With Canada lagging behind nearly all its OECD peers on business-led research and development, we must act now in order to be competitive in the future. Fortunately, colleges and institutes are research and innovation powerhouses. We provide space for learners to collaborate with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to research, analyze and develop solutions to real-world challenges.
Canada’s college applied research system offers tremendous benefits due to the following unique features:
- The research question is driven by the business.
- Intellectual property stays with the business partner who is most likely to commercialize it.
- Results are delivered at the speed of business with most turned around in less than a year.
These partnerships are in remarkably high demand here in Canada, where SMEs face challenges driving innovation, commercializing and scaling their work. With the right support, colleges and institutes can partner to serve even more businesses, acting as their R&D engines while providing students with learning experiences that build the latest, most in-demand skills.
