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SFU president calls for new relationship between public universities and the private sector
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May 28, 2002
BC’s success in a global economy depends on a deeper partnership between universities and the private sector. That was the thrust of a speech by SFU President Michael Stevenson at the Vancouver Board of Trade Special Speaker Program today.
Stevenson spoke about the relative weakness of Canada and BC.’s knowledge economies as well as the problems in the education and skills development of highly qualified personnel. He noted a significant gap between the American and Canadian experience when it comes to private sector investment in knowledge creation, application and commercialization.
Stevenson also spoke about the fact that while Canada has the highest proportion of its workforce with post secondary education among OECD countries it still ranks well below the USA in the proportion of the population with university education. He went on to say that in Canada, BC.'s output of university degrees is close to 20% less than the national average, and worse than that for any other province.
"There is an urgent need for government, business and the academic community to work together to address these problems," said Stevenson.
On a positive note, he said the current government of BC. considers universities a priority. He cited the fact that the advanced education budget had not been cut, that there was additional funding to double graduation rates in computing, engineering and medical sciences, and the commitment of research funding through the new Leadership Chairs programme.
Addressing the relationship with the private sector, Stevenson said, "Universities need to do a better job of working with the private sector to raise private endowment income, to generate research and teaching partnerships and to engage in entrepreneurial activity to generate sources of income."
Citing examples where these partnerships are already at work, Stevenson spoke of the New Media Innovation Centre, a public-private research partnership involving other post secondary partners and private companies. This partnership, located at SFU’s Harbour Centre campus, was established to study issues related to new media. Another model of partnership in research and development located at SFU is MITACS (the mathematics of information technology and complex systems). The centre establishes research partnerships with industrial partners like Ballard Power to solve technical or managerial problems through applied mathematics.
Stevenson ended by saying it’s necessary to establish "a deeper partnership in support of renewed and sustainable economic and social development through more effective knowledge creation, application and transfer." These partnerships will contribute to BC.’s continuing success in the contemporary global economy.
The full text of Michael Stevenson’s speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade is available on the web at http://www.sfu.ca/pres/bot_fr.htm.
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CONTACT
Kathryn Aberle, Media & Public Relations, 604.291.3929
Stevenson spoke about the relative weakness of Canada and BC.’s knowledge economies as well as the problems in the education and skills development of highly qualified personnel. He noted a significant gap between the American and Canadian experience when it comes to private sector investment in knowledge creation, application and commercialization.
Stevenson also spoke about the fact that while Canada has the highest proportion of its workforce with post secondary education among OECD countries it still ranks well below the USA in the proportion of the population with university education. He went on to say that in Canada, BC.'s output of university degrees is close to 20% less than the national average, and worse than that for any other province.
"There is an urgent need for government, business and the academic community to work together to address these problems," said Stevenson.
On a positive note, he said the current government of BC. considers universities a priority. He cited the fact that the advanced education budget had not been cut, that there was additional funding to double graduation rates in computing, engineering and medical sciences, and the commitment of research funding through the new Leadership Chairs programme.
Addressing the relationship with the private sector, Stevenson said, "Universities need to do a better job of working with the private sector to raise private endowment income, to generate research and teaching partnerships and to engage in entrepreneurial activity to generate sources of income."
Citing examples where these partnerships are already at work, Stevenson spoke of the New Media Innovation Centre, a public-private research partnership involving other post secondary partners and private companies. This partnership, located at SFU’s Harbour Centre campus, was established to study issues related to new media. Another model of partnership in research and development located at SFU is MITACS (the mathematics of information technology and complex systems). The centre establishes research partnerships with industrial partners like Ballard Power to solve technical or managerial problems through applied mathematics.
Stevenson ended by saying it’s necessary to establish "a deeper partnership in support of renewed and sustainable economic and social development through more effective knowledge creation, application and transfer." These partnerships will contribute to BC.’s continuing success in the contemporary global economy.
The full text of Michael Stevenson’s speech to the Vancouver Board of Trade is available on the web at http://www.sfu.ca/pres/bot_fr.htm.
- 30 -
CONTACT
Kathryn Aberle, Media & Public Relations, 604.291.3929