NB 954
June 26, 2008
FREDERICTON (CNB) - The government will establish a Graduate Studies and Research Council of New Brunswick as part of Be Inspired. Be Ready. Be Better. The Action Plan to Transform Post-Secondary Education in New Brunswick. Premier Shawn Graham and Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Minister Ed Doherty made the announcement today.
The University of New Brunswick, Fredericton campus, will lead the anglophone agenda, while the Université de Moncton will lead the francophone agenda. The goal is to increase the number of students in both course-based and research-based programs to 3,000, and include at least 450 doctoral students within three years.
"Our institutions have nationally and internationally recognized researchers, and we have numerous examples where our institutions are partnering with the private sector, municipalities and other research entities," said Graham. "Knowledge is the basis of the economy of the future, and we need to expand research efforts and develop our capacity in niche areas."
The council would encourage collaboration among the four public universities by creating provincewide research networks and centres of excellence, facilitating cross-institution faculty appointments, and providing funding for collaborative research initiatives.
The council would also develop methods to maximize the use of infrastructure, including labs, libraries, archival sources, and other teaching and research facilities. It will work to connect researchers with the private sector and seek funding from national and international sources.
According to the plan, the Research Council will develop a graduate-student research-mobility plan that will allow graduate students to perform research and get supervision on any of the province's university campuses. Direction will be given to ensure that graduate programs are delivered throughout the province, whether directly in the classroom, labs, or through a variety of off-site or distance-learning options.
The government will establish seed funding to encourage innovation that supports the transformation of the post-secondary education system. The province will: offer matching funds for research into key priority areas; re-invest in science and engineering programs and labs to enable them to be nationally competitive; and support smart technology and product development that will help commercialize the research taking place in New Brunswick.
"We need to support our universities so they can perform the kind of research that is so important to the well-being and prosperity of this province and our country as a whole," said Doherty. "As part of our self-sufficiency agenda, the Government of New Brunswick will be making greater investments in research to close the prosperity gap between our region and the rest of the country."
As part of the plan, the government will modernize existing infrastructure and make capital improvements on campuses across the province. It will support the co-location of universities and community colleges in communities where it is feasible and efficient.
The government's plan to transform post-secondary education is available online.
08/06/26
MEDIA CONTACT: Elaine Bell, communications, Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, 506-453-2568.
08/06/26