Company Overview

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) is the national instrument for making strategic investments in Canada's capability in science and technology. NSERC supports both basic university research through research grants and project research through partnerships of universities with industry, as well as the advanced training of highly qualified people in both areas.

Budget In 2001, NSERC will invest $550 million in postsecondary research and training in all the natural sciences and engineering. The Council supports excellent research and training for over 8, 700 researchers in 60 Canadian universities.

Excellence through Expert Review NSERC uses expert review to adjudicate applications. All funding is awarded competitively through the peer review process, and excellence is always a criterion for funding. Each year more than 10, 000 volunteer experts help make the grant choices. In addition, more than 500 experts from the university, industry and government sectors across Canada serve on NSERC's policy and expert review committees.

Research Partnerships Program NSERC Research Partnerships Program funding promote innovation through flexible and responsive programming designed to maximize the benefits to Canada of the results of university- based research. These programs link universities with the public and private sectors, building relationships that stimulate knowledge exchange, put ideas to work, and provide students with new opportunities. The grant funding leverages more than 160 percent of additional funding from industry, universities and government. More than 1, 000 Canadian companies have participated in the Research Partnerships Program to date.

Networks of Centres of Excellence (NCEs)

The objectives of the NCE program are to:

• stimulate internationally competitive, leading-edge

fundamental and applied research in areas critical to Canadian economic and social development;

• develop and retain world-class researchers in areas essential

to Canada's productivity and economic growth;

• create nation-wide multidisciplinary and multisectoral

research partnerships, integrating the research and development priorities of all participants, and;

• accelerate the exchange of research result within the networks

and the use of this knowledge within Canada by organizations that can harness it for Canadian and economic development.

The existing 18 networks have created dynamic synergies in the areas of health and biotechnology, information technology, natural resources, infrastructure and human resources.

In 1999-2000, the-networks have partnered with over 1, 100 private and public sector organizations in Canada and abroad, leveraging cash and in-kind contributions in excess of $70.6 million, of a total NCE annual budget of $135 million. Approximately 1, 500 researchers in 98 Canadian and foreign universities were involved in NCE activities. NCEs also contributed to the development of over 3, 600 highly qualified professionals, including research associates, postdoctoral fellows and graduate and summer students. Thirty-one patents were awarded, 71 licences granted and 14 spin-off companies created. Since the program's inception, NCE's have accounted for 10% of university spin-off companies.

The NCE program is managed by a Directorate and reports to steering and management committees comprised of representatives from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) and Industry Canada.

Strategic Investment for Canadians NSERC is a key partner in the nation's research and training effort. Its funding:

leads to important scientific and engineering advances;

creates new knowledge to make Canadians' lives better;

supports training of highly qualified people;

provides access to international technologies and expertise;

encourages industry to invest in university research;

transfers new technologies to industry;

leads to process and product innovation; and therefore, in all these ways, creates jobs, new companies and industries.

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Legal Name: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

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• Strategic Investment

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