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Section II – Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

NSERC’s Program Activity Architecture

Section II of this report follows the structure of NSERC’s Program Activity Architecture (PAA) in terms of its three strategic outcomes (SO), related program activities and program sub-activities, as presented below:

Program Activity	Program Sub-Activity
SO 1.0: People – Highly skilled science and engineering professionals in Canada
1.1 Promote Science and Engineering	1.1.1 PromoScience
	1.1.2 Centres for Research in Youth, Science Teaching and Learning
	1.1.3 Prizes
1.2 Support Students and Fellows	1.2.1 Undergraduate Student Research Awards
	1.2.2 NSERC Postgraduate Scholarships
	1.2.3 Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships *
	1.2.4 Postdoctoral Fellowships
	1.2.5 Industrial Research and Development Fellowships
1.3 Attract and Retain Faculty	1.3.1 Canada Research Chairs *
	1.3.2 Industrial Research Chairs
	1.3.3 Chairs in Targeted Areas of Research
	1.3.4 University Faculty Awards
SO 2.0: Discovery – High quality Canadian-based competitive research in the natural sciences and engineering
2.1 Fund Basic Research	2.1.1 Discovery Grants
	2.1.2 Special Research Opportunity Grants
	2.1.3 General Support
2.2 Support for Research Equipment and Major Resources	2.2.1 Research Tools and Instruments
	2.2.2 Major Resources Support Grants
	2.2.3 Research Capacity Development in Small Universities
SO 3.0: Innovation – Productive use of new knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering
3.1 Fund Research in Strategic Areas	3.1.1 Strategic Partnerships
	3.1.2 Collaborative Health Research Projects *
3.2 Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships	3.2.1 Collaborative Research and Development Grants
	3.2.2 Research Partnership Agreements
	3.2.3 Networks of Centres of Excellence * +
3.3 Support Commercialization	3.3.1 Intellectual Property Mobilization *
	3.3.2 Idea to Innovation Program
	3.3.3 College and Community Innovation Program *

* Programs involving two or more Agencies.
+ The new Business-Led NCEs, Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research, and Industrial R&D Internships will be included in this activity.

Strategic Outcome 1.0 – People: Highly skilled science and engineering professionals in Canada

NSERC will help ensure a reliable supply of highly qualified people for Canadian industry, government and universities by promoting science and engineering to Canadian youth, supporting students and fellows training in Canadian universities and abroad, and providing support to university faculty.

Program Activities

1.1 Promote Science and Engineering

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Financial Resources	$6.3 million	$6.3 million	$6.3 million
Human Resources	3	3	3
Description This program activity encourages popular interest in science, math and engineering and aims to develop science, math and engineering abilities in Canadian youth.
Expected Results Student interest in research in the sciences, math and engineering is encouraged.		Indicators Number of organizations supported through PromoScience Impact on teaching practices (K–12)
Outputs In 2008-09, NSERC will: Support 125 non-profit organizations, museums, science centres and post-secondary institutions who promote science and engineering to youth, through the PromoScience grant program; Support five centres conducting research aimed at improving K–12 science teaching, through the Centres for Research in Youth, Science Teaching and Learning program; Celebrate the accomplishments of outstanding researchers, research teams and students through the following prizes: E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowships Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal for Science and Engineering Howard Alper Postdoctoral Prize Innovation Challenge Awards Michael Smith Awards for Science Promotion NSERC André Hamer Postgraduate Prizes NSERC Doctoral Prizes NSERC John C. Polanyi Award Synergy Awards for Innovation
Link to Priorities Priority 1: Foster a People Advantage Priority 5: Increase the visibility of Canadian NSE research

Selected key programs, services and initiatives within this Program Activity that will support NSERC’s priorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11 include the following:

• CRYSTAL Evaluation. A program evaluation of the Centres for Research in Youth, Science Teaching and Learning (CRYSTAL) is underway and will be completed in 2008. Results of this evaluation will inform decisions on the future of the program.
  
• Aboriginal Ambassadors in the NSE. NSERC continues to work with the university community and other stakeholders to implement strategies to better address the under-representation of Aboriginals in the NSE. NSERC is ready to announce a new initiative that will encourage Aboriginal scholarship and fellowship holders to conduct outreach in Aboriginal communities. Many science centres and science promotion organizations are ready to assist them (e.g., helping the Ambassadors prepare their material).
  
