polytechnics Canada welcomes the Federal Government’s Budget with its direct recognition for the role our members play in advancing Canadian innovation through our applied research and commercialization activities.
Budget 2010 contains several strategic announcements that will advance college and polytechnic research for the benefit of Canadian companies:
“Considering the fiscal context and the need to return to balanced budgets, Polytechnics Canada appreciates the federal government’s new investments in applied research, development and commercialization, particularly the sustaining funding for the very successful College and Community Innovation Program (CCIP). This will be the federal government's flagship program for helping local Canadian companies, in all sectors, to bring technology to market with the help of our members. CCIP provides our students with hands-on applied research experience so vital for creating a highly skilled Canadian workforce,” said John Davies, President of Humber and Chair of Polytechnics Canada.
Anne Sado, President of George Brown College and Board member of Polytechnics Canada said, “This year’s budget is recognition of the direct impact Canadian colleges and polytechnics can have in advancing economic development in our country through support for our industry partners.”
"The CCIP is a very important program that enables small and medium enterprises to work closely with the college and polytechnic sector to extend, test and validate our R&D. The commitment by the federal government is a wise investment in innovation that will lead to accelerated commercialization, growth and jobs in Canada, said Niall Wallace, CEO Infonaut Inc., a small Toronto- based IT firm that is a partner of George Brown College in a CCIP project.
“The continued support for regional innovation is very welcome. Funding for regional economic development agencies like Western Economic Diversification ensures that activities that support commercialization and drive regional economic growth can carry on. We also look forward to participating in the government's comprehensive review of all federal support for R&D to ensure that the contribution of polytechnic and college research conducted with Canadian industry partners to advance our innovative capacity is clearly understood,” said Dr. Don Wright, President of BCIT and Vice-Chair of Polytechnics Canada.
“As a company that has benefited greatly from our research partnership with SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary, we are very excited to see clear new investment in the CCIP program. We also welcome the launch of the new Small and Medium-sized Enterprise Innovation Commercialization Program, enabling companies such as mine to market our products to federal departments and agencies. These programs will greatly enhance the economic competitiveness of Conematic in these trying times, as well as allow us to hire more polytechnic graduates who contribute to our bottom line by their job-ready skills from day one,” said Doug Smith, President Conematic Heating Systems, Inc.
“We are encouraged that the government and the Minister of Industry are sending strong signals to the Canada Foundation for Innovation to include college and polytechnic research needs for infrastructure and equipment to enhance private sector innovation,” said Nobina Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of Polytechnics Canada. “This budget makes clear that the research-ready colleges and polytechnics are now integral players in the innovation agenda of this country. Canada is moving beyond theoretical research into supporting industry-driven research that will create the jobs of tomorrow.”
Polytechnics Canada is a national alliance of Canada’s leading research-intensive, publicly-funded colleges and institutes of technology. Located in Canada’s key economic regions, the current nine member colleges and institutes of Polytechnics Canada are: British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), SAIT Polytechnic, Olds, Conestoga, Sheridan, Humber, George Brown, Seneca and Algonquin College.
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For more information please contact:
Nobina Robinson
Chief Executive Officer
Polytechnics Canada
Tel: 613 688-0899
E-mail: nrobinson@polytechnicscanada.ca
Polytechnics Canada welcomes Dr. Jeff Zabudsky as the new President of Sheridan.
Dr. Jeff Zabudsky, an accomplished educator and college executive, has been named President and CEO by the Board of Governors of Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning. He will take office on February 1, 2010. He succeeds Dr. Robert Turner, a founding member and past Chair of Polytechnics Canada, who is retiring after leading Sheridan since 2001.
Dr. Zabudsky comes to Sheridan having served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Manitoba's Red River College since 2004. Red River College is Manitoba's largest institute of applied learning with over 32,000 students at eight campuses and over 110 full-time programs. Dr. Zabudsky brings almost 25 years experience in post-secondary educational administration and in educational broadcasting and is a recognized leader in distance learning.
Dr. Zabudsky’s leadership in advancing the state of college applied research makes him a natural fit at Sheridan. During his term at Red River College, Dr. Zabudsky helped Red River become a leader in applied research, having already won two projects in NSERC’s College and Community Innovation Program. Dr. Zabudsky also oversaw the beginning of the college’s first degree programs, in Construction and Nursing, as well as the development of a new regional campus in Steinbach.
Dr. Zabudsky holds a PhD in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Alberta, a Master's Degree in Distance Education from Athabasca University, and a Bachelor of Applied Arts Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Ryerson University.
Polytechnics Canada welcomes Dr. Zabudsky to the Board of Directors of our alliance. “Dr. Zabudsky’s presence on our Board will enhance the understanding of the dynamic changes taking place in Canadian college education”, said Nobina Robinson, Chief Executive Officer of Polytechnics Canada.
All Polytechnics Canada member Presidents thank Dr. Robert Turner for his contributions to our alliance, and congratulate him on his career devoted to college and polytechnic education across Canada.
Sheridan Opens Centre for Social Innovation.
Brampton, Ontario - The grand opening of the Centre for Social Innovation took place yesterday at Sheridan’s Davis Campus in Brampton. Amrit Mangat, MPP for Mississauga Brampton-South, Mayor Susan Fennell and The Honourable William G. Davis were among the guest speakers for the opening ceremony.
The Centre’s location fronting onto Steeles Avenue brings the campus more directly into the Brampton community. It features classrooms and specialized labs, including a ‘moot court’ for the paralegal program, a new early childhood education lab, and a counseling lab for the social service worker programs. Nearly half of the 69,800 sq. ft. building is taken up by a spectacular 3-storey Library Learning Commons, which incorporates the library, 240 desktop computers, 400 laptop access points and both quiet and communal study spaces. Open 24/7, the Commons can accommodate over 600 students at any one time.
“This new facility is a much needed and eagerly anticipated addition to the Davis Campus,” said Dr. Robert Turner, Sheridan’s President and CEO. “Growth in enrolment at Davis has been accelerating over the past several years, and we expect this trend to continue. The Centre’s specialized labs and classrooms will enhance the learning experience of students in a variety of programs, while the new Library Learning Commons offers a tremendous benefit to all students at this campus.”
Designed by Rounthwaite Dick & Hadley Architects Inc., the Centre for Social Innovation is LEED-certified and has many special design features, including:
Sheridan received $6.6 million from the Ontario Government in support of this project.
Susan Atkinson
(905) 845-9430, ext. 2096
susan.atkinson@sheridanc.on.ca
Science and Technology Showcase Highlights Value of Polytechnic Research
Three Polytechnics Canada Members Win NSERC Grants
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MARKHAM, ON, Nov. 27 /CNW Telbec/ - Small and medium sized companies demonstrated the benefits of collaborating with polytechnics, colleges and institutes of technology today at the Fourth Annual Polytechnics Canada Science and Technology Showcase held at Seneca College.
The Showcase put a spotlight on the role students in college programs play in helping to solve commercialization challenges identified by industry partners. Speeches by Minister Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology and by the President of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), Dr. Suzanne Fortier, emphasized the need for partnership between the academic and industrial sectors in order to propel further innovation success in Canada.
"We bridge business needs with the highly qualified research capability of our students and faculty," says Nobina Robinson, CEO, Polytechnics Canada. "Organizations bring their concepts and R&D needs to our members. In turn, we form a team of experienced faculty and students to help companies improve their competitiveness and bring their ideas to market."
Ms. Fortier announced more winners for the College Community Innovation Program that funds research and commercialization activity for businesses to collaborate with colleges. This year's recipients, Seneca, SAIT and Algonquin join George Brown, Olds College and Sheridan in gaining recognition for their leading edge work with industry in key sectors of innovation growth, including health, aviation, digital media, environment, agriculture, information technology.
"There is great value in projects that support the partnerships of institutions like Seneca College with industry," says David Agnew, Seneca College President and board member of Polytechnics Canada. "This applied research funding will provide our students with important work-related experience, allow exciting new teaching opportunities for our faculty, and provide needed support to our economy."
Presidents of Polytechnics Canada member institutions presented recommendations in which government and industry can champion for the next federal budget. These notable ideas are designed to foster stronger industry innovation while recognizing the fiscal constraints on national spending. "Working with industry to solve commercial problems improves the employability of graduates. The College and Community Innovation Program gives all colleges more opportunities to expose students to industry-driven research. We are encouraged by Minister Goodyear's continued support of college and polytechnic-driven research," says John Davies, President of Humber and Chair of Polytechnics Canada.
Polytechnics Canada's budget recommendations relate to a commercialization voucher program for SMEs and sustaining funding for the College Community Innovation Program, while leveraging research infrastructure funding through the Canada Foundation for Innovation. For more information see Polytechnics Canada's Submission to the Standing Committee on Finance's 2009 Pre-Budget Consultations at http://www.polytechnicscanada.ca/publications/
Polytechnics Canada is a national alliance of Canada's research-intensive, publicly-funded colleges and institutes of technology.
