Academic researchers eager to participate in upcoming review of federal R&D spending

The CEO and scientific director of one of Canada's most successful Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) is bullish on the latest federal Budget and optimistic that the pending government review of its support for R&D offers a unique and timely opportunity to accelerate the development of a knowledge-based economy. Dr Arvind Gupta — head of the Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS) NCE — says the government has been receptive to the opinions of the academic community in formulating the March 4th Budget and it shows in the S&T measures it contained.

Gupta says there's more flexibility in the funding for the granting councils and the new post-doctoral fellowship (PDF) program than S&T measures introduced in previous Budgets — a noteworthy indication that the government may be placing greater weight on the views of the research community when developing policy and programs.

"It's the first time there's been an actual dialogue about research and that's really important," says Gupta, adding that he and other researchers spoke with Industry Canada officials and Gary Goodyear's office prior to the Budget. "They wanted to hear from rank and file people like me …. Now I want to encourage other people to air their views on issues relating to research … The knowledge economy is really a people issue."

The PDF program is Budgeted at $45 million over five years and will provide fellowships worth $70,000 annually. It will support 140 fellowships when it ramps up to full speed, providing continuity from the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships and Canada Graduate Scholarships programs. Designed to both attract and retain top-notch research talent, the program will be managed by the granting councils.

Gupta says the proposed structure of the PDF program demonstrates that the government has heard the research community's request for greater flexibility in how it allocates the funding. And while the scale of the program is insufficient to the task at hand, he says it's a good start. A bigger question is Canada's ability to retain Canadian and foreign-born PhD students, an area in which MITACS is actively engaged.

MITACS has expanded beyond its original role as a networking facilitator for Canada's mathematics research community and now manages a key internship program on behalf of the government. Dubbed MITACS Accelerate, the pilot program is budgeted at $11 million over two years and runs until the end of FY10-11, when a decision must be made on whether it will become permanent. MITACS' NCE funding sunsets at the end of FY11-12, at which time Gupta hopes the internship program will become its dominant focus. Gupta hopes some of its NCE activities will be carried on by other organizations.

"We graduate about 5,000 PhDs a year in Canada and the new program is quite small. But it is an opportunity to solve the socio-economic problems around these issues and get them jobs. Then we have the credibility to do more," he says. "Our graduates are first-rate. The US recruits them and hires them. So how do you support the new PDF program to create receptors for them. If a significant percentage of them (post-docs) stay and companies hire them, then we can make a good argument (for a larger internship program)."

Upcoming R&D review

Among the most pertinent measures announced in the Budget is the decision to review more than $7 billion in federal R&D outlays, including the scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) tax credit program but excluding federal laboratories. The wording in the Budget says the government will consult with "business leaders from all sectors and our provincial partners" but Gupta hopes the academic community will also be invited to participate.

"The government needs to take a wide look at the issue. It's broader than the business community and the provinces. It needs to include academics … The review represents a critical time for us. People need to give their feedback. We can't be laissez-faire about it," he says. "We do well in fundamental research, not so well at commercialization so something is broken. The problems we have are systematic, almost cultural. Throwing more money at them is not the solution."

Gupta also questions whether some recent funding decisions may be placing too much burden on organizations that are suited to a limited range of specific tasks. He singles out the granting councils and recent government directives for them to become more targeted in their research support and boosting their role in commercialization.

"Are they the right vehicles for what we are asking them to do? Do they have too many mandates to do all of them effectively," says Gupta. "The granting councils are trying to get more partnerships going but they don't have the ability to be on the ground with companies like other organizations do."

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