• Major NSERC Prizes. NSERC will seek out high profile locations and develop high quality presentation packages to call wide attention to its prestigious medals and prizes. In addition, NSERC will increase the monetary value of the Synergy Awards for Innovation in order to increase the prestige and profile associated with these tributes to industry-university partnerships.

1.2 Support Students and Fellows

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Financial Resources	$146.2 million	$146.7 million	$146.7 million
Human Resources	59	58	58
Description This program activity supports the training of highly qualified personnel through scholarship and fellowship programs.
Expected Results A supply of highly qualified people with leading-edge scientific and research skills for Canadian industry, government, and universities.		Indicators Percentage of students supported staying in Canada after their studies Average salary of scholarship recipients vs. general population after completion of studies Average completion rates among recipients vs. general NSE student population
Outputs In 2008-09, NSERC will support more than 4,000 undergraduate students, more than 4,000 master’s and doctoral students and nearly 700 postdoctoral fellows conducting research in the natural sciences and engineering, through the following Scholarship and Fellowship programs: Undergraduate Student Research Awards; Postgraduate Scholarships for masters and doctoral students; Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships for masters and doctoral students; Postdoctoral Fellowships; Industrial Research and Development Fellowships. In addition to NSERC’s Scholarship and Fellowship programs, NSERC indirectly supports (i.e., through grants provided to professors) almost 5,000 undergraduate students, more than 4,900 graduate students and approximately 1,400 postdoctoral fellows.
Link to Priority Priority 1: Foster a People Advantage

Selected key programs, services and initiatives within this Program Activity that will support NSERC’s priorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11 include the following:

• Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarships. As announced in Budget 2007, the Canada Graduate Scholarships (CGS) program is being expanded to support an additional 1,000 students per year across all disciplines. The total number of scholarships awarded by the three federal research granting agencies will stand at 5,000 by 2009. Furthermore, the scholarships have been renamed in honour of renowned Canadian innovators and researchers. Students in the natural sciences and engineering will now receive the Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship. Consequently, NSERC will increase the number of Alexander Graham Bell CGS awards offered in the natural sciences and engineering, from 1,200 awards in 2006-07 to 1,600 awards by 2009-10. These awards will greatly contribute to improving Canada’s production of graduates with advanced degrees, to meet the demand for highly qualified personnel in the private, academic and private sectors.
  
• Foreign talent. NSERC has reserved funds to offer scholarships and fellowships to attract excellent foreign graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to Canada to work in the S&T Strategy’s priority areas of research with top national research centres and networks.

1.3 Attract and Retain Faculty

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Financial Resources	$167.7 million	$167.7 million	$167.7 million
Human Resources	25	25	25
Description This program activity aims to attract and retain faculty.
Expected Results Enhanced research capacity in science and engineering.		Indicators New professors coming to Canada: number of foreign educated new applicants to NSERC’s Discovery Grants program Attrition rates: percentage of NSERC funded professors retained in Canada Number of new applications for Industrial Research Chairs to be created in Canadian universities
Outputs In 2008-09, NSERC will: Attract and retain some of the world's most accomplished and promising researchers in the NSE by supporting 900 Canada Research Chairs; Build research capacity in areas of priority to industry by supporting 200 professors who hold Industrial Research Chairs.
Link to Priorities Priority 1: Foster a People Advantage Priority 2: Foster a Knowledge Advantage Priority 3: Foster an Entrepreneurial Advantage

A key initiative under Program Activity 1.3 that will support NSERC’s priorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11 is the following:

• Industrial Research Chairs. Industrial Research Chairs (IRC) are prestigious appointments, intended to assist universities in building on existing strengths to achieve the critical mass required for a major research endeavour in science and engineering of interest to industry. By its nature, the IRC program is focused on priority areas of need or opportunity identified by industrial partners. NSERC will continue to be responsive to a growing desire from the private sector to enter into partnerships with the university research community and will implement the recommendations of a recent program evaluation, the results of which were positive, including increasing the program’s visibility and enhancing performance measurement.

