$5.9M supports Canadian-international scientific collaboration

Montreal, QC – The federal government is providing $5.9 million to boost Canada’s collaboration with Centres of Excellence around the world. Seven NCEs from across Canada will forge partnerships with 43 leading research organizations in 17 countries and address issues of scientific, economic, social, intellectual and cultural significance.

“Centres of excellence around the world responded with enthusiasm to Canada’s call for partnerships-proof of our reputation for research excellence,” says Dr Suzanne Fortier, chair of the NCE steering committee and president of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. “This is an excellent opportunity for Canadian scientists and students to collaborate on projects of global importance.”

To encourage the participation of researchers from low and middle-income countries, Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) has allocated $777,000 to support the research and networking costs of their collaboration with the NCE.

“Our partnership with NCE is aimed at fostering scientific excellence of mutual benefit to both the developing world and Canada. By enabling researchers from developing countries to form strategic alliances with their Canadian peers, we can learn from each other,” says Maureen O’Neil, president of IDRC.

Canada’s funding is leveraging more than $8.8 million from international partners to support the international knowledge exchange, training and networking activities of the scientists and students from the participating countries.

The seven NCE are:

– AllerGen (Allergy, Genes and Environment Network) hosted by McMaster University;
– ArcticNet hosted by Universit Laval;
– Canadian Arthritis Network hosted by Mt. Sinai Hospital;
– MITACS (Mathematics of Information Technologies and Complex Systems) hosted by Simon Fraser University;
– NICE (National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly) hosted by University of Toronto;
– PrioNet Canada hosted by University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute; and
– Stem Cell Network hosted by University of Ottawa.