Canadians recognize the need to boost innovation and productivity to retain our position as one of the world’s leading economies. While there is much yet to be done, we have a solid foundation of strong, globally competitive firms, world-class post-secondary institutions, and a history of research collaboration between them. 

This discussion paper explores opportunities to build on this strong foundation. Distinguishing between different mechanisms and motivations for engaging in partnership is essential to understanding how best to move forward. The push-pull dynamic of research partnership, while valuable for transactional, short-term partnerships, misses the important dynamic of collaborative relationship building that binds strategic, long-term relationships that can boost the innovation capacity of entire sectors and regions. 

This discussion paper makes four recommendations BHER can pursue to advance the impact of research partnerships in Canada. The first and second recommendations focus on improving the practice of establishing effective research partnerships for both short-term and long-term impact. The third and fourth recommendations focus on understanding the current research partnership ecosystem and ensuring its effectiveness. 

BHER is uniquely positioned to deliver game-changing impact on research partnerships in Canada. Building from a strong foundation, BHER’s leadership can establish a new era of collaboration along a distinctly Canadian model, boosting innovation and ensuring that Canada leads the way in tomorrow’s innovation economy.