For further information: Andrew Gemmell, Policy Analyst, Polytechnics Canada, (o) (613) 656-1241, (c) (613) 866-0655, agemmell@polytechnicscanada.ca
Link to speaking notes from the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology)
Media Alert
For Immediate Release
Polytechnics Canada Ignites Innovation
Ottawa, Ontario – November 23, 2009 – Polytechnics Canada’s fourth annual Science and Technology Showcase will feature a keynote address by the Hon. Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology) and highlight applied research successes by Polytechnics Canada members. The event will show how these forward-thinking post-secondary institutions work alongside small- and medium-sized enterprises to solve practical research, development and commercialization problems.
Our event will:
Date: Friday, November 27, 2009
Time: 9:00 a.m. Opening remarks/program begins
Lunch: Minister Goodyear’s keynote address
- Media scrum with Minister Goodyear, Presidents of member colleges and industry leaders
- Interviews and photo opportunities with Polytechnics Canada representatives and Showcase participants available throughout the day
Location: Seneca College, Markham Campus
8 The Seneca Way (Highway 7 and Highway 404)
Markham, Ontario
For a map and parking permit, visit:
http://www.polytechnicscanada.ca/showcase
Photo/Interview Opportunities:
Polytechnics Canada is a national alliance of Canada’s research-intensive, publicly-funded colleges and institutes of technology. Located in Canada’s key economic regions, the current nine member colleges and institutes of Polytechnics Canada are: BCIT, SAIT Polytechnic, Olds, Conestoga, Sheridan, Humber, George Brown, Seneca and Algonquin. For more information visit: www.polytechnicscanada.ca/showcase.
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For further information and to arrange interviews, please contact:
Andrew Leopold / Ilena Aldini-Messina
Humber Marketing and Communications
(o) 416.675.6622 ext. 4296/5479
(c) 416.518.8989 / 416.737.8365
andrew.leopold@humber.ca / ilena.aldinimessina@humber.ca
Andrew Gemmell
Policy Analyst, Polytechnics Canada
(o) 613.656.1241
(c) 613.866.0655
agemmell@polytechnicscanada.ca
Humber opens new Centre for Trades & Technology
Hosts Launch of Skilled Trades and Technology Week
Toronto, Ontario – Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning cut the ribbon on its new Centre for Trades & Technology as part of the launch of Skilled Trades and Technology Week 2009, an event hosted annually by Skills Canada that promotes and raises awareness of skilled trade and technology careers in Canada. Humber has invested more than $16 million in the centre, including a $7 million contribution from the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.
The 95,000 square foot facility offers the more than 2,000 students in skilled trade diploma, certificate and apprenticeship programs with the opportunity to train in state-of-the-art, industry-simulated settings. The centre includes two full-sized townhomes and dedicated labs for programs including construction, home renovation, plumbing, welding, electrical, woodworking and cabinetmaking, building systems and more.
"The Centre for Trades & Technology addresses the demand for skilled trade workers in Ontario, and is one example of how Humber continues to provide students with quality educational experiences across our program spectrum from degrees to apprenticeships," says John Davies, president, Humber College. "Enrollment in Humber's apprenticeship programs increased 10.5 per cent this year and because of this we have expanded and improved our training facilities to meet the needs of our students."
Development of the centre began in January 2009 and took eight months to complete. The first student intake was in May 2009. Programs offered at the new facility include Home Renovation Technician, Industrial Woodworking and Cabinet Making, Electrician Apprenticeship, Plumber Apprenticeship, and Construction Boilermaker Apprenticeship.
"Strengthening our apprenticeship system is essential to building the skilled workforce Ontario needs to compete in today's economy," said John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. "Ontario's investment in the Humber Centre for Trades & Technology is part of our $190 million Strategic Skills Training Capital Investment program and will ensure students can train with the best equipment available and be ready to compete in the new green economy."
Projections by the Conference Board of Canada indicate there may be a shortfall of more than 360,000 skilled workers in Ontario by 2025.
"Humber will help address the critical shortage of skilled trade workers," says Denise Devlin-Li, dean, Humber College's School of Applied Technology. "Our apprenticeship and skilled trade programs meet industry mandated standards, which means students are learning relevant theory while getting the opportunity to enhance their workplace skills."
About Humber
Humber, a member of Polytechnics Canada, is committed to student success through excellence in teaching and learning. Humber's broad range of career-focused, educational programs include: apprenticeship, certificates, diplomas, bachelor's degrees and postgraduate certificates. With more than 350 full- and part-time programs from which to choose, the 21,000 full-time and 55,000 part-time students of Humber have access to many opportunities for continuous learning. Building from one credential to another, either at Humber or through transfer credit opportunities with more than 50 Canadian and international universities, students have multiple pathways to success. Humber maintains strong partnerships with industry, and trains more than 15,000 people annually through customized corporate training. Visit www.humber.ca.
About Skills/Compétences Canada
Skills/Compétences Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization that works with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trades and technology careers among Canadian youth. Its unique position among private and public sector partners enables it to work toward securing Canada’s future skilled labour needs while helping young people discover rewarding careers. Skills/Compétences Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trades and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trades awareness programs. Headquartered in Gatineau, Quebec, Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills International. For more information visit www.skillscanada.com or call 877.754.5226.
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Contact:
Andrew Leopold
Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
o: 416.675.6622 ext. 4296
c: 416.518.8989
andrew.leopold@humber.ca
Ilena Aldini-Messina
Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning
o: 416.675.6622 ext. 5479
ilena.aldinimessina@humber.ca
Polytechnics Canada's Annual Science and Technology Showcase - Registration now open!
The event will begin with a reception on the evening of Thursday, November 26 (from 5 to 8 pm) and continues with a full day event for Friday, November 27.
The topic of this year’s Showcase is “Igniting Innovation” and has been chosen to demonstrate how our institutions are positioning our SME partners for success, and adding to their competitive edge.
This annual event showcases winning applied research projects being conducted by the faculty and students of our member institutes; and convenes a policy discussion amongst Presidents of our institutes, industry leaders (often SME representatives), officials from government and granting agencies.
Our keynote speakers on November 27 will be:
An afternoon panel discussion will focus on the important role that polytechnics and colleges play in preparing Canada’s future workforce for industry innovation, by providing students with applied research experience.
The Showcase will also feature some of the winners of the latest round of the College Community Innovation Program of NSERC.
This event is sponsored by Polytechnics Canada and attendance is open to everyone at no cost.
Link to Showcase Website coming soon!
For more information please contact:
Ken Doyle, Director of Policy
Polytechnics Canada’s Presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance’s 2009 Pre-Budget Consultations
Ottawa September 15, 2009 – Please see below for the text of Polytechnics Canada’s September 15th Presentation to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance’s 2009 Pre-Budget Consultations. The Presentation was delivered by John Davies, Chair of Polytechnics Canada, and President of Humber Institute in Toronto.
Click here to download the presentation as a PDF
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Thank you for the opportunity to be here Mr. Chairman.
I am the Chair of Polytechnics Canada. Joining me this morning is our CEO, Nobina Robinson. In my day job, I am President of Humber Institute in Toronto.
Polytechnics Canada is a growing national association of some of the largest colleges and institutes of technology in the country. We are degree-granting, research-intensive and industry-responsive, post-secondary institutions. We are united in our conviction that polytechnic education is essential for Canada’s transition economy.
Our nine members have grown well beyond the traditional concept of a community college. Being a polytechnic institution means providing a broad range of applied, professional, technical and vocational programs. Our programs are employer-driven and lead to high quality jobs. We are committed to providing efficient and effective pathways for our learners to bolster the knowledge economy. We conduct research that addresses commercial needs and which solves problems for employers.
Polytechnics foster industrial innovation. We are helping a range of smaller and medium sized companies (SMEs) discover and implement new ways of doing things. We help them adapt new technologies and we help them apply new technologies to improve market outcomes. In doing so, we foster entrepreneurship in this country.
There is, unfortunately, no federal support for what we do. We receive little or no help for field-testing, design and development of new manufacturing processes. Without backing for these vital activities, new discoveries through basic research cannot easily reach the global market. I suggest it is the late-stage commercialization that needs federal attention and needs it now.
Industry demand for our commercialization services is increasing. Let me give you a few examples of what Polytechnics Canada members are doing to support industry innovation.
Algonquin College, here in Ottawa, is collaborating with HousAll to build low-cost, safe and healthy temporary housing solutions for victims of disasters at home and abroad.
In Calgary, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, called SAIT Polytechnic, is working with Volker Stevin Contracting to test a portable desalination system to decontaminate settling ponds.
Conestoga’s telecommunications research projects involve major wireless carriers in addressing everything from networks to the manufacture of electronics.
