Yukon College part of new BC Research and Innovation Network

WHITEHORSE – Yukon College, the Justice Institute of British Columbia, and the Presidents of British Columbia Colleges (BC Colleges) representing 11 colleges in BC, announced today the formal creation of a BC Applied Research and Innovation Network (BCARIN).

BCARIN’s mandate is to connect member institutions – their students and faculty – with business and community organizations who seek to solve ‘real world’ problems which demand skill in research and innovation. 

BCARIN has launched a web site and network ‘portal’ at www.bcarin.ca and it has appointed its first executive board, co-chaired by Thor Borgford, Dean of Science & Technology at Douglas College and Margaret Heldman, Dean of Science at Langara. 

“The BCARIN initiative will grow applied research capacity within the Colleges and fellow institutions. It will produce greater direct engagement of students and faculty with their communities, and promote an extensive sharing of knowledge and resources.  Importantly, the network aims to enhance business productivity and improve the outcomes sought by community organizations,” said Borgford and Heldman.

“This new, mutually beneficial partnership will give Yukon College the ability to engage in stronger applied research networking and partnership building initiatives with BC Colleges and the Justice Institute,” said Chris Hawkins, vice-president Research at Yukon College. “It will build capacity and widen access to research funding, which expands the ability of the Yukon Research Centre to serve the needs of our business and community partners in the territory.”

“Skilled and educated workers are our most critical resource and BC’s 11 public colleges are focused on ensuring our graduates have the right advanced skills and education to meet labour market demands.  This includes fostering an environment that places an emphasis on applied research and innovation as a means to improved workforce productivity, sustained business and enterprise success, and expanded community engagement,” said Angus Graeme, President of Selkirk College and Chair of BC Colleges.

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About BCARIN
Members of BCARIN belong to the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) and are accredited to administer funding from the three major Canadian federal granting agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Member institutions include; Camosun College, the College of New Caledonia, College of the Rockies, Douglas College, Justice Institute of BC, Langara, North Island College, Northwest Community College, Northern Lights College, Okanagan College, Selkirk College, Vancouver Community College, and Yukon College. Members offer a broad-range of expertise and experience in research and development, and the required infrastructure to support innovation in industrial, corporate, and community contexts.

BCARIN’s website – www.bcarin.ca – was created and is maintained by students working with the Douglas College Digital Cultures Lab.

About the Yukon Research Centre
The Yukon Research Centre (YRC) at Yukon College has seven key programs: NSERC Industrial Research Chair for College in Mining Life Cycles, Northern Climate ExChange, Cold Climate Innovation, Biodiversity Monitoring, Technology Innovation, Science Adventures, and Resources and Sustainable Development in the Arctic. Core funding for the Yukon Research Centre is provided by Yukon Education and Yukon Economic Development.
 

For more information, contact:

Michael Vernon
Communications Coordinator
College Relations
Yukon College
867.668.8786
867.332.4722
mvernon@yukoncollege.yk.ca

Jacqueline Bedard
Director
College Relations
Yukon College
867.456.8619
jbedard@yukoncollege.yk.ca