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Colleges: Open to Business “In the End,” Says Robinson, “It’S About Making Things

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Colleges: Open to Business “In the End,” Says Robinson, “It’S About Making Things Canada’s Innovation Leaders, a RE$EARCH Infosource Inc. Publication November 2, 2012 message: “With its strong public research base, Canada could trans- late knowledge into commercial success more effectively.” Colleges: Open to Business “In the end,” says Robinson, “it’s about making things. We have a ronment in our new health sciences they were marketing their system.” in working with NAIT on “solu- leagues,” says Morgan. “They are pure high-science culture in Canada, campus. “Ocorant came to us for Algonquin’s strong competency tions-based research.” Collaborations now working with MaRS Innova- but we don’t have an engineering micro-electronics. They went away in ICT and digital media is help- range from developing prototypes tion with a second round of funding, culture that makes things the way with much more. A polytechnic or ing bring in industry from several of robotic equipment involved in about $150,000 from investors.” Germany does. That is where specifi- college is able to offer a multi-disci- fields: healthcare and construction conveyor belt assembly automation, This sort of collaboration between cally applied research from college plined approach to helping industry currently. to creating a virtual museum for businesses on one side and publicly to business can help.” with innovation challenges.” “By the end of 2012 every fac- Metis history. funded colleges and polytechnics on Putting students to work on Business innovation doesn’t ulty and department will have been “Industry partnerships and indus- the other has produced important applied research for local firms often always aim at creating a new technol- involved in applied research projects,” try needs drive us,” says novaNAIT applied research in many industrial gets graduates their first jobs, too. ogy. Calgary’s Bow Valley College says Hoddenbagh. “We engaged 500 Eighty-five percent of SMEs choos- (BVC) teamed with engineering firm students last fiscal year; 400 of them ing to work with colleges are small, WorleyParsons Canada to develop are engaged with in-class projects, not medium-sized, firms. They are Essential Skills workplace training which means that the students are unlikely to have R&D departments. Industry partnerships and Robert Fripp in partnership with the Association working for marks in a course that “ Trained graduates are especially Senior Associate of Canadian Community Colleges. is part of their study program. The industry needs drive us. important as specialist employees. The Impact Group WorleyParsons employs many new student hands-on component is criti- Six years ago the Natural Sciences immigrants with exceptional techni- cal to what we do.” We do research internally, and Engineering Research Council dministrators at Canadian cal skills, but who lack Canadian At Centennial College, Trish of Canada (NSERC) launched the colleges and polytechnics workplace experience. Dryden, Associate V.P. Research and partner with companies externally, College Community Innovation are sounding happier – even “This goes beyond English as a Corporate Planning, names NexJ Program (CCIP). Canada spends A second language. It includes cultural Systems as “typical of projects we $3.1 billion on science. NSERC gets if their happiness is marred by the fact or broker partnerships between communication, culture in the work- work on. We are now in our fourth $1.1 billion of that, of which $35 that they can’t move forward faster. place, and how we structure informa- round of applied research for NexJ. companies already working with us. million goes to Canadian colleges. tion and processes for workflow,” The company is developing ‘Next ” “That’s one cent in the dollar,” Colleges: Open to Business. That’s says BVC’s Krista Medhurst, the Generation’ Enterprise Customer Klay Dyer, Director, novaNAIT says Robinson. Ironically, that one our title. Take it literally! Canadian Business Leader for Test of Work- Relationship Management for Finan- cent was originally designed to colleges are eager to collaborate with place Essential Skills (TOWES), a cial Services, Insurance and Health. position colleges within their com- small and medium sized enterprises widely used skills assessment test “CONII” (Colleges Ontario Director Dr. Klay Dyer. “We do sectors. But never before at this rate. munities, not specifically to handle (SMEs). Colleges have the faculty, developed by BVC. Network for Industry Innovation) research internally, partner with The pace of collaboration is gath- applied research for local businesses. students and equipment to work on “We have used this model with “funded NexJ’s first round of applied companies externally, or broker part- ering speed; the scale and nature Applied research done by colleges applied research for companies in the aerospace and petroleum indus- research with Centennial, in 2010. nerships between companies already of participation is growing; comfort for businesses produces output to many sectors. Already they further tries, but it was the first time we had