Canadians who use the Firefox web browser will be proud to know that many Firefox upgrades are designed in collaboration with degree students and faculty from Seneca College’s Centre for Development of Open Technology.
A researcher at BCIT has patented a device called a Heavy Tool Support Arm. It helps construction workers who need to hold heavy power tools like jackhammers in an overhead position for extended periods of time. A concrete restoration firm has now sealed a deal to sell the device.
At Humber, my institution, students from our Industrial Design degree program are working with SMEs to solve global problems with innovative designs. Among them are:
These examples of polytechnic success—and time does not permit me to mention so many more—are all about improving commercialization outcomes. Any increased investment for polytechnic institutions will allow us to leverage more private sector money to create more success stories—and more jobs.
Last year Ottawa provided the university sector with over $2.7 billion (I emphasize billion) for discovery-based research. By contrast, our nine members received only $1.8 million of federal funding for applied research. In other words, for every dollar for university research, federal support for applied research amounted to one tenth of a cent. Industry innovation requires more federal spending on applied research to rethink the putting of so many of our eggs in the pure research basket.
Our recommendation for a commercialization voucher program for SMEs will help these firms with product research, product testing and quickly moving products to market. Our students benefit from the increased industry demand for their research services.
Second, the Technology Diffusion Centres we have proposed will act as incubators in our polytechnics to provide research experience for our students, in addition to technical support, technological development and training for the SMEs we serve. Our idea is based on the successes we have seen at Sheridan and BCIT, and notably in Quebec at the CEGEP level, where such a network of technology diffusion centres is well-established.
Finally, our request for new federal spending on improving labour market data is critically important to help our institutions achieve better outcomes, whether in applied research or in job creation.
While universities primarily educate for knowledge, polytechnic institutions educate for jobs. There is of course a vital link between knowledge and jobs, and polytechnic institutions help make that link by bringing industry closer to learning.
In closing, Mr. Chairman, I want to emphasize that Polytechnics Canada is not calling for increased support because we feel some sense of entitlement. Rather, we are seeking to advance economic development and job creation throughout Canada. Thank you, and I look forward to answering your questions.
Click here to download the presentation as a PDF
Polytechnics Canada wishes Team Canada luck at World Skills competition hosted by SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary
Ottawa September 1, 2009 – Polytechnics Canada, the association of Canada’s research-intensive colleges and institutes of technology, wishes Team Canada good luck in representing Canada at the 40th World Skills competition being hosted by SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary from September 1 to 7, 2009.
From the next week, SAIT Polytechnic will host more than 900 competitors from 51 countries participating in WorldSkills Calgary 2009. This Competition symbolizes the height of excellence in trades and technologies and is designed as a way to demonstrate that not everyone has to go to university and a career in the skilled trades is something to be proud of.
Every two years, Canada competes at the WorldSkills Competition, against the best in the world. Polytechnics Canada's member institutions are well represented on Team Canada. Over a third of the team representing Canada, 13 of the 38 team members, are pursuing their academic training at Algonquin College, BCIT, Conestoga College, and SAIT Polytechnic.
Polytechnics Canada's Chief Executive Officer, Nobina Robinson, notes with pleasure the leadership role of SAIT Polytechnic in hosting this event and wishes students of Polytechnics Canada member institutions great success in this competition. “The value of this event is the spotlight it puts on the importance of skilled trades for Canadian and global productivity. The presence of the Prime Minister and Ministers of Cabinet signals continued support for apprenticeships and trades in Canada”, said Ms. Robinson.
Team Canada's progress can be followed online at www.skillscanada.com.
About Polytechnics Canada:
Polytechnics Canada is a growing national association made up of Presidents of Canada’s leading publicly-funded colleges and institutes of technology. These research-intensive, degree-granting, industry-responsive post-secondary education (PSE) institutions are located in most of the key economic regions of Canada: the lower Fraser Valley, the Calgary/Oil Sands corridor, the Kitchener/Guelph/Waterloo high-tech triangle, the Golden Horseshoe, and the National Capital Region. The current nine member colleges and institutes of Polytechnics Canada are: BCIT, SAIT Polytechnic, Olds, Conestoga, Sheridan, Humber, George Brown, Seneca and Algonquin. All members of the association are committed to advancing Canadian economic, social and environmental development through education, training, and applied research for industry. Ensuring our graduates find employment as highly qualified workers in the industry sector of their choice is a paramount motivation.
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For more information please contact:
Ken Doyle
Director of Policy
Polytechnics Canada
Tel: 613 688-0690
E-mail: kdoyle@polytechnicscanada.ca
Polytechnics Canada's submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finanace's 2009 pre-Budget Consultations
Ottawa August 14, 2009 – Polytechnics Canada submitted its written brief to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance's pre-Budget consultation process today. Canada is facing at least two parallel crises in late 2009: a crisis in innovation and a crisis in labour market. Given the current recession, the weak record of commercial outcomes for government-funded research, and the extent of stimulus funding for PSE institutions already announced in 2009 through the Knowledge Infrastructure Program, the Presidents/Directors of the Board of Polytechnics Canada believe that focused, small-scale and targeted investment is needed to further stimulate small and medium sized enterprise (SME) success and increase economic development. Polytechnics Canada makes the following federal program and spending recommendations to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance for consideration in the federal budget of 2010/2011. Fuller explanations are found in the full document.
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. SME Commercialization Voucher Program: The federal government should create a federal commercialization voucher program administered through the NRC’s Industrial Research Assistance Program (IRAP) targeted to late-stage commercialization needs at SMEs. Specifically, $10 million per year should be invested on a pilot basis for three years in this voucher program and up to 250 vouchers per year should be made available to SMEs.
2. Innovation & Technology Diffusion Centres: The federal government should invest in a pan-Canadian network of centres for commercialization and technology transfer in 10 locations across Canada. These centres will focus on late-stage commercialization services for Canadian SMEs. Specifically, each centre would require a one-time capital start up investment of $4.5 million and operating funding in the range of $ 1 million per centre, per year for three years. Total cost: $75 million over three years.
3. Labour Market and Education Data: Invest in modernizing and improving Canada’s Labour Market Information systems. Specifically, the federal government should allocate $15 million per year to create a Learning Information Platform that will maintain, consolidate and increase existing educational data and information surveys, for the benefit of Canadian learners, educators, industry and as a means to enhance integration of newcomers to the Canadian labour market.
To download the full brief, please click here
Olds College joins Polytechnics Canada
Ottawa July 15, 2009 –The Presidents and Directors of the Board of Polytechnics Canada welcome Olds College to its national membership.
Based in Olds, Alberta, Olds College has chosen to join Polytechnics Canada because of its commitment to polytechnic education in Canada. With the addition of Olds College, Polytechnics Canada now represents nine polytechnic institutions across the country.
“We are pleased that Olds has chosen to join us,” said Polytechnics Canada CEO Nobina Robinson. “Olds College’s strong institutional history and leadership in applied research will greatly benefit the association. The Olds College School of Innovation is one of the most successful college-based research institutes in Canada with its impressive track record of federal research funding, and the Bell e-Learning Centre is one of the most advanced video-teleconferencing facilities in Canada.”
“I look forward to collaborating with other Polytechnics Canada member institutions to influence the federal higher education policy framework,” said Olds College President and CEO Dr. Tom Thompson. “The importance of hands-on, technical education seems to be inching higher on the radar screen of government at the moment and it is critical that we keep moving forward.”
Olds College is a highly specialized college located in Olds, Alberta and is a leader in integrated learning and applied research specializing in agriculture, horticulture, land and environmental management. Olds College has 1,250 full-time students, over 2,500 part-time students, and offers applied degrees, diplomas, apprenticeships and certificates in over 60 programs.
Polytechnics Canada is an alliance of nine research intensive, internationally recognized post-secondary institutions committed to producing career-ready graduates who combine critical thinking with theoretical understanding and practical competence. The other members of Polytechnics Canada are: Algonquin College, BCIT, SAIT Polytechnic, Conestoga College, George Brown College, Humber College, Sheridan Institute and Seneca College.
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For more information please contact:
Ken Doyle
Director of Policy
Polytechnics Canada
Tel: 613 688-0690
E-mail: kdoyle@polytechnicscanada.ca
Government of Canada helps colleges get research results out into their communities
Ottawa, June 18, 2009 - Four colleges and one CEGEP will work with their communities and local businesses to get new innovations from the campuses into the marketplace where Canadians can benefit from them. The Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), today announced funding for the projects under the College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program.
“Our government is investing in science and technology to create jobs, strengthen the economy and improve the quality of life of Canadians,” said Minister Goodyear. “Colleges and CEGEPs play a vital role in building innovative communities. This funding will help them work with their local businesses to move their research out into the marketplace.”