Strategic Outcome 2.0 – Discovery: High quality Canadian-based competitive research in the natural sciences and engineering

Support for ongoing programs of research provides the foundation for scientific and technological advances, ensuring Canada’s participation in the generation of new knowledge and ability to draw on such knowledge generated around the world. Support for research equipment and major resources ensures that Canadian post-secondary institutions are able to train the next generation of scientists and engineers in a world-class research environment, with access to state-of-the-art instruments and equipment and to major regional or national research facilities.

Program Activities

2.1 Fund Basic Research

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Financial Resources	$379.4 million	$379.0 million	$376.6 million
Human Resources	122	126	126
Description This program activity invests in discovery through grants focusing on basic research activities.
Expected Results The discovery, innovation and training capability of university researchers in the natural sciences and engineering is enhanced by the provision of support for on-going programs of basic research.			Indicators Number of publications and percentage share of world production Average relative impact factor of Canadian publications in the NSE (comparison with other countries) Higher education R&D spending as a percentage of GDP, compared to G8 countries
Outputs In 2008-09, NSERC will: Support the ongoing programs of research of 11,500 researchers through the Discovery Grants program; Accelerate the progress and maximize the impact of more than 175 outstanding research programs through the Discovery Accelerator Supplements; Support 300 researchers through Special Research Opportunity Grants, enabling them to pursue new and emerging research opportunities and develop potential new collaborations, nationally or internationally.
Link to Priorities Priority 1: Foster a People Advantage Priority 2: Foster a Knowledge Advantage Priority 3: Foster an Entrepreneurial Advantage

Selected key programs, services and initiatives within this Program Activity that will support NSERC’s priorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11 include the following:

• Discovery Accelerator Supplements. These awards provide substantial and timely additional resources to accelerate the progress of outstanding researchers each year, helping them to compete with the best in the world. The supplements may be used to expand the recipient’s research group (i.e., students, postdoctoral fellows, technicians), to purchase or to have access to specialized equipment, or for other initiatives or resources that would maximize the impact of their research program. The program was launched in 2007-08 with an initial objective to award 50 Accelerator Supplements per year. With additional funds provided in Budget 2007, NSERC will award 50 additional supplements per year to outstanding Discovery Grant recipients working in the priority areas of energy and natural resources, environment, and information and communications technologies.
  
• International Polar Year. The International Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) declared 2007-08 as the International Polar Year (IPY). The "year" started on March 1, 2007 and will end on March 1, 2009, covering 24 months. NSERC enabled the participation of Canadians in the IPY, a major international initiative of particular national importance, investing $6 million over three years in the research activities of 11 groups of Canadian researchers through the Special Research Opportunity Program. NSERC also administers more than $30 million of the federal government’s $98 million in IPY research funding. These investments will help Canada maintain its leadership in the important area of Arctic research.

2.2 Support for Research Equipment and Major Resources

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Financial Resources	$41.5 million	$29.7 million	$29.7 million
Human Resources	23	17	17
Description This program activity helps to support the establishment, maintenance and operation of the research equipment, major research resources and research capacity necessary to carry out high quality research in the natural sciences and engineering.
Expected Results The discovery, innovation and training capability of university researchers in the natural sciences and engineering is supported by the access to research equipment and major regional or national research facilities.		Indicators Adequacy and impact of national and regional research facilities in Canada and level of access Extent to which research equipment is up to date and sufficient to meet the needs of research programs
Outputs In 2008-09, NSERC will: Facilitate access of Canadian researchers to more than 75 major national or international experimental facilities or research resources; Enhance research capacity in Canadian universities by providing $36 million to support the purchase of research equipment and access to installations; Build research capacity at seven smaller universities through the Research Capacity Development in Small Universities Program.
Link to Priorities Priority 1: Foster a People Advantage Priority 2: Foster a Knowledge Advantage Priority 3: Foster an Entrepreneurial Advantage

A key initiative under Program Activity 2.2 that will support NSERC’s priorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11 is the following:

• Major science initiatives. Several major science initiatives and infrastructure projects, put in place with CFI funding, face challenges in securing ongoing operating funds. These include the North-East Pacific Time-series Undersea Network Experiments (NEPTUNE) project, the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory Laboratory (SNOLAB), the Amundsen research vessel, and the Canadian Light Source (CLS). NSERC has worked with the CFI, the provinces and the proponents to put in place shared emergency funding to ensure that two of these—NEPTUNE and SNOLAB—are able to start their operation. NSERC is also working with CFI and the other funding agencies to document trends in federal investments to date by nature of investments (e.g., direct, indirect, infrastructure and people costs).

