Fostering Innovation through Academic- Community Partnerships · Economic Revitalization...

Fostering Innovation through Academic-Community Partnerships Yolande Chan, E. Marie Shantz Professor, Queen’s University Jeff Dixon, Associate Director, The Monieson Centre

• Overview of Partnerships and Projects

• Lessons Learned

– Co-creation of Research Priorities

– The Benefits of Research Partnerships

– Partnership Challenges

• Community Impacts

• Questions

Agenda

OVERVIEW OF PARTNERSHIPS & PROJECTS

• April 2011-March 2014

• $238,610 from SSHRC + $91,500 from partners

• Objectives:

– To develop new, and strengthen existing, research partnerships

– To conduct research on topics identified as priorities in rural communities by the Monieson Centre’s network of partners and in the KIS project

• Leverages a growing network of over 40 community and research partners

Research Partnerships to Revitalize Rural Economies

Economic Revitalization Partnerships

PELA MOU

• In 2007, Monieson Centre board member

introduced Director and PELA CFDC

Executive Director

• Initial discussions led to an MOU

• Co-hosted a casual lunch where community

partner discussed research needs with

faculty from across the University – the first

of several lunch meetings

• Five research projects were launched


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)

• Ongoing discussions led to a

SSHRC-funded knowledge

mobilization project:

• 3 years (2008-11)

• $300,000

• 2 lead partners

• Initiatives included:

• 16 Eastern Ontario

Discovery Workshops

• 18 Knowledge syntheses

• 18 Business case studies

• 32 Student consulting

projects

• 3 conferences

• An online hub & blog

• Involved faculty from 3

universities


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)

• 2007 proposal engaged:

• PELA CFDC

• ROI (formerly TORC)

• PELAIRD

• OMAFRA

• Fifth Town Artisan

Cheese

• QEDC

• EO CFDC Network, Inc.

• Industry Canada/FedNor

• OEEDC

• Queen’s University

School of Policy Studies

• Rural Secretariat


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)

• 2008-11 project further engaged:

• EOWC

• Northumberland County

• RDÉE Ontario

• City of Kawartha Lakes

• ELORIN/Launch Lab

• Queen’s Sustainable Bioeconomy

Centre

• Communities of Eastern Ontario

Network

• University of Guelph SEDRD

• U-Links

• FABR

• Queen’s University SURP

• EDCO

• Haliburton County EDC

• Municipality of Marmora & Lake

• Northumberland CFDC

• PEC EDC

• CRRN

• StatsCan Rural Research Group

• Frontenac County


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)

RRP (Guelph & OMAFRA)

• KIS interactions with

OMAFRA led to a

relationship with Dr. Wayne

Caldwell, University of

Guelph

• Led to a series of 8

Discovery Workshops in SW

Ontario in 2009-10

• Final report analyzes

economic development

issues and research needs

for rural Southern Ontario


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)


• Partnered with:

• University of Guelph

(Project Lead)

• TORC (now ROI)

• OMAFRA (Funder)

• Nottawasaga CFDC

• Chatham‐Kent CFDC

• Grand Erie Business

Centre

• Wellington‐Waterloo CFDC

• Saugeen Economic

Development Corporation

• Perth CFDC

• Orillia Area Community


• Norfolk District Business



PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)


• 2010-13 French Translation

of “Revitalizing Rural

Economies by Mobilizing

Academic Knowledge”

• Funded by SSHRC

• Translated KIS resources

into French

• A response to unique needs

of Eastern Ontario’s

Francophone communities

identified in KIS project

• Steering committee:

• RDÉE Ontario

• PELA CFDC

• Northumberland County

• ROI

French Translation

(SSHRC)


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)


Community-University Research

Alliance (SSHRC)

• A 2008-9 LOI/project to

develop new research on:

• Rural entrepreneurship

• Knowledge worker

attraction & mobility

• Rural creative

economies

• Rural IT infrastructure

French Translation

(SSHRC)


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)


Community-University Research

Alliance (SSHRC)

• In 2008-9 engaged new partners:

