Introduction to the Global Affairs/ Public Policy Forum on the ERA-Can+, Horizon 2020 initiatives Oliver Schmidtke, University of Victoria Director of the Centre for Global Studies

UVic’s European Studies Program – close ties with the European Union European Union Centres of Excellence Jean Monnet Centres of Excellence Three Jean Monnet Chairs Jean Monnet Network grants Jean Monnet Modules (for teaching) EU Public Diplomacy Grant EU Study Tour EUCAnet (European Studies Network in Canada) Holocaust Field School Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship

Student mobility in Europe – Number of Erasmus students per year from 1987/88 to 2013/14

Good reasons for international experience – the EU perspective

Student mobility in Canada 1.Just 3.1 percent of full-time undergraduates (about 25,000) had a short-term international experience in Only 2.6 percent had a for-credit experience abroad. 2.Eighty-two percent of employers that hire recruits with international and intercultural experiences say these employees enhance their company’s competitiveness 3.Current estimates suggest that only one in 10 young Canadians crosses a provincial border to complete their university degree.

Situation at UVic: student mobility UVic has been attracting increasing numbers of well-qualified international students to its programs: In 2006/07 8.5% of students were international; By 2014/15 international students accounted for 13.8% of the student body. This represents 11.5% of undergraduate students and 25.8% of graduate students BUT, only approximately 3% of UVic students participate in formal study abroad programs.

UVic as an “internationally-engaged research-intensive university” Every year since the inception of the Leiden University Rankings in 2011, UVic has been recognized for the highest proportion of internationally coauthored research of any Canadian university UVic’s Internationalization Plan: “Dynamic learning opportunities support students’ understanding of global histories, cultures, languages, and social/political/governance structures through hands-on, relevant experiences, research opportunities, and engagement with international communities. “

Strategic priorities of UVic’s strategic research plan ( ) Defining and Achieving Research Excellence Enhancing the Integration of Research and Education Expanding Partnerships, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Improving Research Competitiveness through Differentiation and Specialization Enhancing and Optimizing the Provision of Research Services

University’s 2016 Strategic Research Plan identifies eight dynamic research capabilities Creativity and Culture Data Science and Cyber Physical Systems Environment, Climate and Energy Global Studies and Social Justice Health and Life Sciences Indigenous Research Ocean Science and Technology Physical Science and Engineering, and Mathematical and Computer Science

Research partnerships with Europe: new opportunities Europe and Canada: Strong political, economic, and cultural ties Striking similarity in terms of scientific standards and post-secondary educational cultures Similar policy priorities and shared values New impetus for exchange and collaboration due to the – pending - Canada-European Union: Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

Canada and funding under FP7 and Horizon 2020 Canada now ranks as one of the top non-European collaborators with the Framework Programs (FP7 and Horizon 2020; the EU Research and Innovation Programme) The success rates of Canadian applicants (25%, FP7) were well above the European average; for Horizon 2020 this success rate (24%) is also significantly higher than the average non-EU (17%) The total European Commission contribution to Canadian participants under FP7 amounted to over €11 million Priority thematic areas for Canada-EU collaboration in science, technology and innovation, including aeronautics, health, marine, information communication technology (ICT) and researcher mobility.