One of Canada's oldest, most research-intensive universities
The University’s
research mandate is based largely on five
core priorities that serve as pillars for fostering research excellence and
impact at Western, and for further nurturing the culture of advanced innovation
at one of Canada’s top research institutions. From fundamental discovery and
publications in top-tier journals, to community-based knowledge mobilization
and commercialization initiatives, these priorities encompass an overarching
desire to be the destination of choice for leading researchers, students and
trainees, while producing research with local, national and global impact. The
University identifies the following core priorities that guide its research
enterprise:
- Going Global: Knowledge generation and mobilization are increasingly
global endeavours, particularly in terms of talent recruitment, collaboration
and outcomes. Building upon a proud tradition of 135 years of leadership in the
international research community, the University seeks to reinforce its
standing on the world stage, and to produce results with global impact –
notably in signature research areas.
- Mobilizing
Knowledge: Knowledge transfer and knowledge mobilization
activities provide global impact by allowing for the translation and
transmission of new knowledge, strategies, policies and technologies for the
greater good of society. Western holds
as one of its core priorities to help researchers maximize the impact of their
work by supporting the dissemination and translation of knowledge for practical
public, government, civil society and industrial benefit.
- Preparing Global-Ready Graduates: Western is an institution of higher learning, responsible
for providing unique, advanced education programs that produce global leaders. To
support such efforts, the University provides state-of-the-art infrastructure,
laboratories, libraries and facilities, and pairs them with leading teachers, researchers
and groups to foster a culture in which innovation thrives and trainees are
provided with the best possible environment in which to learn.
- Partnerships with Impact: Western is committed to building upon its strong
record of leadership with key partners – universities, governments, businesses
and communities – and to establishing new models for local, national and
international research cooperation that address some of this – and the next –
generation’s most pressing challenges. The University must continue to bring
the world to Western and take Western
to the world.
- Leadership Through
Interdisciplinary Research: In an effort to find solutions to progressively
complex questions, researchers are expanding their networks throughout and
beyond their fields of study, and establishing interdisciplinary research
groups, centres and institutes. This has been no different at Western, where
researchers are increasingly engaged in a wide variety of collaborative – and
interdisciplinary – research projects and programs.
