Investing in networks
The NCE program accomplishes its goal by investing in national
research networks that will:
- stimulate leading-edge, internationally competitive research in areas critical to Canadian economic and social development;
- develop and retain world-class researchers in areas essential to Canada's productivity and economic growth;
- create nation-wide multidisciplinary and multisectoral research partnerships that integrate the research and development priorities of all participants;
- accelerate the exchange of research results within the networks; and
- accelerate the use of these results within Canada by organizations that can harness them for Canadian economic and social development.
A new model for research
The NCE program was designed to achieve its goals by stimulating collaboration
and by removing the traditional barriers that separate university research,
industrial exploitation and the public use of research results. For these reasons,
the networks involve a high degree of networking and collaboration among
participating researchers, and are expected to build strong partnerships with
industry and/or government during the first years of their existence.
Managing outcomes
An important result is the creation of new knowledge and its use by industry,
government and other groups to quickly exploit new knowledge generated by the
high-quality research of the NCEs. Such exploitation contributes significantly
to Canada’s socioeconomic development and helps meet the specific needs of these
sectors.
In addition, the program strengthens Canada’s research base by training new
researchers in a multidisciplinary and multisectoral setting and by attracting
and retaining experienced researchers.
From its very beginning, the NCE program has incorporated "outcome
measurement" as part of its regular operations. Every year,
the NCEs report on their activities and achievements in all areas,
including excellence of research, the extent of their collaborations,
the knowledge they have created and transferred to users, and the
people they have trained and retained. These data are collected
and reported globally for the overall program in each annual report.
(For this year’s data, please refer to the "Tables and Illustrations"
section).
In 2002, the program reviewed all its "outcome indicators"
and formalized their description and their linkages to NCE program
goals in a document entitled the Results-based Management Accountability
Framework. This document now contains over 35 indicators organized
into seven key performance areas:
- leading-edge research;
- the level of networking and collaboration in research;
- partnerships with industry, government and other stakeholders;
- training of new researchers and retention of researchers;
- transfer and exploitation of knowledge and technology;
- increased productivity and economic growth; and
- improved quality of life.
In addition, the program is regularly subject to independent external
review. The most recent review, carried out in 2002, summarized
the performance of the NCE program as follows: "Overall, the
NCE appears to have been successful or very successful in meeting
its overall goal and its four specific objectives."
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