The Ontario Science and Innovation Council (OSIC) recently released the 2002 Ontario Innovation Index. The report measures all aspects of Ontario’s innovation system, from community awareness and support for science and technology, to levels of investment to support its infrastructure. The report also looks at Ontario’s incentives for commercialization and growth, innovative performance and innovation outcomes.
Three indices are used in the report to track the research performance of Ontario’s universities, including one which ranks universities across the country by the percentage of research papers involving international collaboration in the natural, biomedical and engineering fields, where York is ranked as Canada’s third most internationally collaborative research university. The ranking is just two percentage points out of top spot.
The report states that “international research collaborations improve the quality of scientific research by exposing domestically-based researchers to scientific research generated elsewhere.”
“International research and collaboration are a key hallmark for York’s research,” says VP Research & Innovation Stan Shapson. “Most impressive is that York is able to accomplish this without having a medical school, research hospitals, or a large engineering program, and shows the incredible strength and vision of our researchers.
“It will certainly be our goal to take over top spot,” adds Shapson.
OSIC, a council under the Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity & Innovation, was created in June 2000 to provide government with strategic advice on science and technology policy and on how to make Ontario more competitive. The council’s membership comprises individuals who are successful in developing and practising innovative ideas.
For further information on the Ontario Innovation Index, visit the following Web site: www.ontariocanada.com/English/downloads/Innovation_index.pdf.