Today’s $11.5 million in funding is provided through the CCI Program, a joint initiative of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Established as a permanent program by the Government in Budget 2007, CCI enables colleges and CEGEPs to develop or expand research transfer activities in their communities through partnerships with local companies, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
The four colleges and the one CEGEP were selected for funding following a peer-review competition. They will each receive $2.3 million over five years. They join the eight inaugural CCI projects announced in February 2009. The funded projects focus on a variety of research areas, including biotechnology, new media and gaming, and computerized healthcare records systems.
“The CCI Program builds on NSERC’s other initiatives that foster collaboration between industry and postsecondary institutions,” said Dr. Suzanne Fortier, President of NSERC, which administers the program. “The partners will be working on important, multifaceted Canadian problems while benefitting their local communities. We look forward to helping them achieve their maximum potential and impact.”
More information on the CCI Program and the five funded projects is available here.
Polytechnics Canada member Sheridan College's winning project:
Sheridan College, Toronto, Ont.: Toronto is the heart of the Canadian film and television industry, making it an ideal location for Sheridan’s Centre for Real-time Production (CRP). The CRP research team will develop new digital media technologies; facilitate innovation and commercialization across screen-based sectors and between content, service and platform companies; and investigate the challenges and opportunities new digital media technologies present for content development companies operating across multiple platforms.
For further information, please contact:
Gary Toft
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of State
(Science and Technology)
Tel.: 613-947-2956
Natasha Gauthier
Senior Advisor, Media Relations
NSERC
Tel.: 613-943-8621
Algonquin College joins Polytechnics Canada
Ottawa June 5, 2009 – Polytechnics Canada is pleased to welcome Algonquin College to its national membership.
Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology in Ottawa was accepted as a full member of Polytechnics Canada at the Annual General Meeting of the membership in Oakville last week. With the addition of Algonquin College, Polytechnics Canada now represents eight polytechnic institutions across Canada.
“We are pleased that Algonquin has chosen to join Polytechnics Canada,” said association CEO, Nobina Robinson. “Algonquin College’s leadership in applied research, adult skills upgrading, apprenticeship and newcomer integration and will greatly strengthen our association's commitment to promoting the value of a polytechnic education for Canada's economic and social development.”
Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is located in the nation’s capital and the Ottawa Valley and is one of the largest colleges in Ontario. Algonquin is a leader in the integration of technology into all aspects of learning. Algonquin College has a diverse population of more than 16,000 fulltime students in more than 140 programs and is committed to student success.
Polytechnics Canada is an alliance of eight large, internationally recognized post-secondary institutions committed to producing career-ready graduates who combine critical thinking with theoretical understanding and practical competence. The other members of Polytechnics Canada are: BCIT, SAIT Polytechnic, Conestoga College, George Brown College, Humber College, Sheridan Institute and Seneca College.
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For more information please contact:
Ken Doyle
Director of Policy
Polytechnics Canada
Tel: 613 688-0690
E-mail: kdoyle@polytechnicscanada.ca
or http://www.algonquincollege.com
Polytechnics Canada welcomes the Science, Technology and Innovation Council’s inaugural report
Ottawa May 5, 2009 – Polytechnics Canada welcomes the inaugural report on the state of science, technology and innovation in Canada released today by the Science, Technology and Innovation Council. The Council’s initial report examines Canada’s science and technology progress over time and finds that we are currently a solid middle-of-the-road performer. “With the flexible, efficient and dynamic nature of the applied education and research offered by Canada’s publicly funded polytechnics, polytechnics are strategically positioned to move Canada from a middle of the pack performer to a global leader in innovation”, says Nobina Robinson, newly appointed Chief Executive Officer of Polytechnics Canada.
Canada’s polytechnic institutions are pleased to see the Council’s report place an emphasis on increasing awareness and support for the important role of applied research, while also acknowledging that the overwhelming majority of public research funding has been dedicated to basic research. The thousands of highly-skilled research-ready graduates trained each year at polytechnic institutions are critical to improving Canada’s position in the priority areas identified by the Council. The member institutions of Polytechnics Canada look forward to working in collaboration with the government and industry to focus their applied research expertise to the thirteen research and development sub-priority areas identified by STIC and the Minister of Industry.
Another area of improvement for Canada identified by the Council is attracting international talent. Canada’s polytechnics educate and train thousands of international students each year in Canada and will find ways to work with the government to successfully export Canadian polytechnic education abroad.
As the report states, the share of the population with a tertiary education is regarded as an indicator of a nation’s supply of advanced skills. Canada is the OECD leader in terms of higher education attainment due to the large number of skilled Canadians who have attended a polytechnic or college. Polytechnics partner with businesses to provide hands-on research experience to students working toward a degree or other credentials. Their applied research projects are helping to solve industry challenges, while enhancing curricula in the process.
“Polytechnics Canada looks forward to the Council’s 2010 progress report, and to collaborating with all partners to improve Canada’s global science and technology standing”, says Ms. Robinson.
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For more information please contact:
Nobina Robinson, Chief Executive Officer, Polytechnics Canada: nrobinson@polytechnicscanada.ca
Ken Doyle, Director of Public Affairs, Polytechnics Canada: kdoyle@polytechnicscanada.ca
Appointment notice: Polytechnics Canada CEO
The Board of Directors of Polytechnics Canada is pleased to announce the appointment of Nobina Robinson as Chief Executive Officer, based in Ottawa. Mrs. Robinson will provide leadership and direction to the alliance of Canada’s largest colleges and institutes of technology, and will advance the cause of polytechnic education in Canada.
“The Presidents of Canada’s polytechnic institutions have found a strong leader and articulate advocate for our key national objectives which are to contribute to Canadian productivity and innovation through applied education, skills training and industry-focused research,” said Dr. Rob Turner, Chair of the Board of Directors. “We share the belief that with her considerable experience Nobina Robinson will expand and foster links with partners and decision makers in Ottawa.”
Nobina Robinson has represented Seneca College and its federal interests in Ottawa for the past four years. Her extensive career experience spans a range of public policy issues, both domestic and international. She has previously worked for the Treasury Board Secretariat, External Affairs and International Trade, and was Executive Director of the Canadian Foundation for the Americas (FOCAL). Mrs. Robinson holds Honours degrees from Amherst College and Oxford University.
Polytechnics Canada is an association of eight large internationally recognized Canadian post-secondary education institutions. Collectively, the members - BCIT, SAIT Polytechnic, Conestoga College, George Brown College, Humber College, Sheridan Institute, Algonquin College and Seneca College – annually educate more than 500,000 highly-qualified people essential to Canada’s economy by offering an array of credentials including applied bachelor degrees, diplomas, apprenticeships, certificates, post-graduate offerings, continuing education and corporate training, across a wide range of fields.
“As a result of my involvement with Seneca, I have developed a strong conviction that higher education in Canada is no longer merely a choice between university or community college credentials. I see Polytechnics Canada as a voice for higher education that bridges the two traditional paths within the Canadian post-secondary education system and presents solutions for all levels of government and Canadians in terms of economic advancement and lifelong learning,” said Nobina Robinson.
The Board thanks Sharon Maloney for her work for Polytechnics Canada over the past three years, and for increasing the awareness of applied research and the contribution of polytechnics to the Canadian economy. The Board wishes her well in her future endeavours.
Nobina Robinson will become CEO of Polytechnics Canada effective May 1, 2009, and will be located in our new offices in Ottawa. She can be reached by email at nrobinson@polytechnicscanada.ca
Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning is currently looking to fill the position of Dean, Research.
For more information, please see the careers section of our website by clicking here
Polytechnics Canada releases Solutions Report
Click here to download the
Polytechnics Canada Solutions Report in PDF format (3.0 mb)
To request a hard copy of the Solutions Report free of charge, please contact Ken Doyle at: kdoyle@polytechnicscanada.ca
Majority of Canadians ‘Strongly Agree’ Educational Institutions Should Work More Closely With Business to Produce Highly-Skilled People Needed to Sustain and Improve Canada’s Economy
Toronto, ON – As the federal government continues its consultations on the budget, a majority (54%) of Canadians “strongly agree” that “educational institutions need to work more closely with business to produce the highly-skilled people needed to sustain and improve Canada’s economy.” Furthermore, 91 per cent agree that “practical skills training is more important in getting laid-off workers back on the job than theoretical education.”
The poll, conducted on behalf of Polytechnics Canada, also revealed that nine in ten (86%) respondents agree that “small businesses in Canada need increased public investment in research and development to meet current economic challenges.”
Canada’s polytechnic institutions are distinct from both universities and colleges in that a polytechnic works in close collaboration with the local business community and with senior academics to produce degree programs that have highly practical applications. Polytechnics like Conestoga College, George Brown College, SAIT Polytechnic, Seneca, BCIT, Humber College and Sheridan Institute have always believed in providing an education that focuses on the practical application of theoretical knowledge in order to deliver the highest possible benefit to both students and the community. Polytechnics do applied research in the real world.
