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York Senate approves the University’s new strategic research plan

 

 

After eight months of consultation with the community, as well as internal and external research partners, the York Senate has unanimously approved the University’s new strategic research plan, "Building on Strength".

“York’s new strategic research plan commits to building research on our strengths and provides a strong aspirational vision for the development and recognition of York’s research over the next five years,” said Robert Haché, vice-president research & innovation.  “I would like to thank the entire York community for your positive response to the consultation process and earnest engagement that made such important contributions to the development of the plan.  We will continue to invest in the growth and development of our research as a foundational part of our efforts to grow our academic reputation as a recognized leading research-intensive university.”

RobertHacheRobert Haché

The plan supports the University’s research vision to better understand the human condition and the world around us and to employ the knowledge gained in the service of society as described in six intersecting themes:

  • advancing fundamental discovery and critical knowledge,
  • analyzing cultures and mobilizing creativity,
  • building healthy lives and communities,
  • exploring the frontiers of science and technology,
  • forging a just and sustainable world,
  • integrating entrepreneurial innovation and the public good.

The plan also articulates five areas of opportunities that complement past accomplishments, new developments, momentum and timing to provide particular opportunities for building research success.  They include:

  • digital cultures,
  • engineering research that matters,
  • healthy individuals, healthy communities and global health,
  • public engagement for a just and sustainable world, and
  • scholarship of socially engaged research.

Through this plan, the University is implementing the objectives set out for research in both the University Academic Plan and the Provost’s 2010 white paper, which identify research intensification as a key University goal and recognize research as a core endeavor that broadly enriches the institution. The plan is meant to be a living document, responsive to the University's successes, as well as being sensitive to a rapidly evolving landscape.

Through a strategic combination of broadly based and focused investments over the course of the next five years, York University will continue its impressive development as a leading Canadian research university whose scholarship enhances our culture and improves society.

To view the full plan, click here.


VP research & innovation to host consultations with researchers

Vice-President Research & Innovation Robert Haché is inviting researchers to a series of informal discussions to provide them with an opportunity to discuss a broad spectrum of research issues, including the development of the new strategic research plan, through community chats that will be held from January to April.

Initially, the community chats were launched as an opportunity for members of the York community to participate in an informal discourse about the new strategic research plan.  However, they have also emerged as a useful mechanism for researchers to discuss a broad spectrum of research issues with the VPRI in an informal manner.

“As we continue to move forward in the strategic research planning process, I invite researchers and members of the York community to a continuing series of chats to discuss issues that are on their minds with respect to research, including the development of any aspect of the new strategic research plan,” said Haché. 

Community Chats with the VPRI will be held at the following dates and times:

DATE TIME LOCATION 
January 11, 2013 9:00 am - 10:00 am 902 YRT
January 31, 2013 10:00 am - 11:00 am 286C Winters College
February 22, 2013 9:00 am - 10:00 am 203 Bethune College
March 1, 2013 9:00 am - 10:00 am 219 Glendon Hall
March 8, 2013 9:00 am - 10:00 am TEL 3072
April 1, 2013 9:00 am - 10:00 am S802 Ross

As part of the ongoing nature of the consultation process, York students, staff and faculty are invited to share their thoughts on the development of the strategic research plan. For more information, visit the strategic research plan website.

Republished courtesy of YFile– York University’s daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.