The following questions will be addressed in the roundtable discussions at UBC relating to the federal reviews of fundamental science and Canada's innovation agenda.
Please click here to register to attend a UBC roundtable session or to provide written responses to any or all of the questions below.
1.Structure of granting councils and peer review
In what ways might the current structure of the granting councils’ be aligned, strengthened or changed to better meet the needs of the research community? Are the current programs the most effective means of delivering the objectives of these organizations? Should peer review mechanisms be revised?
2.Balance between elements funded
As a group of granting councils and within each agency, what is the appropriate balance between the funding of people (salaries), infrastructure and projects? How might this balance change to better meet the needs of researchers?
3.Big science
What are best practices in Canada and internationally for supporting big science? What are ways to ensure reliable Canadian access to international big science infrastructure? What mechanisms are there to ensure the federal government has access to the best advice on funding big science projects?
4.Internationalization of research
In what ways do granting council programs and structures presently reflect and accommodate the internationalization of research? In what ways could programs and structures change to better enable international research collaborations?
5.Develop, recruit, and retain talent
What actions should Canada take in order to:
- Equip our young people with the right skill sets for the economy of the future?
- Attract and develop diverse, high-end talent?
6.Clusters for innovation
The federal government has suggested that Canada needs to develop world-leading clusters in areas where the country has the potential to be, or is already known as, a hotbed of innovation. What is the right model for made-in-Canada innovation clusters? What is the role of businesses? Of universities?
7.Platforms
Should the government create a separate funding mechanism for emerging platform technologies and research areas of broad strategic interest and societal application? Are there any technologies that would appear to meet these criteria now? What is the future of digital infrastructure? Who are the partners in the transition to digital infrastructure?