Strategic Outcome 3.0 – Innovation: Productive use of new knowledge in the natural sciences and engineering

Wealth is created when Canadians add value in producing goods and services that are sold in world markets. Knowledge is the modern basis for adding value. NSERC aims to maximize the value of public investments in research for the benefit of all Canadians by promoting research-based innovation, university-industry partnerships, technology transfer activities and the training of people with the required scientific and business skill sets to create wealth from discoveries in the NSE.

Program Activities

3.1 Fund Research in Strategic Areas

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Financial Resources	$104.5 million	$103.3 million	$102.5 million
Human Resources	36	39	39
Description This program activity funds research in areas of national importance and in emerging areas that are of potential significance to Canada.
Expected Results Research and training in targeted and emerging areas of national importance is accelerated.		Indicators Trends in funding for research in the Federal S&T Strategy priority areas Trends in number of organizations participating in Strategic Partnerships Programs Partner satisfaction with project outcomes in targeted areas
Outputs In 2008-09, NSERC will: Support 500 early-stage research projects in targeted areas that could strongly enhance Canada’s economy, society and/or environment within the next ten years, through the Strategic Project Grants program; Support 20 large-scale, collaborative networks in targeted areas that could strongly enhance Canada's economy, society and/or environment within the next ten years, through the Strategic Network Grants program; Support 75 Collaborative Health Research Projects for research projects in the NSE which, if successful, will lead to health benefits for Canadians, more effective health services, and economic development in health-related areas.
Link to Priorities Priority 1: Foster a People Advantage Priority 2: Foster a Knowledge Advantage Priority 3: Foster an Entrepreneurial Advantage

Selected key programs, services and initiatives within this Program Activity that will support NSERC’s priorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11 include the following:

• Growth in Strategic Partnership programs. With funding provided in Budget 2007, incremental investments have been made to several programs under the Strategic Partnerships sub-activity. The incremental funding will support additional Strategic Network Grants, Strategic Project Grants and Strategic Workshop Grants under the three target areas – Healthy Environment and Ecosystems, Sustainable Energy Systems, and Advanced Communications and Management of Information – each of which has been re-scoped and repositioned to align more directly with the S&T Strategy priority areas. These programs accelerate research and training in targeted and emerging areas of national importance that could strongly enhance Canada's economy, society and/or environmental stewardship within the next ten years. To promote an integrated, multidisciplinary approach to addressing the priority research areas, calls for proposals are designed to include co-applicants from disciplines outside the NSE.
  
• Strategic Network Enhancement Initiative. In 2007-08, NSERC provided new funding to existing Strategic Networks to build on their strengths and support enriched training, develop and improve international linkages, and increase the impact of the network through intensified knowledge and technology transfer. These new linkages respond to the S&T Strategy commitment to strengthen Canada's ties to the global supply of ideas, talent and technology through support for multinational collaborative research projects. This initiative has become a permanent enhancement to the program along with the doubling of its budget.
  
• Collaborative Health Research Projects. Together, NSERC and CIHR have expanded their Collaborative Health Research Projects Program, more than doubling the program budget from $6M per annum in 2006-07 to a total of $13.8M, to increase interaction between the health science and natural science and engineering communities so as to address important health challenges that require expertise from the two sets of disciplines.

