Dr Andrew P Dean, Vice-President of Research and Innovation at Lakehead University, discusses the impact of Canada’s new membership in Horizon Europe on Canadian universities.
Canada has achieved a significant research and innovation milestone this year, with Canadian universities distinctly poised to benefit under new membership in the Horizon Europe programme. As the first country in the Americas to join, Canada will participate over the next four years as an associate member under Pillar 2, gaining access for its scientists, researchers and innovators to one of the world’s largest and most influential funding and collaboration opportunities.
With new pathways to research dollars and large, multi-centre, international research programmes, Canadian universities will strengthen their global competitiveness and growth and expand the reach of their expertise. Working towards the goals of Pillar 2, Canada will also enhance its role as a leader in global sustainable development while championing scientific excellence and innovation on an equal footing with its European partners.
New horizons for Canadian research: Global relevance, reach, and recognition
At Lakehead University, we’re planning to take full advantage of this membership. As a strategic pillar of our university, international collaboration increases the quality, impact, and recognition of our research. Like other Canadian universities, we’re excited about the depth of collaboration this new association offers with a wealth of projects from the entire EU and 18 other member countries.
While Horizon Europe funding targets European priorities, the high-priority, high-impact research it supports is transnational, global, and open-science in nature, and the results will undoubtedly also benefit Canadians.
Jill Sherman, International Research Facilitator at Lakehead University, said: “This is a pivotal and major new source of grant support for Canadian research. Lakehead has already been part of several influential projects with European partners, and many more of our researchers have informal collaborations in Europe. With the ability to now directly receive project funding, we can build on our existing networks and support stronger partnerships and growth in research and innovation.”
Lakehead researchers are eager to jump into the program, and there is tremendous potential for early success in applications from Canadian researchers. While facing a learning curve, with guidance from our European partners and through our Office of Research Services, we’ll promote the huge number of opportunities available, gain experience with the funding application process, and get up to speed on EU legal frameworks and the regulations for the administration of Horizon Europe funds.
Biorefining Research Institute: Leading innovation in resource-based industries
Canadian researchers who have previously participated in European projects are likely to be first among those ready to apply, leveraging their established partnerships and familiarity with EU research operations. For example, at Lakehead, the Biorefining Research Institute will build on a track record of European collaboration and its global niche as a producer of advanced biomaterials and bioenergy, research that strategically aligns with Pillar 2’s sustainability focus.
As part of collaborative research projects in Sweden, Finland, Germany, France and Spain, Institute researchers are working on critical environmental and efficiency issues in the pulping, mining and oil industries. These projects have led to patents and other commercialisation outcomes.
Biomass-based materials such as batteries, flame retardants, water-repellant coating formulations, functional polymers, polymeric films, nanomaterials, foams, conductive polymers, and aerogels have all been developed. Institute researchers are also collaborating in Europe to address the issue of fertiliser and pesticide shortages from the war in Ukraine and its impact on food security by focusing on developing sustainable, available alternatives.
Dr Pedram Fatehi, Director of the Biorefining Research Institute, a Lakehead Industrial Research Chair, and Canada Research Chair in Green Chemicals and Processes, said: “Our vision has always been running a world-class innovation centre that contributes to sustainable industrial, social and economic development. We’re ready to showcase our existing research and development synergies with Horizon Europe so we can pursue promising new avenues for material and process innovation within the bioeconomy.”
Collaborative impact: Driving innovation and prosperity from local to international scales
With calls for applications now open to Canadians, Lakehead researchers are set for a substantial boost in their abilities to tackle critical issues affecting local and global communities, from climate change and energy to the digital economy and health. Any new resources Lakehead receives through the program will create jobs, scale up innovation, and fuel regional economic growth.
Powered by this vast and cooperative research ecosystem and one of the world’s largest research funds, Lakehead and other Canadian universities will make even greater contributions to a prosperous, secure, and sustainable shared future for all the global communities we proudly serve.
Lakehead University is a fully comprehensive university with two campuses in Orillia and Thunder Bay, Ontario. Lakehead’s achievements have been recognised nationally and internationally, including being ranked in the top half of Times Higher Education’s (THE) 2023 World Universities Rankings for the fourth consecutive year and the number one university in the world with fewer than 9,000 students in THE’s 2023 Impact Rankings (which assesses institutions against the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals).
Lakehead is also the second-ever Canadian university to be designated as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. This designation acknowledges its work with public, Indigenous and private sector partners to support economic and community development.
Please note, this article will also appear in the 19th edition of our quarterly publication.
