Advancing research for global impact

IMage of coloured bars of various widths and lengths with University of Waterloo and faculties colours

Waterloo is a research university committed to making a real-world difference by integrating disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research, experiential learning and entrepreneurship. The Advancing Research for Global Impact Theme directs action to align our research strengths and optimize our unique world-view. We accomplish this through our outstanding talent and partnerships in an expanding context of research including entrepreneurship, commercialization, and internationalization. Our research can ignite opportunities and provide solutions in our local, regional, provincial, national, and international communities.

Goals and objectives

The Advancing Research Theme includes three goals and 12 objectives. The Advancing Research Team developed a number of initiatives to address each of the objectives. Goals, objectives, and initiatives can be can be viewed by expanding the links below. Initiatives shown reflect some of the activities that are planned to address the goals and objectives, and are expected to change and evolve over time. 

Goal R1: Solve complex, real-world problems

Lead nationally and globally at the interface of society, health and technology by establishing an interdisciplinary institute that builds on Waterloo’s academic and research strengths in technology as well as the determinants of health.

  • Develop Health Sciences Campus (HSC)
  • Increase the impact and recognition of pre-med / pre-health programs at Waterloo
  • Develop the Waterloo Institute for Health, Society and Technology
  • Develop key partnerships through the Waterloo Institute for Health, Society and Technology to achieve partnership in health care at the institutional level

Create tomorrow’s research leaders by attracting and retaining outstanding, diverse research faculty, graduate students and post–doctoral scholars from around the world.

  • Enhance recruitment activities

Explore opportunities to create cross-Faculty, interdisciplinary research teams that use disciplinary strengths to address problems of societal importance.

  • Interdisciplinary programming

  • Faculties / centres and institutes to identify the global challenges their research could address (including UN 17 SDG goals) and/or external assessment of faculties' / centres' and institutes' research strengths

  • Implement a research assessment framework for the research areas above, including: strategic initiatives, funding, publications and citations, and relevant rankings and awards

  • Establish metrics for recognizing interdisciplinary research (including for faculty merit, tenure, and promotion assessment)

  • Develop interdisciplinary, new curricular, collaborative graduate programming

  • Increase the number of, and venues for, networking events and space on campus for interdisciplinary collaboration

Prioritize Waterloo’s international partnerships to maximize impact for the global good.

  • Launch a new international mobility programme for students and faculty to support travel to esteemed global partners to spend a three-four month period of study, work, and/or research

Goal R2: Propel Waterloo’s global leadership

Create interdisciplinary teams to engage with important sectors of Canada’s economy to solve problems of common interest to the sector.

  • Develop the Innovation Arena
  • Partnership building

Increase infrastructure that supports commercialization and policy application of transformational research.

  • Ensure there is ongoing, stable funding for Enterprise co-op
  • Develop a University-owned start-up, product validation, scale-up facility that houses a number of related, complementary initiatives in the health tech and deep tech space
  • Develop a “first customer & test bed” program that empowers and rewards University units to be a pilot for new innovation prototypes
  • Establish reliable base budget to support Concept

Establish a fund to provide commercialization internships for students, protect intellectual property and launch startup ventures.

  • Startup seed fund

  • Create and fund a startup seed fund with a deep science focus

Leverage alumni, research and industry networks to expand entrepreneurial opportunities for members of the Waterloo community.

  • Develop a formalized mechanism to attract CEO-level talent that has knowledge, experience, and expertise to commercialize

Foster an engaged, nimble and open environment that stimulates entrepreneurial pursuits.

  • Implement IEC Task Force Recommendations regarding communications

  • Develop Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Roadmap

  • Coordinate a strategic approach to a Waterloo presence through panel discussions, speakers and attendees at key forums, conferences, and events in the GTA + corridor (e.g., Collision Conference)

  • Create an on-campus peer-to-peer entrepreneur forum to share commercialization experiences, identify best practices, discuss challenges, and facilitate learning and networking opportunities

  • Develop type 2 diplomas, with concentrations in business and entrepreneurship

  • Market, promote. and give visibility to the benefits of work terms with start-ups and early-stage ventures

  • Encourage inter-Faculty collaboration on the teaching entrepreneurship and remove barriers for students to pursue their interest across Faculty borders

GOAL R3: Leverage Waterloo’s partnerships

Strengthen and increase formal partnerships with strategic research partner institutions.

  • Guide, implement, and measure Waterloo’s presence in key areas around the world
  • Strengthen and implement virtual internationalization opportunities
  • Foster strategic partnerships
  • Advance Waterloo’s global presence

Increase private–sector partnerships to develop and deploy new technologies that enhance the competitiveness and innovation of Canadian business.

  • Bring the world to Waterloo
  • Leverage Waterloo nodes around the world to learn how to do business abroad

Increase partnerships with the public and not-for-profit sectors to catalyze important policy development.

  • Build partnerships for policy development

The Advancing Research Action Team works under the executive leadership of Charmaine Dean, Vice President Research and International. 

The team includes:

The action team works closely with associate deans research in each of the faculties, Research Leaders Council, Office of Research Senior Leadership Team, Deans Council, Waterloo International and the International Operations Council. The Advancing Research Team has also integrated recommended actions and recommendations from each of the Strategic Plan Task Forces into their action plans.