CNA leads the way in precedent-setting international partnership
2/26/2010 9:58:05 AM
College of the North Atlantic (CNA), Newfoundland and Labrador’s public college, hosted the first international applied research roundtable of its kind earlier this month at its Middle East campus CNA-Qatar. Qatar and Canada: Creating Solutions through Applied Research Partnerships was a unique opportunity for high-level dialogue between leading officials from industry and educational institutions in Qatar with representatives from some of Atlantic Canada’s finest research institutions and organizations.
Just as unique is the agreement signed at the culmination of the event. Canadian participants from Dalhousie University, Saint Mary’s University, Memorial University, University of New Brunswick, University of Prince Edward Island, the Atlantic Provinces Community College Consortium and Springboard Atlantic were joined by College of the North Atlantic’s delegation and colleagues from numerous Qatar organizations including Hamad Medical Corporation, Sidra Medical and Research Centre, ExxonMobil Qatar, Qatar Science and Technology Park, the Qatar Industrial Manufacturing Company and the Qatar National Research Fund in the signing of an Intent to Partner Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
With this agreement, the Canadian signatories have a route to develop applied research collaborations with Qatar organizations. The nature of the partnerships is two-fold, says Brian Tobin, director of Academic Programs and Institutional Research at CNA.
“There is a list of only 11 institutions in Qatar permitted to apply for research funding, and CNA-Qatar is one of them; by partnering with us, these Canadian institutions will also be able to avail of the funding opportunities in Qatar.
“Funding is one part, but the broader picture is capacity sharing; these institutions will have access to resources in Qatar, which is tremendously rich in resources and expertise. And likewise, Qatar will be able to tap into the expertise found in these Atlantic Canadian partners.”
Indeed, each Canadian cohort holds valuable resources and expertise. In just six short years since its Applied Research Division was formed, CNA has developed Wave Powered Pumping of Seawater for Onshore Use and Electrical Generation, Petroleum Applications of Wireless Systems, a Geospatial Research Facility, a Manufacturing Technology Centre and an Agriculture Centre of Excellence, among others, and has created and licenced several new technologies.
Dalhousie is a world leader in oceans science as it pertains to climate change and environmental sustainability. Dr. Martha Crago, VP of Research at Dalhousie University, was at the roundtable in Qatar and signed the agreement on behalf of the university. She says the potential for cooperation in creating global research impact was clear after being introduced to the remarkable country of Qatar, its visionary research and higher education agenda.
“The Qatar-Canada round table was a great eye-opener for me; the potential for cooperation in creating global research impact was clear. I believe there are very real partnering possibilities for Dalhousie with institutions in Qatar and other Canadian and international universities to make a very significant contribution to our understanding of the oceans on a global scale,” says Crago.
“This would be a unique contribution that Atlantic Canada and Qatar could make [together]. Oceans have determined both of our regions'' destinies and one might say we have an obligation to lead the world in understanding how oceans reflect and determine global environmental concerns."
Dr. David Shindler is the Executive Director of Springboard Atlantic, an association with 14 Atlantic Canadian universities and four college members under its wing. Springboard represents the interests of institutions in connecting them with business and funding agencies, particularly for commercialization of research discoveries and intellectual property. They too have stakes in this new partnership and something to offer the collective.
“We are an organization that works with our university and college members to form technical and business partnerships and finance new ventures; we are focused on the business of creating opportunities from applied research,” explains Shindler.
“CNA is one of our key members; they have terrific international relations with a very impressive campus in Qatar. This particular opportunity of travelling to Qatar was to assess the potential for working with CNA in the applied research area. We are always seeking opportunities for our members to expand and to develop new partnerships to apply knowledge gained from research.”
The commercialization of technologies and the formation of new business ventures and industry partnerships are key to expanding college capacity and in turn, advancing the skills of graduates and a sustainable economic future for rural, remote and urban Canada. So states the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) report to the House of Commons in August 2009 titled Colleges and Institutes: Advanced Skills and Applied Research.
“Integral to the industrial and technical drivers of the economy, Canada’s colleges are key contributors to the country’s innovation system. These institutions embody the largest concentration of expertise on the application of technology to product development. The match between the advanced skills of college faculty and students and commercialization-stage research is proven and dynamic.”
Dr. Mike Long heads up the thriving research community at CNA-Qatar. He acts as a liaison between CNA-Qatar and the State to foster relationships that innovatively solve problems for local community and industry. He also promotes CNA-Qatar student involvement in research activities as a vehicle for teaching and learning to develop student research skills and workplace readiness, supports researchers from the pre-award to post-award stages, and ensures compliance with the highest standards of research integrity to produce applied research of international standards.
The applied research roundtable was one such opportunity to expand and share CNA-Qatar’s capacity for applied research.
“We are tremendously excited about the potential for partnerships as a result of our roundtable. When you operate in one of the world’s fastest growing economies where megaprojects are the order of the day, the opportunities are legion,” says Long.
“We are a firmly entrenched Newfoundland and Labrador presence in Qatar with an excellent reputation and years of partnership experience with local industry, government and international corporations. We want to leverage this valuable experience to create applied research partnerships between Qatar and our Newfoundland and Labrador and Canadian colleagues.”
In the true sense of the word “partnership,” this new agreement stands to expand the world of education, training and innovation for all involved, says CNA President Jean Madill.
“This agreement will open the door for historical partnerships and what will surely be unprecedented growth in research and development in Canada and Qatar over the next three years.”
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Media contact:
Tanya Alexander
Public Relations Specialist, Qatar Project
709.643.0811
tanya.alexander@cna.nl.ca
Or
Roger Hulan
Communications Specialist
College of the North Atlantic
709.643.7938
roger.hulan@cna.nl.ca