• Artisan Bakers’ Quality Alliance

• Queen’s CHSPR

• CIRANO

• Queen’s CSPC

• SE LHIN

• CAWT

• CEONET

• Harris Centre

• Loyalist College

• Martin Prosperity Institute

• MEDT

• Northern Connections Adult

Learning Centres

• RDI

French Translation

(SSHRC)


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)


Research Partnerships

(SSHRC)

• Partnership network has

grown to over 40 partners

• In 2011, launched a 3-year

SSHRC-funded research

project

• 14 studies over 3 years • Rural entrepreneurship &

business

• Innovation & sustainability

• Involves researchers from 5

academic institutions

French Translation

(SSHRC)


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)



(SSHRC)

• Further expanded the

partnership network:

• City of Kawartha Lakes

• OA CFDCs

• The Venture Centre

• Concordia Rural

Research Group

• University of Waterloo –

SEED

• Two Rivers Community

Development Centre

French Translation

(SSHRC)


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)



(SSHRC)

Impact of Knowledge

Mobilization (Rural Secretariat)

• K Mobilization Discovery

Workshops/surveys funded

by the Rural Secretariat

• Steering Committee:

Northumberland County,

PELA CFDC, and RDÉE

Ontario.

French Translation

(SSHRC)


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)



(SSHRC)

Impact of Knowledge


• New workshop hosts:

• 1000 Islands WDB

• Frontenac County

• SWEA

• Town of New Tecumseth

• Mount Forest Family Health

Team

• Chatham-Kent LIP

• SCOR

French Translation

(SSHRC)


PELA MOU

KIS (SSHRC)



(SSHRC)

Impact of Knowledge


Economic Revitalization

(OMAFRA)

French Translation

(SSHRC)


Broadband Impact

Assessment Methodology

(MGS)

Evaluating the Economic & Social Impacts of Rural

Broadband (EOWC, EORN, OMAFRA)

• New partners engaged:

• Ontario Ministries:

• MGS

• MNDMF

• EORN

Community Projects

1. Decision-making and community engagement processes • Funded by Northumberland CFDC

2. Renewable energy opportunities • Funded by Renfrew County CFDC

3. Innovative investment models for sustainable “green” housing • Funded by the North & Central Hastings & S. Algonquin CFDC

4. Examining the provision of for-profit services by non-profit organizations • Funded by PELA CFDC

5. Knowledge-based regional economic development • Funded by PELA CFDC

6. Improving the retention of knowledge workers in semi-urban settings • Funded by KEDCO

7. Rural transportation models • Funded by North & Central Hastings & S. Algonquin CFDC and PELA

CFDC 8. Comfort Country economic development summer intern

• Funded by the North & Central Hastings & S. Algonquin CFDC

Economic Revitalization Events

1. Connecting the Future Rural Broadband Technology, Policy & Impact • Funded by SSHRC, EORN

2. Creative Rural Economy Conference • Funded by SSHRC, OEEDC, PELA CFDC, PEC, ROI and the

Government of Canada 3. Fostering Entrepreneurship in the Creative Economy

Conference • Funded by SSHRC, PELA CFDC, OEEDC, and Tourism

Kingston 4. Creative Economy Seminar Series

• Funded by PELA CFDC and OEEDC 5. Monieson Ideas Seminar Series

• Funded by PELA CFDC and Queen’s OVP-R

Began with an MOU in one community

Leveraged relationships to reach a regional

partner base

Has grown to over $2m in

research-related activities

The Impact of an Academic-Community Partnership

LESSONS LEARNED 1: CO-CREATION OF RESEARCH PRIORITIES

• A series of workshops in communities across rural Ontario

• Community leaders and academics collaborate using electronic decision making technology in order to:

» Identify opportunities for academic institutions to support rural communities

» Prioritize Southern Ontario research priorities

» Share experience and knowledge

» Build lasting relationships and communication channels

Discovery Workshops

• 2008-2010

– 24 workshops across the region through the Knowledge Impact in Society (KIS) and Rural Research Priorities (RRP) projects

• 2011-2013

– 20 workshops across the region as part of the Impact of Knowledge Mobilization in Rural Economic Development project (funded by the Rural Secretariat)