Citing concerns that Canada is falling behind in innovation and productivity most of those surveyed (86 per cent) agreed with the statement; “the government needs to invest more money on applied research in order to be competitive internationally. “
Similarly, 90 per cent affirm “the government needs to do more to equip people with the technical and technological skills needed to succeed in today’s global marketplace”, and that we “need to do more to take advantage of scientific and technological discoveries.”
Generally, the survey found that an overwhelming majority of Canadians think “Canada needs more entrepreneurs, innovators, and inventors who can transform knowledge into marketable products and processes” and that “training and educating people is as important, or more important, as building infrastructure.”
Polytechnics Canada is an alliance of seven large, internationally recognized post-secondary institutions committed to producing career-ready graduates who combine critical thinking with theoretical understanding and practical competence.
These are the findings of a poll conducted on behalf of Polytechnics Canada from January 12 to 19, 2009. This online survey of 1043 Canadian adults was conducted via the Ipsos I-Say Online Panel, Ipsos Reid's national online panel. The results of these polls are based on a sample where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. Statistical margins of error are not applicable to online polls, however, an unweighted probability sample of this size, with a 100% response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had the entire adult population of Canada been polled.
For more information on the results of this survey or on Canada’s polytechnic institutions please contact:
Sharon Maloney, Executive Director, Polytechnics Canada: semaloney@polytechnicscanada.ca Phone: 416.949.2588
In Ottawa; Ken Doyle, Director of Public Affairs, Polytechnics Canada: kdoyle@polytechnicscanada.ca Phone: 613.429.0057
Visit the Polytechnics Canada website at: http://www.polytechnicscanada.ca/
Detailed results of this survey may be found through Ipsos Reid at: www.ipsos.ca.
Polytechnics Canada event to showcase sustainable environment projects
Polytechnics Canada invites you to spend the morning of November 28, 2008 exploring some of the projects that will help to move Canadian business and communities closer to the goal of creating a strong green-collar economy in the years to come. This national conference is a major contact venue for applied research scientists, engineers, and practitioners throughout Canada to present their latest developments and applications in this field.
The 2008 showcase includes joint projects between local businesses and polytechnic members Humber College, George Brown College, Seneca, Sheridan, Conestoga, SAIT Polytechnic and BCIT. During the showcase, researchers and members of the business community will unveil projects in collaborative development. These projects include ground breaking work on detoxifying landfills, green building practices, sustainable development assessment, moving away from the “cowboy economy” to the “spaceman economy,” laser engraving and the development of the “intelligent grid”, a major factor in making smart metering a reality.
Members of the press are welcome to attend the morning showcase session and keynote address given by Mr. Fakhir Baig, M.Sc., P.Eng. founder of Petro Sep Membrane technologies, held at Sheridan College, Institute of Technology and Applied Learning , 1430 Trafalgar Road Oakville, Ontario, from 10:00 a.m. until noon.
As the federal government’s speech from the throne stated; “Our Government understands that advances in science and technology are essential to strengthen the competitiveness of Canada’s economy. Our Government will start at home, working with industry to apply the best Canadian scientific and technological know-how to create innovative business solutions.” Canada’s polytechnics have already been hard at work at these very tasks and have proven their value time and again with smart solutions for Canadian small and medium sized businesses.
For further information on the 2008 showcase, interview contacts or to find out more about Polytechnics Canada, please contact:
Ken Doyle
Director of Public Affairs
Polytechnics Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
Phone: 613.429.0057 or email: kdoyle@polytechnicscanada.ca
Susan Atkinson
Manager, Communications
Sheridan Institute
Oakville, Ontario
Phone: 905.845.9430 ext. 2096 or email: susan.atkinson@sheridaninstitute.ca
Or visit: www.polytechnicscanada.ca/showcase
On 8 October George Brown College hosted the GBC Research and Innovation Rounds, which are now available for public consumption on George Brown's very own tv channel at http://gbcresearch.tv. The links below will take you to each presentation directly.
As this was their first webcast, there are still a few kinks, including the post-production tidying.
Please click here for more information and links
SAIT receives $300 million for new Trades and Technology Complex
A $300 million dollar investment announced today by the Provincial Government will see SAIT Polytechnic break ground next year on a Trades and Technology Complex that is expected to open up another 3,600 new training spaces to aspiring students.
“This funding announcement is a tangible demonstration of the government’s vision for the future and its clear, long-term plan to secure Alberta’s continued success,” says Irene Lewis, SAIT’s President and CEO. “Today’s investment will provide increased educational options for future students and will be welcomed news for business and industry hungry for more skilled, knowledgeable workers.”
The Trades and Technology Complex will provide multi-disciplinary programming in the high-demand sectors of energy, construction and manufacturing.
When completed, the 3,600 new spaces in the Trades and Technology Complex will engage 8,100 more students each year in hands-on, career-oriented training. This represents a 50 per cent increase in the number of apprenticeship spaces and a nearly 30 per cent increase for certificate, diploma and applied degree spaces.
The Trades and Technology Complex will be approximately 600,000 square feet in size. It will be located mainly along 16 Avenue NW. Some of its features will include classrooms, lecture theatres, computer labs, leading-edge workshops, an ‘Exploratorium’ for school-aged children, and the Enerplus Innovation Centre.
The total estimated cost for the new Trades and Technology Complex is $445 million. Leading corporations have already invested more than $26 million in the Complex, including two record-setting donations – a $10 million private donation from SAIT alumnus Keith MacPhail and a $5 million investment from Enerplus Resources Fund.
Read the full press release here
Media Release: Candidates weigh in on their party's commitment to applied research for small and medium enterprises.
Ottawa - Polytechnics Canada asks Canada’s five main political party leaders to comment on their position on funding for applied research. The Competition Policy Review Panel has recently released a report that raises the issue of Canadian research funding in the 21st century. Using the information in the report, Polytechnics Canada posed these two questions to the candidates;
1.) Does your party believe that Canada needs to invest more in applied research to improve Canada’s research competitiveness?
2.) If yes, what does your party propose the federal government do to increase Canada’s investment in applied research.
Candidate responses will be posted on the Polytechnics Canada website on September 29, 2008.
Click here to read the questions sent to the leaders and parties
Seneca President Dr. Rick Miner appointed to Labour Market Information Advisory Panel
The Forum of Labour Market Ministers (FLMM) has named Seneca President Dr. Rick Miner as one of five members of a Labour Market Information Advisory Panel.
Established in 1983, the FLMM is comprised of the labour market ministers from the provinces, the territories and the federal government.
The Labour Market Information Advisory Panel, chaired by Mr. Don Drummond, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist for TD Financial Group, will report back to labour market ministers by the spring of 2009 on how labour market information can contribute to Canada's economic growth and efficiency over the next decade.
“This panel will help to advise government leaders across the country, as well as Canadians planning their training and skills development, and their careers,” said President Miner. “We will be looking at how to better address the growing needs of employers, workers and learners. I am proud to be part of such important work.
Read the full press release here
Globe and Mail: One-stop shopping for postsecondary students
A group of Canadian colleges are working to set themselves apart from their peers with an expanded mandate under the banner of polytechnics.
The schools — five in Ontario, one in Alberta and one in British Columbia — are carving out a niche in postsecondary education, providing one-stop shopping for students for a range of qualifications from diplomas and certificates to apprenticeship programs to four-year applied degrees.
Minister of Industry Accepts S&T Strategy's Sub-Priorities Recommended by the Science, Technology and Innovation Council
The Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, today accepted recommendations made by the Science, Technology and Innovation Council (STIC) on sub-priorities within the four research priority areas announced in the Government of Canada's 2007 Science and Technology (S&T) Strategy.
Canada's 2007 S&T Strategy identified four research priorities in areas where Canada can leverage research strengths to achieve a competitive advantage: environmental science and technologies; natural resources and energy; health and related life sciences and technologies; and information and communications technologies. To give definition to these four priority areas, STIC identified sub-priorities in areas of strategic importance to Canada. The sub-priorities recommended by STIC will assist research agencies in the design and implementation of research support programs in the following important areas:
S&T priority: Environmental science and technologies
Sub-priorities: Water (health, energy, security); cleaner methods of extracting, processing and using hydrocarbon fuels, including reduced consumption of these fuels
S&T priority: Information and communications technologies
Sub-priorities: New media, animation and games; wireless networks and services; broadband networks; telecom equipment
Seneca and the University of Toronto provide innovative pathway for students seeking a diploma and degree
Students now have the opportunity to begin their studies at Seneca College and complete them at the University of Toronto earning both a Liberal Arts diploma and a university BA degree in four years.
The three year pilot program between Seneca College and University of Toronto’s Woodsworth College, Faculty of Arts and Science, allows eligible students to spend their first two years at Seneca, while taking two or three University of Toronto courses. Students then complete their studies with a third and fourth year entirely at the University of Toronto.
