Importance of partners highlighted at start of Innovation Week

Collaboration is the key to research and innovation, said Rui Wang, vice-president of research, economic development and innovation for Lakehead University.
 
“Lakehead University by itself cannot go far,” he said Monday at the campus launch of the university’s sixth annual Research and Innovation Week.

He said any organization needs to put all their strengths together to reach the maximum outcome.
An especially important partnership for Lakehead is with the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the federal granting council for health research.

CIHR president Alain Beaudet was on hand for Monday’s launch and Wang said his presence was important not just for the university but for health care and research for the entire region.
 
“That foundation provided more than $1 billion in research money per year and covers every aspect of health care,” he said. “Really this marks the beginning of a very productive partnership between our region and the CIHR.”

With this being Beaudet’s first visit to Lakehead, he was primarily in listening mode to get a sense of where the university is going in terms of research – to determine its priorities and how they can work together to strengthen research in Northwestern Ontario.

“I want to understand what the objectives and mission of the university is,” he said, adding the CIHR is sharpening its focus to ensure better integration of research and care so it actually benefits the patients.

“We do that by building networks across the country for clinical research, by building research capacity that is interested in patient-oriented research,” he said.

Beaudet also said that Lakehead University also has an advantage being a smaller university in a smaller city.

“You can achieve things with smaller communities that are closely knit (that you can’t) in very large areas where you don’t have that sense of community that’s as well developed,” he said.

Research and Innovation Week continues with events that include lectures, panel discussions, displays and information sessions. All events are open to the general public. For a detailed schedule visit www.lakeheadu.ca.