Discovery Workshops

Discovery Workshops 2011-2013

• Eastern Ontario Workshops – Bancroft

– Verona

– Renfrew

– Belleville

– Picton

– Napanee

– Montague

– Almonte

– Navan

– Peterborough

– Cobourg

– Kawartha Lakes

– Keswick

• Focus Workshops: – Research - London

– Downtown Revitalization - New Tecumseth

– Healthcare - Fergus

– Immigrant Attraction - Chatham-Kent and Tillsonburg

– Green Economy - Haliburton

– Labour Markets - Gananoque

Eastern Ontario 2008-2010 Eastern Ontario 2011-2013

Competitive Advantage Small Business Development

Sustainable Econ Dev Skills Training/Education

Econ Diversification Tourism

Small Business Development Youth Retention

Labour Migration & Attraction Local Data & Demographics

Regional Strategies Agriculture/Local Food

Best Practices University & College Partnerships

Tourism Aging Population

Youth Retention Regional Collaboration

Skills Training/Education Innovation; Investment Attraction (Tie)

Discovery Workshops – Top Research Themes

• Three major themes in rural Ontario, 2008-2010:

– “Build it Deep”: Sustainable Economic Development

– “Build it Unique”: Competitive Advantage

– “Build it Wide”: Economic Diversification

The Face of Rural Economic Development

• Entrepreneurship is the future:

– Small business development moves from #4 to #1

• Emergence of enterprise facilitation (e.g., L&A, Hastings)

• Incubators, such as Prince Edward County’s Innovation Centre

• London is developing a Business Accelerator for New Canadians to provide services and mentorship as well as subsidized shared space where possible.

• Brock Economic Development Committee has started a Red Welcome Wagon program for new business owners. The program welcomes businesses to the community, answers questions, and provides resources.

The Changing Face of Rural Economic Development

• A new skills set is needed:

– Rising importance of education, skills training, labour force development, investment in broadband

• Belleville’s Pathways to Productivity program offers training workshops for local managers and manufacturers

• Belleville Quinte and Bayside secondary schools are developing Skills Majors programs in Manufacturing

• Northumberland County Council brought Learning Together eLearn program to the region (ncc.learningpool.com), giving local residents access to over 4000 courses at the college and university level

• EORN provides a regional model for broadband investment


• Increasing focus on innovation:

– How could new technologies, partnerships with universities & colleges, and emerging industries create new economic opportunities?

• Haliburton Forest is working with academics at the University of Toronto’s Forestry program and Trent University’s Ecosystem and Design program to use sawdust to produce methane; the waste product is used as a fertilizer to foster forest growth

• The Innovation Cluster assists in advancing environmental, life sciences and other innovative research in Peterborough and the Kawarthas, to help promote and sustain the strong regional knowledge-based economy

• The Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation used community studies to identify, define, build and start to market 5 emerging industries of focus

• Community Futures Development Corporation in Northumberland lunched the Scientists and Engineers in Business Program


• Demographic challenges:

– The region continues to face challenges of an aging population and youth out-migration

• Belleville is developing a Turning Junk to Funk program, whereby youth learn five key business skills

• Northumberland’s Scientists and Engineers in Business Program targets recent graduates and seeks entrepreneurs who have a product they would like to commercialize

• Wilmont Township Active Living Centre for Seniors and Youth was developed as part of renovations to the Wilmont Recreation Complex

• Young Professionals of Chatham-Kent Networking Group developed a Boards aren’t Boring event to educate youth

• Almonte Rideau roundtable runs voyageur canoe programs for youth to teach them about heritage and history


LESSONS LEARNED: BENEFITS OF RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS

Partnership Benefits

• Community

– Access to professors and students

– Access to theory, information and resources

– Unbiased, third party assessments

– Increased organization/issue visibility

• Case studies, conferences, media

– Multi-level participation in research

• Steering committees, study designers, data providers, collaborators, researchers, users/distributors of findings

– Networking opportunities

– Economic and social benefits

– Policy impacts

Partnership Benefits Cont’d

• Academic

– Meaningful, high impact research of local, national and international importance