3.2 Fund University-Industry-Government Partnerships

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Financial Resources	$139.5 million	$143.2 million	$146.7 million
Human Resources	77	77	77
Description This program activity fosters collaborations between university researchers and other sectors, including government and industry, in order to develop new knowledge and expertise, and to transfer this knowledge and expertise to Canadian-based organizations.
Expected Results Mutually beneficial collaborations between the private sector and researchers in universities, resulting in industrial or economic benefits to Canada.		Indicators Ratio of partner contributions to NSERC funding Partner satisfaction with research results Trend in number of companies involved in university-industry partnerships
Outputs In 2008-09, NSERC will: Support more than 1,000 university researchers working in partnership with industry through the Collaborative Research and Development Grants; Support 16 Networks of Centres of Excellence (in the natural sciences and engineering) and up to five Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence, bringing together researchers and partners from the academic, private, public and non profit sectors in areas of strategic importance for Canada; Support internationally recognized centres of commercialization and research expertise in four priority areas of strategic importance for Canada, through the Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research program; Encourage Canadian industry to invest over $50 million in leveraged funds through programs fostering private-public sector research and commercialization partnerships; Provide indirect support, through grants for industry-university partnerships, for an estimated 500 undergraduate students, nearly 1,200 graduate students and approximately 200 postdoctoral fellows; Create opportunities for an estimated 500 science and technology graduates to apply their expertise in industry through the new Industrial R&D Internship Program.
Link to Priorities Priority 1: Foster a People Advantage Priority 3: Foster an Entrepreneurial Advantage

Selected key programs, services and initiatives within this Program Activity that will support NSERC’s priorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11 include the following:

• Implementation of new programs. The implementation of new initiatives and investments announced in Budget 2007 is well underway and will continue into 2008-09 and beyond. These include:
  • The Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence (BL-NCE) will fund large-scale collaborative networks to support private sector innovation in order to deliver potential economic, social and/or environmental benefits to Canadians.
  • The Centres of Excellence for Commercialization and Research (CECR) will create internationally recognized centres of commercialization and research expertise in four priority areas in order to deliver economic, health, social and environmental benefits to Canadians.
  • The Industrial Research and Development Internship (IRDI) Program will create internships in industry, introducing students to practical business problems while allowing them to apply their expertise to help meet the research needs of Canada’s private sector. The program is modelled after a successful initiative developed by the Mathematics of Information Technology and Complex Systems (MITACS) NCE.
    
• Pre-CRDs. The Collaborative Research and Development (CRD) Grants program enables companies to access the unique knowledge, expertise, and educational resources available at Canadian post-secondary institutions, and offers opportunities for mutually beneficial collaborations, jointly funded by NSERC and the industrial partner(s). In order to increase the number of university-industry interactions and partnerships, and to build receptor capacity in Canadian industry, NSERC plans to launch a pilot Pre-CRD Initiative. Incentives will be provided for researchers to actively seek out companies with whom to partner. A one-year “Pre-CRD” grant would be available for researchers and companies who have not previously participated in NSERC’s Partnerships Programs. To encourage industry to participate, the Pre-CRD grant would not require industry cash or tangible in-kind contributions. NSERC’s experience has shown that successful long-term collaborations often begin first as a small joint CRD project, progressing to larger CRDs and, in some cases, to an Industrial Research Chair, a major time and financial commitment for both the company and the university researcher.

3.3 Support Commercialization

	2008–09	2009–10	2010–11
Financial Resources	$14.0 million	$26.5 million	$26.5 million
Human Resources	4	4	4
Description This program activity supports innovation and promotes the transfer of knowledge and technology to Canadian companies.
Expected Results The transfer of knowledge and technology residing in Canadian universities and colleges to the user sector is facilitated.		Indicators Trends in technology and knowledge transfer activity
Outputs In 2008-09, NSERC will: Support approximately eight new collaborations to encourage research and technology transfer between colleges and industry through the College and Community Innovation Program; Provide $3.5 million in funding to accelerate the transfer of knowledge and technology residing in Canadian universities, hospitals, and colleges, through the Intellectual Property Mobilization Program; Support 75 projects to accelerate the pre-competitive development of promising technology and promote its transfer to Canadian companies, through the Idea to Innovation (I2I) Program.
Link to Priority Priority 3: Foster an Entrepreneurial Advantage

A key initiative under Program Activity 3.3 that will support NSERC’s priorities from 2008-09 to 2010-11 is the following:

• College and Community Innovation (CCI) Program. As discussed under Priority 3 in Section I above, the permanent CCI program, announced in Budget 2007, was launched in January 2008. Funding will flow to recipients in 2008-09 and beyond.

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