Strategic Institutional Research Plan

1. Strategic Institutional Research Plan

2. Agenda 1. Introductions 2. University Strategic Planning Process 3. Concept and Components for ISRP 4. Process and Timing for Developing ISRP

3. Committee

4. Strategic Planning • President - Strategic Planning - 2008-09 • Reaching our Potential, Planning for Progress 2002-06 • Building on Progress, 2004-09 • CRC / CFI Plan 2006-2010 • Five thematic areas of emphasis: culture and heritage; energy and environment; health; informatics; social justice

5. Vision The University of Regina is a scholarly community that serves the larger community by advancing, sharing and applying knowledge, and by facilitating the development of thoughtful, creative, adaptable, contributing and humane citizens.

6. Mission The University of Regina preserves, transmits, interprets, and enhances the cultural, scientific and artistic heritage of humanity through the acquisition and expansion of knowledge and understanding. We apply our skills in the service of society by facilitating constructive criticism, independent thinking, free discussion, and the pursuit of truth, while respecting the rights and responsibilities associated with academic freedom. By interpreting the past and examining and clarifying contemporary thinking we shape the possibilities of the future. We are open to change and enthusiastic about investigation and creativity. We combine a unity of purpose with a diversity of outlook. By encouraging the development of their potential, we prepare our students to participate fully in society, and to respond to the demands of a rapidly changing world in ways that are consistent with the highest human values and aspirations.

7. Goals Teaching and Learning: Give our students an enviable learning experience. Scholarship and Research: Sustain a vibrant research enterprise where faculty members are enthusiastic about intellectual activity, both curiosity-driven and applied. Service: Take our academic expertise into the community in response to requests or our own perceptions of need. People: Make the University of Regina a preferred place to study and work. Internationalization: Integrate a national and international perspective into our fundamental threefold mission of instruction, research, and service. Accountability: Provide sufficient information to allow informed evaluation of our performance.

8. Goal - Scholarship and Research Objectives: • All faculty are active in scholarship and research and output continues to grow. • Student involvement in scholarship and research is increased. • Financial and administrative support for scholarship and research are doubled. • Total externalresearch funding is doubled.

9. Performance Measures Aim: Grow and sustain a balanced research culture Selected Measures: • Research funding by source • Growth in graduate student numbers • Number of grants from the federal granting councils per 100 eligible faculty members. No completely satisfactory measure Principal forms of scholarship vary from faculty to faculty

10. Concepts / Components ISRP Vision / Mission Principles: • Strengthen the disciplines as foundations of scholarly enquiry • Bridge the disciplines • Facilitate basic through applied science and scholarship • Enrich society with results of research and scholarship

11. Concepts / Components ISRP Objectives: • Maintain and build capacity for excellent research • Recruit and retain outstanding scholars • Enhance key research themes • Create new opportunities with high impact • Enhance research networking and collaboration and stimulate innovative research interactions across disciplines and institutions • Strengthen internationally competitive scholarship in strong and emerging areas • Capitalize on the full value of intellectual property and commercialization • Enhance knowledge mobilization and translate research results for benefit of society

12. Concept / Components ISRP Adherence to University strategic direction Fundamental research - theoretical and concept-oriented Research intensity, e.g. faculty engaged in high-impact research; growth in funding Innovation - all aspects of theoretical and methodological approaches Collaboration - research partnerships

13. Concept / Components ISRP Significant activity output, e.g. publication quantity and quality, communication of research; performance and exhibition of scholarly / artistic work; external recognition, citation; patents and commercialization; direct economic impact; impact on public policy Graduate and undergraduate research opportunities Training of highly qualified personnel Internationalism Ability to attract resources Research space Equipment and Infrastructure to support research CRC’s; Centres / Institutes

14. Two Phases Phase 1: • Requested support of Deans / Colleges - May 2008 • Assigned resource support for Committee - May 2008 • Convened committee - June 2008 • Define and reach agreement on components of the ISRP - June 2008 • Conduct scan of existing UofR strategic planning documents, as well as a scan of ISRPs at various Canadian universities - June 2008 • Preparation of content of first phase document - July 2008 • Draft of first phase document for review - August 2008 • Final first phasedocument - August 2008

15. Two Phases Phase 1 Document Outline: • Core Principles • Context • Objectives • Research Strengths/Themes • Accomplishing Objectives • Assessment

16. Two Phases Phase 1 Document Outline: Core Principles • - Defining Research • - Building on Recognized Strengths • - Transfer of Research Benefits to Community and Beyond • - Attracting and Retaining Canada’s Best Researchers • - Interplay of Research and Teaching • Enhancing Undergraduate, Graduate-Level and Post-Doctoral Contributions to • Research • - Partnering Toward a Knowledge-Based Economy • - Establishing Key Partnerships for Research (i.e. International Linkages) • - Promotion of Multi-disciplinary and Collaborative Research • Expanding Graduate and Undergraduate Programs Consistent with Research • Strengths • - Provide High Quality Education • - Enhance Quality of Life Through Development and Application of Knowledge • Generate the Theoretical Background and Empirical Data with which Informed • Policies Can Be Developed and Technological Goals Realized • - Support Individual and Societal Development • Facilitating the Alignment of People, Resources and Space so as to Maximize • Research Synergies and Success • - Keeping Flexible • - Tracking Performance and Celebrating Research Successes

