Niagara among top research colleges in Canada for fourth time
Niagara College has placed in the top 10 for a fourth consecutive year in a national study that ranks colleges that have received the most funding for research.
The study was conducted by Research Infosource Inc. In the report, “Top 50 Research Colleges,” Niagara was ranked eighth based on total research funding numbers for 2017. The latest results solidified Niagara’s top-10 status since it broke into the upper echelon with a 10th-place ranking in 2014. In 2015 and 2016, the college was ranked seventh.
“Niagara College's research performance over a decade has been impressive,” said Ron Freedman, CEO, Research Infosource Inc. “It is a testament to the close links formed with Niagara Region companies, together with a record of innovation from faculty.”
President Dan Patterson said the ranking reflected the college’s focus on research. “Research and innovation has been a key priority for us, because we see ourselves as critical players in Niagara’s economic development,” Patterson said. “Our high-performance R&I (research and innovation) division provides innovative solutions to help local companies innovate, while also enhancing our students’ education through real-world research opportunities.”
Looking at colleges with applied research funding in Ontario, Niagara College ranks fifth, having attracted $6.4 million in funding to conduct innovative projects involving industry partners in the food and beverage, advanced manufacturing and precision agriculture and related environmental technologies sectors.
Interactions with small- and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) who turn to colleges because they do not have time or resources to innovate also ranked highly. Niagara College ranked third in all of Canada in the number of completed projects, at 131.
Research funding allows the college to partner with SMEs in the region to conduct projects and provide services, which provide solutions for industry. These include producing and testing prototypes, evaluating new technologies, and developing new or improved products and processes. Niagara College Research & Innovation conducts research projects with industry partners through its Agriculture & Environment Innovation Centre, Canadian Food & Wine Institute Innovation Centre, and Walker Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre. The division also offers support in the areas of digital media and web solutions, and business and commercialization solutions.
“We are delighted to have this endorsement for the exceptional work our staff, faculty and students are doing on industry partner projects,” said Marc Nantel, Niagara’s associate vice-president of research and innovation. “Niagara College has seen a steady increase in specialized equipment and leading-edge lab spaces to attract new partnerships and funding, and it’s paying off for SMEs in our region.”