Read the full press release and backgrounder here
Premier McGuinty Announces $21 million for New Conestoga Campus
Before an enthusiastic audience of more than 250 business and industrial leaders, government officials, and Conestoga employees and students, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty today announced a provincial investment of $21 million to Conestoga, towards a major new campus in Cambridge directly across Highway 401 from the Doon (Kitchener) campus.
Read the full press release and backgrounder here
Conestoga Tech Showcase - Tuesday August 12, 2008 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Practical, student-created, student-produced technical projects are the hallmark of final-year studies in many of Conestoga College*s diploma programs in engineering technology and information technology. Sophisticated problem analysis and problem solving also characterize project work produced by students in Conestoga*s four-year degree programs. Skills perfected in this way produce better-prepared graduates, ready to help employers move forward in an increasingly competitive and innovative economic environment.
Students from five programs will display, explain and answer questions about their work at the Conestoga Tech Showcase on Tuesday, August 12. Presentation of the projects will be in a trade show fashion, so that industry professionals can examine the projects, make inquiries and even use the opportunity to recruit these final-year students for employment.
In addition, the event is open to the public - admission and parking are free.
The Conestoga Tech Showcase takes place from 1-5 p.m. in the ATS Engineering Complex located at Conestoga*s Doon campus in Kitchener. Participating student teams are from three diploma programs of study: Mechanical Engineering Technology - Robotics and Automation, Mechanical Engineering Technology - Design and Analysis, and Computer Programmer/Analyst, and two Bachelor of Applied Technology programs: Integrated Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, and Telecommunication and Computer Technologies.
For more information: http://techatwork.conestogac.on.ca/index.jsp
CONTACT: Lynne Kattenhorn, 519-748-5220, ext. 3219,
lkattenhorn@conestogac.on.ca
New Report: Canadian Council on Learning - State of Learning in Caanda
A look at the state of learning in Canada and the need for greater integration of workplace learning in Canada’s education system. Available on our publications page. Click here.
New George Brown College waterfront campus to address Ontario’s skilled labour shortages
Congratulations to George Brown College on yesterday's announcement by the Ontario provincial government of a $61.5 million investment in a new campus on Toronto's East Bayfront Development, as well as expansion of two existing campuses. The new campus will house George Brown's health sciences department and an extra 4,000 students which will free up space for apprenticeship students at their three other campuses.
Llink to the George Brown press release: http://www.georgebrown.ca/releases/waterfront_campus.aspx
Link to the government of Ontario press release: http://www.premier.gov.on.ca/news/Product.asp?ProductID=2337&Lang=EN
New Report: Eudcational Policy Institute - Student Mobility & Credit Transfer: A National and Global Survey
A look at student mobility in Canada and around the world. Available on our publications page. Click here.
New Report: OECD - Tertiary Education for the Knowledge Society
A final report on tertiary education from the OECD. Available on our publications page. Click here.
New Report: The College Advantage: Private Sector Innovation & Highly Qualified Personnel
A report on applied research conducted by polytechnics and colleges commissioned by Industry Canada's Higher Education Research and Development Policy Directorate. The report was prepared by Roger Fisher from Fanshawe College and features stories on Canada's polytechnics, as well as our applied research metrics.
Click here to download the report
Letter to the Editor - Globe and Mail Update, June 1, 2008
Re: Giving Jake and his friends more options - Ken Coates and Clive Keen
Different not Stupid
Implicit in the response from Messrs. Coates and Keen to Ms. Wente’s column “Who needs university anyway?” is the belief that university education is of a higher order, and that other forms of post-secondary education are inferior. Learners who attend colleges and polytechnics, or do not perform well at university, must not be smart enough.
How then do we explain the increasing number of university graduates who are turning to Canada’s colleges and polytechnics to get post-graduate certificates so that they can actually find meaningful employment?
The issue is not one of intelligence but rather of vocation, market need, access and affordability. In the past universities were seen as the source of “thinking” graduates while colleges taught the “how”. Today’s increasingly complex knowledge society demands graduates that combine theoretical understanding with practical competence. It is this demand, which has driven the creation of Canada’s polytechnics.
The suggestion that universities should start becoming more career –focused and begin teaching applied education misses the point entirely. Institutions that try to be all things to all people risk becoming nothing to anyone.
The solution does not lie in making institutions into something which they are not, but rather in embracing differentiation, supporting those institutions that are best suited to deliver the different models of higher education and creating pathways among them for all learners.
Opinion leaders who continue to characterize non-university education as inferior and students who attend other forms of higher post-secondary education as “not smart enough” are doing our children and our country a disservice.
Sharon E. Maloney, LL.B.
Executive Director, Polytechnics Canada
416-949-2588
semaloney@polytechnicscanada.ca
Letter to the Editor - Globe and Mail, June 2, 2008
Re: What’s in a name by Elizabeth Church
Right to Mobility and Polytechnics
In the past universities were seen as the source of “thinking” graduates while colleges taught the “how”. Today’s increasingly complex knowledge society with its reliance on rapidly changing technologies demands graduates who combine critical thinking with theoretical understanding, and practical competence.
Unfortunately, the traditional approach within Canada’s post-secondary education system has created a gap; some might say an ocean, between the two pillars of Canadian post-secondary education – universities and colleges. This gap has contributed to the confused “brand definition” of some of Canada’s post-secondary institutions, as they grapple with their existing education offerings and strive to make them more responsive to the needs of the market place.
Canada’s polytechnics recognized early this critical gap in the country’s post-secondary education system and adopted a unique approach that integrates theory and application, with a focus on applied research. Polytechnics focus on “laddered learning” providing seamless pathways from one level of credential to another (certificates, diplomas, degrees, graduate certificates) across a broad range of disciplines. All of their programs and research are developed in collaboration with their industry partners. Importantly, polytechnics are able to do this within one institution thus transcending the barriers created by the college – university silos.
Polytechnics have also led the way in promoting cross-jurisdictional transfer through their mutual recognition protocol. Based on the philosophy of “your student is my student” the protocol was developed by the members of Polytechnics Canada in response to the problems students were experiencing in transferring their credentials from one school to another and one province to another.
The absence of national academic mobility must be acknowledged as a contributor to Canada’s lagging productivity. If we are to address our country’s skill shortages and limited labour mobility, we must view academic mobility as a right not a privilege and embrace those institutions that have overcome many of the barriers within Canada’s post-secondary education system. The solution to the increasingly amorphous definitions of colleges and universities does not lie with making institutions into something which they are not, but rather with adopting and supporting a third pillar of post-secondary education, which already exists.
Sharon E. Maloney, LL.B.
Executive Director, Polytechnics Canada
416-949-2588
semaloney@polytechnicscanada.ca
SAIT Polytechnic establishes research chair in RFID applications development
March 10, 2008, Calgary, Alberta — SAIT Polytechnic has named Glen Kathler to the new position of Applied Research Chair for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Applications Development effective March 3.
The chair is sponsored by Hewlett Packard and Cisco. It will focus on developing strategies to advance applied research and teaching in RFID technologies.
"This position is SAIT's second industry-sponsored applied research chair and demonstrates the Institute’s position as a leader in applied research among Canada’s polytechnics and colleges,” said Dr. Alex Zahavich, SAIT’s Director of Applied Research and Innovation Services. “Glen’s experience of more than 20 years in implementing IT solutions in wireless technologies will benefit industry by providing practical solutions in RFID applications development."
Kathler brings almost 30 years of involvement in the telecommunications industry to his new role. He is one of a handful of trainers in North America with the Certified Wireless Network Trainer certification. A SAIT employee since 1997, he was seconded to Nortel for 2½ years to provide training across North America and Mexico.
Kathler’s past applied research projects with industry partners include working with a major utility company to study wireless solutions with a focus on mesh networks. He recently completed the first phase of a project to provide seamless wireless communications for a major ski resort.
SAIT’s RFID Applications Development Laborary is the first in Western Canada. It officially opened in September 2007 and allows local and national enterprises from all sectors to implement RFID applications in areas such as supply chain management, asset tracking, safety systems and process information analysis.
Current projects include asset tracking and worker safety in the oil and gas industry, asset and tool tracking in the aerospace industry, RFID-enabled narrow cast marketing, asset management in an academic institution, and toy inventory management.
Student projects in progress include specifications for RFID in the healthcare system, an RFID emerging technology research study, and improving inventory processes through the use of RFID for asset tracking.
The federal government, through Western Economic Diversification Canada, contributed $300,000 toward the RFID lab.
Speech from Minister of Industry, the Honourable Jim Prentice to the Toronto Board of Trade on February 29, 2008:
..."The Government of Canada is committed through its S&T Strategy to strengthening industry-driven R&D partnerships between the private sector and universities, polytechnics and colleges. Our goal now is to combine the government's S&T efforts with those of the automotive industry through a targeted R&D partnership initiative."