17. Two Phases Phase 1 Document Outline: Context • Regional context • Year opened • Reputation (What is the University known for?) • How many faculties, departments, laboratories, institutes, faculty members, and students? • - References to other university documents (Annual Report, Strategic Business Plan, Academic Plan Task Force Report, Long-Range Development Plan, etc.) • - Reflection of research / scholastic achievements, e.g. recognition awards, research funding awarded (annually or otherwise) • - How the CFI and CRC programs have assisted the University

18. Two Phases Phase 1 Document Outline: Objectives • - Build on existing research strengths • - Assist the recruitment, training, and retention of highly qualified faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows, and staff • - Encourage and foster collaborations across disciplinary and institutional boundaries • - Develop partnerships with communities, scholars, industries, institutions, government ministries and agencies for the purpose of identifying and pursuing common objectives • - Maximize opportunities for discovery and innovation • - Promote internationally competitive research and scholarship • - Cultivate excellence through selective investment in emerging areas of research • - Encourage effective communication and dissemination of research results • - Optimize use of our research and scholarship resources • - Recognize the full value of intellectual property • - Achieve thematic coherence in the expression research interests • - Maintain the flexibility to respond to new opportunities • - Expand graduate and undergraduate programs consistent with research strengths • - Enhance capacity to educate highly qualified personnel • - Build the infrastructure to support leading-edge research

19. Two Phases Phase 1 Document Outline: Research Themes Biomaterials/Materials: Biomolecular analysis and applications to biotechnology, health, and the environment; Materials and Biomaterials; Materials and Interfaces Culture: Culture, Society, and Human Behaviour; Culture and Cultures; Culture and Creative Arts; Cultural Knowledge and Indigenous Research; Understanding Human Behaviour, Institutions and Cultures Economics: Economic Organization, Public Policy, and the Global Community; Global politics and economics • Environment :Natural Resource Research; Environmental Research; Ecosystems and Environmental Resources; Environmental Sustainability and Green Energy; Leading Innovation in Energy and the Environment; Environmental Science and Policy; Wind Engineering and Natural Disaster Mitigation • Health: Health; Advancing Health and Wellness; Health, Community and Human Development; Health Education; Health and Society • Learning:Education/Life-Long Learning; E-Learning; Cognition and learning • Science: Pure Science; Philosophy of Science; Life Sciences; Neuroscience/Brain and Mind • Technology: Communication, Computation, and Technology; Information and Communications Technologies; Creating Technologies and Managing Information for the Knowledge Society; Advanced Technologies and Applications; Information Technologies; Literature and Cultural Theory • Other: The Nature and Social Implications of Work in Modern Society; Rethinking Quality of Life; Visual and Verbal Literacy Studies; Mathematical and Computational Modeling and Design; Matter and Energy; Business; Imaging;Music

20. Two Phases Phase 1 Document Outline: Accomplishing Objectives • How do we achieve what is in the plan currently? • Will need feedback from individual U of R faculties

21. Two Phases Phase 1 Document Outline: Assessment • - Interplay of Research and Teaching • - Transfer of Research Benefits to Community and Beyond • - Establishing Key Partnerships for Research (i.e. International Linkages) • - Attracting and Retaining Canada’s Best Researchers • - Enhancing Undergraduate, Graduate-Level and Post-Doctoral Contributions to Research • - Promotion of Multi-disciplinary and Collaborative Research • - Gender Representation in CRC Nominations • - Improving Research Infrastructure • - Government/Institutional Support • - Applications by Highly Qualified Graduate and Undergraduate Students for Admission to Programs • - Publications and Other Communications of Research Results • - Successful placement of graduates from programs • - Awards and Recognition to University Professors and Graduate Students • - Graduate Student Theses Completed • - Technology Commercialization • - Financial Return to the University From Spin-Off Companies, Patents and Licensing Agreements • - Increased Research Grant Funding • - Growth in Research Capacity • - Internal Evaluation • - Intellectual Property

22. Two Phases Phase 1 document serves as: • Input to development of the larger University strategic plan • Input to CFI New Initiatives and Leading Edge Fund competitions. Phase 2: September 2008 - April 2009 • VP Research to consult with Deans and faculty counsels, engaging scholars to: • Identify core principles • Define research, scholarly inquiry • State research strengths of individual faculties • Suggest implementation and performance measures • Provide self-assessment / self “branding” • Analyze existing research infrastructure • Indicate the benefits of faculty research plans