Strategic Research Plan

Nipissing University seeks to maintain and grow our leadership role in research areas relevant to the regional community that have national and global impact. Simultaneously, Nipissing continues to encourage and support groundbreaking research in other areas of strength.

• This mission will be achieved in part through our researchers working in our region with Indigenous and other partners in a way that not only allows us to make a difference in our community but influence discovery and dialogue on important issues around the world.
• The success of this mission depends not only on the researchers themselves but also on institutional support; not solely based on monetary assistance but also human resources at all levels. Continued investment in our research infrastructure is central to the fulfillment of our mission.
• This mission must also include our students; allowing them to participate in forward- looking discussion and debate as well as participate in real groundbreaking research projects, learning research skills that provide the foundation for the next generation of research excellence.

The context of all research is more competitive than ever. Whether this means successful applications for limited funds and grants or disseminating research in reputable journals and with scholarly presses, this five-year plan is founded upon a fundamental commitment to support and encourage high quality research outcomes. Of course, no plan can fully anticipate the constantly shifting internal and external variables that influence these outcomes, including the changing complexion of university researchers and/or the dynamics of Tri-Agency priorities.

While the number of institutions and researchers competing for funding have increased significantly, many high profile funding programs have not seen corresponding increases, with others ending without replacement. So, on the one hand, there is a clear necessity to identify alternative sources of research funds, linking established and new researchers with less visible but still relevant programs. Yet, on the other hand, there are also new opportunities that have come with an increased focus on establishing larger scale inter-university research partnerships. This requires comprehensive knowledge of both new funding programs as well as relevant project development at potential partnering institutions. But, such nimbleness and depth requires a better understanding of existent and developing programs and projects among our researchers.

The world of publishing has also changed considerably over the last decade and continues to evolve. As a consequence, researchers have more opportunities to collaborate across disciplines and options for publishing are more diverse. With this proliferation, it has become increasingly important to recognize quality publication outlets that maintain rigorous peer review processes.

Nipissing University fully commits to encouraging a robust publication schedule among our researchers while not compromising individual or institutional reputation.

Altogether, this plan is designed to position Nipissing as a nimble and responsible research institution, identifying and preparing for new opportunities that take full advantage of existing resources and strategically investing new resources in recognition of the dynamic research environment. If successful, this plan will allow our researchers to better focus energy on their research toward making a contribution to the advancement of knowledge and the betterment of society.

The implementation of the above objectives and corresponding policies and strategies will provide a foundation for future tangible research success. In part, this success might manifest in the following accomplishments Nipissing University:

• has a national reputation for excellence in Indigenous and interdisciplinary research across the disciplines. This could be achieved through scholarly publications, grants, and awards as well as media recognition.
• researchers will substantially increase Tri-Agency Grant success.
• will be in a position to receive approval for a fifth Canada Research Chair.
• will be in a position to receive a larger Canadian Foundation for Innovation grant.
• will attract more visiting scholars, postdoctoral, graduate and undergraduate researchers.

In good part, implementation of this plan will be overseen by the Office of the Provost, the Office of the Dean of Research and Graduate Studies, and the Research Council. Reflecting the timeline column in the charts above, these groups will report progress on the constituent elements of this implementation through academic Deans and the academic Senate. New policies, for one, will be introduced and applied on an ongoing basis. Likewise, new internal grants and awards will be announced seeking applicants and nominations.

At appropriate intervals during the 5-year timeline, updates will be provided as we progress toward the broader aspirational goals mentioned just above.