Dr Sara Diamond, president and vice-chancellor, OCAD University

Universities drive high research output, impact

By Dr Sara Diamond

The recent report, The State of Science and Technology in Canada, 2012, found that Canadian research is healthy and growing in output and impact. Canadian universities should feel pride in their contribution to this tremendous success story. University researchers, including those with joint appointments to research hospitals and National Research Council (NRC) labs, are playing a fundamental role in achieving these results.

The report assessed Canada's R&D strengths, focusing on research performed in higher education, as well as by not-for-profit organizations and government and covered data gathered from 2006-2010. The vast majority of research investment in Canada occurs in the post-secondary environment and it is Canadian universities that create the conditions that have produced an intensified research output that correlates with quality.

For over 10 years Canada has remained a leading country in scientific output, at 54%. Our share of world papers increased between 2005 and 2010 to 60%, the only G7 country to increase its publication — despite the algorithmic growth in world production as China has come on stream (p. 40). For example, Canadians produced 7.6% of the world's papers in psychology and cognitive science (p. 40). Research investment has been wise and output growth in clinical medicine, physics and astronomy and visual and performing arts correlate with these fields' high research impact.

Canada continues to rank first globally for its share of population with post-secondary education. In the period from 2005 to 2009, there were increases in students graduating from Canadian universities at the college, undergraduate, master and doctoral level (p. 118). The number of graduating master's students increased by 17% and doctoral students by 32.2%, the latter the largest percentage growth among comparable OECD countries.

There seems to be some correlation between fields with a high calibre of research performance and growth in doctoral students. Social sciences, biomedical research, psychology and cognitive sciences, ICT, physics and astronomy experienced high rates of growth in doctoral students, as did nuclear and particle physics and classics — sub-fields that held high ranking (p. 121). These findings suggest that Canadian doctoral researchers are receiving quality education and opportunities to contribute to the growth of research publication.

Despite the growth, Canada ranked eighth per capita in its quantum of PhDs. Canada will need to sustain its HQP capacity if is going to sustain its rankings. The data underscore the importance of growing a new generation of researchers and of provincial and federal investment in doctoral education, through creating graduate seats and scholarships as well as programs to attract international students.

Infrastructure

Many of Canada's top-tier research facilities are located within universities or formed through a consortium of universities and the private sector, or universities in collaboration with NRC labs. Research infrastructure is a fundamental underpinning of Canada's research performance. Over 85% of Canadian respondents identified the Canada Research Chairs program, Canadian universities and research hospitals and the Canada Foundation for Innovation as advantages (p. 131-2). Other granting councils, the Networks of Centres of Excellence program and specific institutes follow closely. Canada could not lead in physics and astronomy without the Canadian Light Source synchotron, the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory, TRIUMF or our high performance computing networks that allow the processing and communication of big data.

Canadian stem cell research could not excel without university-affiliated research hospitals across Canada. Digital media research, identified as an emerging field of excellence, could not thrive without Hexagram in Montreal or the Digital Media Research and Innovation Institute at OCAD University (p. 134). Over half of 5,154 international researchers surveyed (56%) also felt that Canada had world-class infrastructure (p. 130).

Canadian research excellence is spread across the spectrum of the sciences, engineering, medicine, social sciences, humanities and the arts, suggesting that Canadian universities — whether specialized or comprehensive — have developed and sustained capacity in S&T. University research engages the spectrum of applied, technology development and basic research.

The richness of disciplines must surely influence Canada's successful engagement in collaboration. Canadian researchers across nearly all fields co-author with researchers in other countries more than they would be expected to, with the highest level of collaboration in visual and performing arts and clinical medicine. Collaborations occur with colleagues from high-performing countries and emerging leaders such as China (p. 81). In a time of increased globalization of knowledge, university, public and matching private investment in international collaboration, the migration of international researchers to Canada and our talent to the world, build our reputation and capacity.

These characteristics suggest that universities have provided a stable and healthy research environment, one that supports their researchers in their quest for international partners.

Without a doubt, the significant commitment being made by universities in Canada's research capacity underlies these positive results. Government and private sector investments in university-based research are levers that have allowed Canada to achieve a high level of research output, concentrated research efforts and international networks that result in recognition and reputation.

The report is agnostic in considering why Canada has scored so well and does not link investment decisions to research performance. At the same time, we can acknowledge that S&T performance is dependent on S&T capacity, including access to highly qualified and skilled personnel and infrastructure in the form of facilities, networks and research programs. It is the interlacing of public and private support structures and a deep commitment to research on the part of universities that appears to have led to Canada's research success.

Dr Sara Diamond is president and vice-chancellor at OCAD University, and was a member of the Expert Panel on the State of Science and Technology in Canada.