Then a second round with CONII working with us.” levels and expectations on both sides take to market and skilled jobs. productivity, marketability, scalabil- applied it at an employer’s location escalated to involve researchers from Services include prototype devel- are rising; and tangible rewards are “It’s not enough,” comments ity, innovation – in short, success to an immigrant population,” adds York University. NexJ was creating opment, validation, testing and busi- winning public exposure and being George Brown’s Robert Luke. “Can- – for industry partners whose chal- Medhurt. online games to improve the health ness incubation; even helping start- discussed in influential circles. ada needs to increase its support for lenges they solve. Examples help set Before describing applied research of diabetic patients by engaging them ups apply for grants, patents and “So why are my colleges painted industry-academic applied research that scene. at Algonquin College, Dr. Mark with games to provide timely infor- licences. with the same brush as universities, collaboration, including that going Partnering with the City of when we talk about what’s wrong to colleges for applied research col- Edmonton to install a solar photo- with the system?” laboration with businesses. What we voltaic research system atop NAIT’s That question comes from Nobina have is a start, but demand is fast By the end of 2012 every faculty and department roof also creates industrial opportu- Robinson, the C.E.O. of Polytech- outstripping supply. We get more “ nities. The project shares live data nics Canada and, last year, a member than 250 requests for help each year. will have been involved in applied research projects... 24-7. “This has grown to include of the Jenkins Panel, which the gov- We can accept about half.” many start-ups and SMEs sharing ernment tasked to review “Federal Nonetheless, college administrators The student hands-on component is critical to what we do. expertise,” says Dyer, “as well as the Support to Research and Develop- praise the people at NSERC adminis- ” research and data being produced.” ment.” The Panel filed its report as tering CCIP. Suddenly there has been Mark Hoddenbagh, Director, Applied Research and Innovation, Algonquin College The Dean of Research at the Innovation Canada: A Call to Action. “more funding and capacity-building Humber Institute of Technology and One part reads: at provincial, territorial and national Advanced Learning, Dr. Patricia “Studies have repeatedly docu- levels. It seems like a sea-change,” Morgan, describes Humber’s “inter- mented that business innovation in says Centennial’s Trish Dryden. “At Ocorant Inc. makes heart-moni- Hoddenbagh reminded us that a col- mation – to help them make informed est in building a culture of innovation Canada lags behind other highly the Association of Canadian Com- toring vests that people wear while lege’s priority is to enhance student choices. Then we did some Flash- and entrepreneurism.” Towards this developed countries. This gap is of munity Colleges conference people moving around. Electrodes monitor education. based prototypes to give NexJ an idea goal, Humber operates Innovation vital concern because innovation is weren’t asking ‘How do we do this?’ a patient’s chest, recording cardiac Hoddenbagh, Algonquin’s Direc- of how their system would work. Humber Incubator and the New Ven- the ultimate source of the long-term any more. They were asking ‘How do data which the wearer reports by tor Applied Research and Innovation, “Now we are among sixteen part- ture Seed Fund. “Our goals,” says competitiveness of businesses and we do this better?’ ” phone to a doctor’s office. Ocorant described the college’s work with ners working with NexJ and York Morgan, made setting up the seed the quality of life of Canadians…” What about funding? “At national approached George Brown College Impakt Protective. This company University on a $15.5 million grant fund “seem like a logical next step.” Robinson comments, “If people level, the federal government certain- for help making the sensors. That designs sports helmets to make it under FedDev’s Technical Develop- Students compete by developing a understood that college-based applied ly sees value unfolding, and colleges was just the start of collaboration. easier to detect whether an athlete ment Program.” The overall purpose: business plan. Committees adjudi- research is done in collaboration with are expanding capacity in several Dr. Robert Luke, George Brown’s may have suffered a concussive blow. to build a new people-centred and cate these. companies to solve their practical ways,” adds Dryden. Assistant V.P. Research and Innova- “Impakt Protective was working on a technology-enabled system that will “Each young business is eligible problems, then they could stop think- Here’s one example of what has tion, explains: sensor and accelerometers you could allow people to better manage their for up to $8,000. One first year ing of college and university research been done: the nine members of “We have a significant fashion put into a sports helmet to detect the own health and more easily connect winner was Spently.com.” Designed as competing against each other.
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