SAIT, NAIT and College of the North Atlantic excel in inaugural college R&D ranking

Three Western- and Atlantic-based colleges have emerged as the top research performing institutions in their class, according to the inaugural Canada's Top 50 Research Colleges ranking. SAIT Polytechnic, NAIT – Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and College of the North Atlantic (Newfoundland) accounted for 18.8% of the $117.3 in sponsored research income in 2012, a 30.7% increase over 2011, according to data generated by Research Infosource.

While the total research income of the Top 50 colleges equals that of a single medium-sized university, the year-over-year increase captures the growing importance colleges play in Canada's innovation system. It also reflects the new sources of federal funding that have flowed to colleges in recent years, particularly through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council.

Ontario and Quebec have only two colleges each in the top 10, but they dominate the Top 50. Ontario's 15 colleges in the Top 50 account for 29% of the total while Quebec's 18 institutions account for 26%. Alberta is home to the third largest concentration of college research spending with eight institutions accounting for 21% of the total. Six of the top 10 colleges nationwide are classified as polytechnics.

Of the top 50, 37 posted gains while 13 saw funding decline, with the top 10 gainers registering increases of at least 100%. Grande Prairie Regional College increased its research funding by 377.8% while top-ranked SAIT Polytechnic was up 273.5% to $9.8 million. Lakeland College (#46), Vermilion AB, boosted research funding by 257.5%.

Research Infosource CEO Ron Freedman says while there's no doubt research funding flowing to colleges will continue to grow, their ability to perform more research will depend on making the necessary changes.

"Colleges have very few full time researchers and infrastructure investments are needed," says Freedman. "In the future, employment practices will have to change because right now the labour force is not there to do the research."

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