:The Minister's full speech is available on Industry Canada's website here: Minister's Speech to Toronto Board of Trade
Report on Business: Judith Maxwell: Moving from poverty to self-reliance
Polytechnics Canada urges fairness in post-secondary investment for Budget 2008
Polytechnics Canada encourages Minister Flaherty to build on the success of Budget 2007 and introduce additional measures to facilitate research and commercialization activities between industry and polytechnics, as well as invest in career-ready graduates who are essential in today's global economy.
Click here to read the full submission in PDF format
Polytechnics Canada praises McGuinty government for investment into Ontario polytechnics
(Toronto, Jan. 29, 2008) – Polytechnics Canada is applauding the McGuinty government’s announcement today of an additional $65 million for college education and training in Ontario, over $24 million of that going to Polytechnics Canada's member institutions.
“This investment is welcome news and a clear signal that the government recognizes the essential role that polytechnic graduates play in Ontario’s success,” said Sharon E. Maloney, Executive Director of Polytechnics Canada.
Polytechnic education and training is particularly important at this time, as the country manages economic challenges. Canada’s future prosperity is being jeopardized because it is not equipping enough Canadians with the increasingly complex and knowledge-based skills being demanded by Canadian employers to compete in the global economy.
Polytechnics Canada's five Ontario members are: Conestoga College in Kitchener, George Brown College in Toronto, Humber College in Toronto, Seneca College in Toronto, and Sheridan Institute in Oakville.
The campus renewal funding will go toward:
“Ontario has never had a greater need for polytechnic graduates,” Maloney said. "Today's announcement will help our members meet the demand from small- and medium-sized enterprises for research-ready graduates who bring the technical and applied educational experience necessary to mobilize innovation in these critical companies."
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For more information:
Sharon E. Maloney
Executive Director
Polytechnics Canada
416-949-2588 semaloney@polytechnicscanada.ca
Letter to the Editor of the Globe and Mail (submitted but not published)
January 21, 2008
While Ms. Samarasekera’s proposal for integrated partnerships between universities and industry may be seen by universities as “a radical approach” to improving Canada’s commercialization, it is the way Canadian polytechnics and colleges already operate.
Every Canadian polytechnic works closely with their industry partners in developing their curricula and providing industry driven applied research which focuses on product and process development. The applied research conducted at these institutions is driven by the need to solve industry identified-problems. Because of this it achieves two goals: the transfer of technical and technological knowledge needed in today’s workplace and the resolution of industry problems leading to commercialization.
Canada’s problem is that the majority of public federal research dollars have been focused on the “push concept” of basic research, that is, come up with an invention and find a market for it. This disproportionate investment in pure research has ignored the need to provide solutions to problems driven by industry or “the pull concept” of applied research and the resolution of industry problems leading to commercialization.
The answer to this is not to use public research dollars to turn universities into polytechnics or colleges but to support those applied institutions that already understand and practice the business model now being extolled.
This is not an “out-off the box” solution. It is a solution driven by looking at all streams of the post-secondary education system in Canada and using those institutions that have a proven track record of working with industry to solve their problems.
Sharon E. Maloney, LL.B.
Executive Director Polytechnics Canada
www.polytechnicscanada.ca
The British Columbia Institute of Technology's (BCIT) Board of Governors is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Don Wright to the position of president of the institute. Wright will join BCIT in March, 2008.
Mark your calendars, the 2008 Polytechnics Canada Annual Conference will be hosted by SAIT Polytechnic and held on May 22 and 23 in Calgary, Alberta. More details to follow.
Policy Options: IRPP Senior Scholar Thomas Courchene Delivers Inaugural Harry Kitchen Lecture at Trent University
Available on the Institute for Research on Public Policy website: Link "Policy Blueprints for the Information Age: Implications for Markets and Enterprise"
Also, Polytechnics Canada's Submission to the Competition Policy Review Panel on our Publications page
Globe and Mail's Jeffrey Simpson: A Little Common Sense for our First Ministers
Report on Business: Judith Maxwell: How to build a strong economy
Recommendations from the Canadian Council on Learning's second annual report on post-secondary education supported by broad coalition of leaders and educators. Click here
Canada’s competitive edge is in danger of being eroded unless we increase the quantity and quality of its post-secondary graduates. Our competitors are using education strategically to give them a competitive edge; we have no choice but to do the same.
The Canadian Council on Learning’s report recognizes the critical importance of establishing national common education goals and measuring our collective performance in achieving these.
In calling for a pan-Canadian PSE framework and a PSE data strategy the report has provided two key solutions to helping Canada better align the supply and capacity of the country’s PSE sector to the needs of learners, society and the economy.
—Sharon Maloney, Executive Director, Polytechnics Canada
Proceedings from the Second Annual Polytechnics Canada Science and Technology Showcase now online
The Second Annual Polytechnics Canada Science and Technology Showcase
For the Showcase agenda and speaker biographies, click here: http://www.polytechnicscanada.ca/showcase
"Converting three satellite university campuses into polytechnic institutes would dramatically improve New Brunswick's ability to quickly respond to its rapidly changing labour market demands and improve productivity, say two Canadian polytechnic presidents".
Article in The Telegraph Journal by Daniel McHardie
FREDERICTON (CNB) - Creating the first completely integrated student-focused post-secondary education system in Canada is at the centre of the final recommendations released today by the Commission on Post-Secondary Education in New Brunswick.
The report Advantage New Brunswick: A Province Reaches To Fulfill Its Destiny provides several recommendations based on establishing a new structure for post-secondary education in the province that shifts the focus away from institutions and is instead student-oriented.
"New Brunswick has a unique opportunity to be the first province in Canada and perhaps the first jurisdiction in North America to establish such an integrated, student-focused, public-private system. This will be the province's strategic advantage," commissioner Rick Miner said. "We realize change is difficult, but it is necessary in order for New Brunswick to prosper and attain its self-sufficiency goals."
"Our vision for post-secondary education embodies several vital characteristics," commissioner Jacques L'Écuyer said. "The New Brunswick system must be accessible, relevant, responsive, comprehensive, efficient, accountable and of high quality. It must be equally accessible to both linguistic communities in all regions of the province and allow the further development of both communities."
In order to achieve this kind of post-secondary system, the governance of the whole system will have to be reviewed. The commission is proposing that the New Brunswick government clarify its own mission and move to a more policy-focused role. A Presidents' Council, comprising the heads of most public post-secondary institutions and representatives of private institutions and high schools, as well as a new arms-length co-ordinating agency, the New Brunswick Post-Secondary Education Commission, should be established.
The proposed commission would be responsible for ensuring the fulfillment of the vision through quality assurance, policy advice to government, review of institutional strategic plans, credit transfer and the establishment of an application and information portal among other items.
"The creation of the information portal is one of our most important recommendations," L'Écuyer said. "Students and their families need to be able to make informed decisions in the simplest and most convenient way possible, should they be looking for information on programs, tuition fees, application process or student aid."
New Brunswick Public Post-Secondary Institutions
The new post-secondary education system should be fully integrated, from colleges to universities, including the apprenticeship programs. It should be comprised of four universities, three polytechnics and one college with four campuses.
The Université de Moncton (U de M) and the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Fredericton would continue to be comprehensive universities offering undergraduate and graduate degrees, and more emphasis should be put on their research mandate. Fredericton's St. Thomas University and Sackville's Mount Allison University should remain focused on liberal arts undergraduate degrees.
A new kind of institution - the polytechnic - would emerge under the new system. "The authors of a recent report on the future of post-secondary education in Canada say that polytechnics are rapidly emerging as the third stream that blends applied skills with broad subject-matter expertise," Miner said. "They say that polytechnics are seen as a solid middle ground, capable of meeting many of the labour market demands for skilled professionals in today's society. As is a characteristic of polytechnics, they will offer a broad variety of credentials (certificates, diplomas, undergraduate degrees, some graduate degrees, and apprenticeship training) including, where appropriate, first and second year arts and science programs for transfer into other institutions. A particular focus on applied research and commercialization is another hallmark of the polytechnic philosophy and is included as part of the commission's recommendations."
The commission recommended the formation of three regional polytechnics: Saint John Polytechnic in Saint John with a campus in St. Andrews; Northeastern Polytechnic in Shippagan with campuses in Bathurst and Campbellton; and Northwestern Polytechnic in Edmundston.
Polytechnics involve the combination of university and college activities into something greater than the sum of the two parts in order to create a truly new culture. The type of polytechnic proposed in New Brunswick would be closely tied to their communities, responsive to their needs and take advantage of their combined university and college strengths.
