SSHRC president speaks out at York

By Michael Todd

SSHRC President Marc Renaud

Most academics know that for years research in the humanities and social sciences has been grossly underfunded in Canada [see sidebar], and perhaps no one knows it better than current Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) President Marc Renaud.

Renaud, a social scientist, is well aware of the challenges facing the two disciplines in an era when interest (and money to fund projects) in medical and scientific research seems to carry the day. That's why he was at York in November to spread the news about new initiatives and changes at SSHRC.

About 30 faculty and interested staff turned up to hear Renaud talk about what is currently going on in the humanities and social sciences, and particularly with reference to SSHRC-funded projects. Renaud was keen to explore what he called "the idea of knowledge-brokering in view of the growing demand for SSHRC to take such a role."

SSHRC is the main federal agency supporting research and university-based training in the social sciences and humanities. It plays a leadership role in the development of Canadian research policy and acts as a catalyst within its research community, advancing research excellence, productivity and relevance.

Recognizing various changing societal pressures - the search for new knowledge and innovative solutions to tackle complex social and human problems, economic cleavages in Canada among regions, widening income gaps between rich and poor in Canadian society, jobless rates among young people, and immigration pressures and rising poverty levels - SSHRC announced last year a number of strategic investments to generate leading-edge knowledge and skills Canada needs to remain a competitive, culturally rich and just society. It received an additional $13 million budgetary increase in February 1998 to begin its efforts.

Renaud says SSHRC's goals are to help Canada to understand a rapidly changing world; to innovate; and to maintain Canada's social equality and quality of life. "But we are grossly underfunded and we have to cover a huge gamut of disciplines, from the social sciences and humanities to business. So we must begin to conceptualize our work in the form of deliverables, concrete results.

"We have the role of research leadership, and of new knowledge- brokering. We deal with something like 87 universities. And one of our tasks is how we can get the message out better. We need to talk to the public relations people at our institutions. There has to be a cross-pollinization of ideas."

Renaud outlined SSHRC's "innovation scenario" as one in which the organization would provide training and employment for students, and expand the PhD and post-PhD support. He also said SSHRC needed to look at a master's program and internships in the public, community and private sectors.

He also summarized SSHRC's plans to increase its base budget over the next few years in order to tackle what he called the "knowledge gap". SSHRC plans to maximize use of social statistics for better policy and planning; expand university and community partnerships; target research on key issues (emerging social and economic issues like the ethical implications of the genome project, for instance); and reconceptualize health research.

"We're also looking for joint initiatives with funding partners," proclaimed Renaud. "SSHRC is open for business."