NCE program launches pilot to strengthen Canada's international research linkages

The Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCE) program wants to capitalize on the growing globalization of research with a pilot program that seeks international linkages to foster network consortia and partnerships for knowledge translation and commercialization. The recently launched $4.8-million, NCE-International Knowledge Translation Platforms (IKTP) initiative will support three successful candidates over four years at $400,000 annually, with the potential of a three-year renewal.

Yesterday's deadline for letters of intent generated 60 letters of intent of which up to eight will be invited to submit full proposals. Organizers stress that the funding is not intended to cover the costs of research, students or stipends but must be devoted to the support for networking, administration and commercialization including product and technology development.

Both existing NCEs and not-for-profit entities external to the program are eligible to apply.

"Canada has a small population and needs to connect to world markets … The NCE steering committee looked at opportunities to create specific calls for proposals in this area. We've had a lot of interest," says Jean-Saint Vil, acting associate VP of the NCE secretariat and director of policy and international relations at the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. "The overall guide (for applicants) is benefit to Canada (by) creating networks of world calibre."

If the pilot is successful, there's the potential for establishing a larger, permanent program but Saint-Vil says no decisions will be made until the federal government completes its review of fundamental science and development of a new Innovation Agenda.

"It all depends on what comes out of that. The future of the NCE lends itself very well to innovation, especially in the areas of networks and clusters. We may develop changes to the (overall) program in the coming months," says Saint-Vil. "The number of partner countries will depend on the topic reality."

Complements Knowledge Mobilization initiative

Modelled on the NCE's six-year-old Knowledge Mobilization initiative, the IKTP aims to achieve similar objectives at the international level. The proposed areas of research must cover the mandates of at least two of the three granting councils. Each full proposal will be evaluated according to expected impacts and added value, model for collaboration, strategic plan and the proposed team.

Saint-Vil says each IKTP will go through the same rigor of peer review applied to all granting council funding, as well as monitoring (mid-term) reviews "to help the networks do appropriate course correction".

An April 5 webinar held to inform stakeholders about the IKTP initiative drew more than 150 participants, the most for any NCE-held webinar.

The IKTP isn't the first time the NCE program has provided funding devoted to international linkages. In 2006, it launched the International Partnerships Initiative (IPI) as a pilot, providing $7 million over two years to existing NCEs to develop and enhance linkages with the best centres of excellence in the rest of the world", according to a 2006 NCE selection committee report. A 2009 report on the pilot found several areas of concern and the program was not made permanent. Instead, the secretariat encouraged "new or renewal NCE applications ... to include an international dimension where world class expertise may exist outside of Canada and would significantly enhance the impacts of the network".

Despite its cancellation, Saint-Vil says the IPI was deemed to be successful. He notes that both the Business-Led NCEs and Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research engage in international outreach — activities the IKTP is intended to foster with traditional NCEs.

"There's now a dynamic interaction where networks are regrouping naturally. There's excellent cross-pollination."

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