1. www.mitacs.ca 1 Mitacs Globalink and International Research Rob Annan Interim CEO and Scientific Director October 2014

2. www.mitacs.ca 2 What is Mitacs? Canadian not-for-profit research organization Governed by Canada’s research universities 3,000 projects supported annually 5,000+ students trained Partnership between universities, industry, government

3. www.mitacs.ca 3 Mitacs program goals Industry Private Sector International Academia Promote research-based innovation High-quality, collaborative research projects A partnership approach Cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary approach Skills training and experience for students Flexibility and responsiveness

4. www.mitacs.ca 4 Mitacs Programs - National and International  Canada’s premier industrial research program  R&D management leaders  International research mobility  Professional skills development  Open the doors to international companies wanting to be connected to cutting-edge Canadian R&D in our universities and SMEs

5. www.mitacs.ca 5 Globalink supports international student research mobility Mitacs Globalink

6. www.mitacs.ca 6 Global knowledge flow is key to economic and social progress Provide our young people the opportunity to participate in an increasingly globalized economy Open our doors to the world’s best and brightest Showcase Canadian research expertise around the world Why international research partnerships?

7. www.mitacs.ca 7 Launched in 2009 as a mechanism to attract high-quality grad students Launched in first year with 17 students from India This year, 500 students from eight countries at 50 Canadian universities Expanded funding in Budget 2012 as part of International Education Strategy Also supported by provincial governments, universities, and partner countries Globalink – a brief history

8. www.mitacs.ca 8 Mitacs Globalink Partners India China Brazil Mexico Turkey Vietnam Tunisia Saudi Arabia France Australia Germany Japan South Korea Chile Bold: Countries in the International Education Strategy Italic: Partnerships in development

9. www.mitacs.ca 9 Globalink Objectives Attract the world’s brightest to Canada Long-term investment in international experiences Living bridges for international research collaboration Raise Canadian profile as a source of world-class research Make Canada a hub of international research and industry

10. www.mitacs.ca 10 Mitacs Globalink Suite of Initiatives Globalink Come to Canada Research Internships Graduate Fellowships Travel from Canada Partnership Awards Research Awards

11. www.mitacs.ca 11 Globalink Research Internships Summer research internships match international students with leading Canadian professors 8,000+ applications and 1,700+ research projects Program provides airfare, visas, health insurance, residence, mentors, industry tours and professional skills training. Professor receives $5,000 research grant ~2/3 of students publish results or present at conference.

12. www.mitacs.ca 12 Globalink Graduate Fellowships Former Globalink interns are offered graduate fellowships for study in Canada Jointly offered with universities 30% of interns who attend graduate school return to Canada Globalink intern Vicky Liu developed a smartphone app that tracks and displays vital signs on a mobile device

13. www.mitacs.ca 13 Globalink Research Award Travel and research award for Canadian students traveling abroad Joint supervision between home and host supervisors May support existing collaborations between professors Flexible length and timing for projects Launched 2014 with 100 students this year Allison Stocks has traveled to Phu Quoc island with Mitacs Globalink for research into the vulnerability of seahorse populations.

14. www.mitacs.ca 14 Globalink Partnership Award Industrial research internships abroad for Canadian students Supervision by Canadian professor and industrial research manager Projects co-funded by Mitacs and industrial partners Pilot launched spring 2014

15. www.mitacs.ca 15 Challenges and lessons learned

16. www.mitacs.ca 16 Challenges and lessons learned 1. The world is a big place – Focused roll-out has been key – Every international market is distinct – Relationship building takes time, work – “Priorities” vary widely – Coordination is essential

17. www.mitacs.ca 17 Challenges and lessons learned 2. Reciprocity Matters – Engagement not recruitment – Partnerships are key – Meaningful support from all sides for sustainability – Different objectives

18. www.mitacs.ca 18 Challenges and lessons learned 3. Full, well-rounded experiences matter – Students have varied priorities – Students focused on post-study options – Canada must leverage its “soft skills”

19. www.mitacs.ca 19 Challenges and lessons learned 4. Canada is among the world’s best – Rankings matter – But so do social networks – Students are prepared to love Canada – Show not tell – Be bold

20. www.mitacs.ca 20 Challenges and lessons learned 5. Holistic view of international education – Not just about numbers, recruitment – Diverse objectives, outcomes  Economic, social, environmental, political

21. www.mitacs.ca 21 Rob Annan rannan@mitacs.ca @robannan