"The idea is to build on the solid college and university programs New Brunswick currently offer to enrich program offerings to students by creating new opportunities with the addition of applied programs," L'Écuyer said. "The New Brunswick polytechnics will offer a variety of degree and diploma, all under one roof, ranging from the humanities and arts through science and technology. Polytechnics clearly represent a significant evolutionary force occurring across North America. In the United States some universities have recently changed to polytechnics and according to the Chronicle of Higher Education enrolment in Arizona State Polytechnic has taken off and a few other institutions with the name are experiencing notable surges in enrolment and attention. Clearly New Brunswick will be on the forefront of this transition in Canada."The proposed system would see UNB Saint John merge with the New Brunswick Community College (NBCC) Saint John Campus and NBCC St. Andrews Campus to form Saint John Polytechnic. The U de M campus in Shippagan would merge with Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) campuses in the Acadian Peninsula, Bathurst and Campbellton to form the Northeastern New Brunswick Polytechnic. The Northwestern New Brunswick Polytechnic would be the result of a merger between the U de M campus in Edmundston and CCNB Campus d'Edmundston.
The commission also proposes that NBCC-CCNB operate outside the provincial government, with one head office overseeing four campuses in Dieppe, Moncton, Miramichi and Fredericton. The Fredericton Campus would include the NBCC Woodstock Campus, the Maritime College of Forest Technology and the College of Craft and Design. Should a new college be established in Fredericton, it should become part of the Fredericton campus.
The NBCC would continue to offer college programs, including trades. They could also offer the first and second year of university programs in Moncton, Miramichi and Woodstock where needs and numbers are justified. There would be no university programs in Dieppe and Fredericton because of the proximity of a university campus in the same communities.
The proposal also suggests that apprenticeship and occupational certification, currently administered by Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, become a separate operating agency with the flexibility of a self-governing post-secondary institution.
Finally, education in both languages should be improved in all regions of the province. CCNB Dieppe would be assigned special responsibility for instruction in French in Anglophone regions, and NBCC Moncton would be assigned special responsibility for instruction in English in francophone regions.
The report also emphasizes the importance of international student recruitment, recommending that a recruitment strategy be developed for international students to eventually become a component of New Brunswick's broader provincial immigration policy. It also suggests that actions be taken to increase access to post-secondary education for First Nations people, students with disabilities, and programs that experience significant gender imbalances.
The commission provided a number of other recommendations pertaining to the reduction of student debt, the funding to institutions and the field of research and development in post-secondary education: Link to press release
Our thoughts are with the students, parents, faculty and staff of Virginia Tech, as well as with the people of Virginia as they come to terms with today's tragedy. As a member of the international educational community and as the national alliance of Canadian polytechnic institutions, Polytechnics Canada shares in Virginia Tech's grief.
Thursday, May 24, and Friday May 25, 2007
Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning
205 Humber College Boulevard
Toronto, ON M9W 5L7
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Keynote Speakers include:
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For more information, please contact Ken Doyle .
TORONTO, March 19 /CNW Telbec/ - Polytechnics Canada applauds the federal government's emphasis on creating opportunities for all Canadians, spurred by increased investments in applied research and commercialization activities, as well as in skills and learning. This marks the first time the role of polytechnics and colleges has been captured in a federal budget.
"Canada's continued prosperity depends on our ability to innovate, explore and commercialize new research and discoveries," says Sharon E. Maloney, Executive Director of Polytechnics Canada, commenting on today's budget. "Canada's polytechnics are well-positioned to help the linking of research to business needs."
In today's budget, Finance Minister Flaherty unveiled a plan aimed at unleashing Canada's full potential - improving how Canadians access education and skills training opportunities is critical to ensuring that we meet productivity and competitiveness goals.
"We're pleased that the government recognizes the need to invest in applied research and training," says Maloney. "The applied education and applied research taking place at Canada's polytechnic institutions is preparing the next generation of skilled workers who combine advanced technology and business skills essential for Canada to meet the competitive pressures arising on multiple fronts."
Of particular note and importance to Canada's polytechnics are the federal government's pledges to support applied research and post-secondary education:
- Permanent support for The College and Community Innovation Program (CCIP) administered by NSERC. The members of Polytechnics Canada, with their strength in applied research, eagerly await an opportunity to participate in the new college-industry partnerships over the next five years.
- Increasing the Canada Social Transfer by $800 million per year with the objective of strengthening the quality and competitiveness of Canada's post-secondary education system on a per-capita basis. This is a welcome increase as, with over 500,000 students, Canada's eight polytechnics face many capacity, infrastructure and maintenance challenges.
- Increased investment in the Canada Foundation for Innovation to assist with the modernization of research infrastructure at Canadian polytechnics and colleges. To conduct world-class applied research activities, polytechnics need expanded buildings, labs, and equipment in addition to faculty and technical support staff to run these facilities.
- Increased investment in the Federal Granting Councils to adopt a more strategic approach and increasingly support multi-disciplinary collaborative research to address complex issues and create a real advantage for Canada. Support for the collaborative applied research at polytechnics and colleges will benefit Canada's competitiveness and productivity.
- Enhanced funding for the Indirect Costs of Research Program will help polytechnic institutions to adequately support the additional research activities enabled by the new resources provided to the granting councils.
- Dedicated funding for up to five new business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) in order to enhance the commercialization of Canadian ideas and knowledge. Canada's polytechnics look forward to working with the NCE's private sector advisory board to assist in the accelerated creation of these new networks.
Canada's polytechnics continue to call for Centres of Excellence in Commercialization of Research in polytechnic institutions. The value of these centres of excellence is highest where there is a coordinated approach that brings together research institutions, governments and the private sector to set priorities and share resources. The elements that make applied research unique such as: team-based multi-disciplinary projects, researchers with track records in applied research, hands-on student involvement at the undergraduate level, and accelerated applied research project schedules from conceptualization to commercialization make polytechnics a logical step for future investment in commercialization of research.
The seven members of Polytechnics Canada make a critically important contribution to the strength of Canada's economy and its competitive position in the world. They are: The British Columbia Institute of Technology in Vancouver, Conestoga Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Kitchener-Waterloo, George Brown College in Toronto, Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in Toronto, SAIT Polytechnic in Calgary, Seneca College in Toronto, and Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning in
Oakville.
These publicly-funded post-secondary institutions provide a unique and distinctive range of education and training services to more than 500,000 Canadians annually including Bachelor's Degrees, diplomas, certification programs, apprenticeships, customized training for business and government, on-line learning and continuing education. They conduct applied research in collaboration with industry and also offer joint degrees with universities.
Visit the Polytechnics Canada website at:
http://www.polytechnicscanada.ca/
For further information: Sharon Maloney, Executive Director,
Polytechnics Canada, (416) 949-2588
February 7, 2007
News Release
POLYTECHNICS CANADA’S MEMBERS CAN SHARPEN CANADA’S COMPETITIVE EDGE
Toronto, February 7th, 2007 – Canada’s competitive edge in exports and skills education is in danger of being seriously eroded according to an economic study prepared by Professor Larry Smith of the University of Waterloo and released today by Polytechnics Canada, an alliance of seven internationally-recognized post-secondary institutions located in Vancouver, Calgary, Kitchener, Oakville and Toronto.
“There is a direct link between what the study says Canada needs to stay competitive in the world economy and what our members are offering to over 500,000 Canadians each year,” according to Polytechnics Canada Executive Director Sharon Maloney.
Maloney is calling on the federal government to make two strategic investments to support advanced applied education and research as provided by members of Polytechnics Canada:
The study (available at www.polytechnicscanada.ca) notes that Canada’s prosperity is built on exports and education and says if the country is to prosper, it must increase both the quantity and quality of its post-secondary graduates, (but particularly their quality), especially in the advanced technological and business sectors where the members of Polytechnics Canada already excel.
“Canada must be on the knowledge cutting edge. Our competitors, including India, China and Ireland have used education strategically to create their competitive advantage. China is massively increasing its educational facilities as part of its strategy to advance its economic strength and export power,” adds Maloney.
“Canada has no choice but to play the same game. With our limited population base, we need to play the game very well, applying our focus and resources as carefully and precisely as possible. This is a national issue that requires leadership from the federal government” concludes Maloney.
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Contact:
Sharon Maloney, Executive Director, Polytechnics Canada, 416-949-2588
November 16, 2006
Calgary, Alberta
Polytechnics Canada's First Annual Technical Showcase and Third Annual Workshop, in conjunction with the Annual Conference for the National Council on Ethics in Human Research (NCEHR)
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For more information, please contact: Allison Nixon.
November 17-18, 2006
Calgary, Alberta
These training in Research Ethics programs are designed to help participants acquire the basic knowledge and skills necessary to perform the ethics review process. The workshops are geared towards REB chairs and REB members, research administrators, researchers, students, and all professionals concerned with the protection and well being of human participants in research.
Both program workshops are being hosted and held on SAIT Campus, November 17-18, 2006, and are presented by the National Council on Ethics in Human Research (NCEHR)
Biomedical Program- November 17, 2006
Social Sciences Program- November 18, 2006
Register or get more information
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