NSERC makes changes to industrial chairs program

Several changes have been announced for the Industrial Research Chairs (IRC) program of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, in a move to strengthen the ability of universities to enhance their research capacity efforts. The five program enhancements include the introduction of Executive Research Chairs, providing five-year, non-tenured appointments for candidates from industry or other non-academic backgrounds. IRC chair holders will also be permitted to hold a Canada Research Chair (subject to several conditions), and an IRC can be renewed for subsequent five-year terms. The changes are also expected to apply to other Chair programs for design engineering, fuel cells, northern research and others....