– Interdisciplinary, team research

– Non-academic partners

• Co-creation of research ideas and proposals

– New research sites and data

– Increased feedback on and use of findings

• Co-creation of papers and presentations

– Teaching materials, student projects and jobs

– Increased funding (granting agency, govt support)

– Increased citizen/media engagement

“I think it’s contributed to it because it adds that gravitas to what we are doing here. The fact that you have

respected institutions like The Monieson Centre actually paying attention to things that are significant to us and also looking at those things in other rural communities and also giving us access to academic research that we

can look at and see how that applies to us. That has been beneficial."

The Value of Research

“Having independent academic reviews, papers, and studies done is an important part of building

understanding of rural challenges.

It’s difficult in the world when all you do is complain. People assume you are complaining out of self interest.

When you have an independent review that is saying the same thing it certainly gives credence and support to the

arguments you are making.”

Independent Review

“Up until this project, it was silo driven: the community was in a silo, the academics were in a silo , government were in a silo,

businesses were in a silo. What the Monieson Centre has really done is provided access and facilitated the access to the silo that is the academy. That was something we were having problems with

before. So just giving us entrance into that world. Being able to translate academic language into ordinary language.

The fact that they were able to, with our partnership, be able to leverage those early successes into subsequent rounds of funding it grew beyond dissemination of existing knowledge into creation of new knowledge to almost an integration of community within different aspects of the university including teaching and learning

curriculum. If you didn’t have that mechanism to start with you would not

have had the programs that followed. "

Breaking Down Silos

“The greatest academic support has come through Queen’s University and their TEAM project with technology, engineering

and management. We have had several projects with them.

[It began with] being recognized by The Monieson Centre to be worthy of support, so when we went to the Faculty of Engineering,

one of the chaps actually came with us when we went to that meeting with the Dean of Engineering and the rest is history.

Through the TEAM project and some other courses like chemical engineering we have had extremely good support from the

University."

Crossing Disciplines

Example - Renewable Energy in Renfrew County Project • Provided research support to

community leaders looking to tap into biomass opportunities

• Ontario increasing clean power from 3% to 13% by 2018

• Demonstrated FIT rates would need to rise from $0.130-0.138/kWh to $0.273-0.450/kWh to stimulate the use of biomass

• Provides objective data to support lobbying initiatives

LESSONS LEARNED: PARTNERSHIP CHALLENGES

Partnership Challenges

• “We have different needs and expectations.”

– Faculty/student project scope

– Issue complexity

• “We don’t speak the same language.”

– Jargon, acronyms

– French-English barriers

• “We don’t use the same clocks.”

– Academic year vs. course vs. business period

– Time-consuming research ethics clearance

– Pressing demands and fiscal year-end deadlines

Partnership Challenges Cont’d

• “We partner at a distance.”

• Faculty research is not consulting

• Faculty research can be “upstream”

– Applied research may not be valued

• Reward structures are misaligned

• Trust develops over time and projects may be brief

• Partnerships may require ongoing funding and be difficult to sustain

• At first you may not succeed, so try, try and try again

“Guilty of working in our business and not on our business.”

“Not fully aware of what is going on in different universities … Need to know how to create a link

between [ourselves] and the resources.”

Priorities and Awareness

“Making us aware of things like the calendars. Understanding the performance issues that were related

to the academy. What people were rewarded for.

Pro bono community work is very low on the scale. Publication is also very important for academic

advancement, so making us aware of what motivates the academic and their appraisal was very important.”

Motivation and Rewards

“There is a lot of what passes for consultation versus actual ownership and co-participation. I think those things can be

straightened.

Some researchers are community activists and [some] go the other way. You can have both extremes and we need more in the

middle. "

Co-ownership

Closing Thoughts

“There are a lot of tools and experience that have come out of the projects that have been really valuable for us, especially in the smaller communities. Our community is a town of about 4000

people and we just don’t have the resources to do all that work.”

“The research is intrinsically rewarding. I see its value and others do too. It’s timely, relevant and important.”

Questions?

www.economicrevitalization.ca

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