Centennial College has state-of-the-art facilities, expertise and over 50 years of experience in aviation and aerospace innovation with world-leading industry partners.
Founded in 1966 as the first public college in Ontario, Centennial College is one of the Top 50 Research Colleges in Canada, known for its exceptional teaching, creative curriculum and strong industry partnerships.
Centennial is one of the most culturally diverse post-secondary institutions in Canada, welcoming over 40,000 students annually from over 100 ethnocultural groups.
Centennial Innovates for a better world
Centennial Innovates, the college’s Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship department, delivers high-quality innovation support in eight specialised areas:
- Aerospace, including landing gear and aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul
- Low-carbon transportation and smart mobility
- Advanced manufacturing
- Sustainable energy systems
- Digital healthcare, including wearable, interactive and mobile technologies
- Explainable data analytics and artificial intelligence
- Social innovation
- Impact and sustainable entrepreneurship
Each innovation portfolio is deeply driven by the values of sustainability and student engagement, to ensure meaningful, real-world impact.
All projects are mapped to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, and Centennial’s priority for ‘all things student’ has resulted in them achieving #1 in Canada for the third consecutive year for providing student internships in applied research, having engaged 599 student researchers in 2023-24.
A rich and longstanding history of aerospace training and innovation
Centennial College’s School of Transportation, the largest transportation training facility in Canada, has been a leader in aerospace and aviation for over 50 years, with eight dedicated programmes for aerospace manufacturing, assembly, maintenance, repair, and more. Naturally, Centennial’s aerospace applied research is also one of the college’s strongest innovation portfolios.
Over the years, Centennial has cultivated very strong partnerships with industry leaders in aerospace including Bombardier, De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, and Safran Landing Systems.
In addition to continued applied research projects, the college has also engaged in large-scale infrastructure development with these partners, including the Bombardier Centre for Aviation and Aerospace – a $72m new campus dedicated to aerospace training and research at De Havilland Canada’s historical manufacturing site, and the adjacent Landing Gear Innovation Lab developed in collaboration with Safran Landing Systems to investigate next-generation landing gear technologies.
Centennial College is ready to support industry partners on collaborative projects related to:
- Sensor technologies, such as IoT and RFID in a 5G environment
- Repair technologies such as new and advanced materials, coatings and composite structures
- Digitisation & data analytics such as digital twins, AI and augmented, virtual and mixed reality
- Robotics and automation, such as drone technology and exoskeletons
- Sustainability in aerospace, such as alternative propulsion and sustainable aviation fuels
- Business processes such as cybersecurity technologies and lifecycle optimisation
Industry partners have access to the college’s subject matter experts and state-of-the-art facilities, including a full range of diverse aircraft, specialised laboratories such as CNC Machining Labs, Materials Testing Lab, Drone and Robotics Lab, Composites Manufacturing Lab, and the Landing Gear Innovation Lab housing Bombardier Challenger 300 and CRJ-200 landing gear test rigs, an environmental chamber system, linear and rotary actuator test rigs and a drop test tower.
What our partners say
Felipe Rodriguez-Fonseca: “My experience working with the Social Innovation Research Centre (SIRC) has been invaluable for my development as a final-semester student in the field of community development work. Through this opportunity, I have been able to
significantly strengthen and improve my research skills. In particular, I’ve had the chance to delve into various topics such as working with individuals with IDD and the use of AI to improve their accessibility to technology, supporting vulnerable populations in emergencies, and addressing socio-economic challenges like food security.”
Ahmed Sikiru, COIE Global Goals Jam Canada Fall 2023 participant: “Stumbling upon the Global Goals Jam Canada at the student resource centre on the MyCentennial website was a revelation. These three days have been a rollercoaster of learning and collaboration. The
experience of working with unfamiliar faces was enriching. It was an emotional journey, a testament to the power of unity and diversity. The Jam has left an unforgettable imprint on me, fuelling my anticipation for more such events: where minds meet, and ideas ignite to make the world a better place.”
Subhi Alsayed, Founder and CEO of Kulture Rebellion: “Working closely with the Centre for Explainable Data Analytics (CEDA) has been an invaluable partnership for our company. Their expertise in AI development has significantly accelerated our progress in addressing our business challenges, particularly those related to technology. Through their collaboration, we’ve been able to leverage cutting-edge AI techniques to develop our
predictive fermentation data model, a critical component of our business strategy. Their dedication, professionalism, and commitment to excellence have consistently exceeded our expectations, resulting in tangible benefits for our company. We look forward to continuing this successful partnership and achieving even greater milestones together.”
Partner with us
With a strong history of industry partnerships and cutting-edge resources, Centennial College is ready to support the development, validation, and commercialisation of innovations in aerospace and beyond.
