Camosun College Named one of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges
With successes in applied research and innovation fuelling Camosun’s strategic rise, the college has substantially increased its ranking among Canada’s Top 50 research colleges, leapfrogging from 41st to 26th place in only one year. Research intensity grew a tremendous 69.2%.
“We are very proud of Camosun’s accomplishments,” says Dr. Richard Gale, Director of Camosun Innovates. “Our students have been phenomenal in their commitment to applied research, and our faculty are masterful at increasing their output and impact. Every school has expanded applied learning and applied research. I also think that Camosun Innovates and especially our Technology Access Centre have come into their own as a nexus for creative inquiry and practical innovation in Western Canada.”
Camosun College scored well in a number of competitive areas, ranking 3rd for research growth and 4th for research intensity, both firmly within the top ten for Canada. This kind of advancement is garnering national attention and the respect of industry peers. “It has been a banner year for research at Camosun College,” says Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource Inc., which publishes the rankings. ”Camosun has made real progress on its research agenda.”
“It means that Camosun, already a leader in BC, is going to be seen as a leader in the rest of Canada,” says Jamie VanDenbossche, Associate Director, Camosun Innovates. “It’s just going to give us more ‘street cred’ for accomplishing great things.”
This ranking rise is fuelled by a college leadership that is committed to applied research and innovation. “The administration have been very supportive and is behind this work one hundred percent,” notes Dr. Gale. “It’s a testimony to the good work being done across the college and I think our entire community is going to see this as a big win. The college has put in a lot of effort over the last few years to earn this kind of ranking.”
In early November, Camosun will send a delegation led by President Sherri Bell to the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Symposium Accelerating Innovation through Applied Research in Ottawa. Three Camosun students will present their projects to an audience of influencers and decision-makers on Parliament Hill, further showcasing Camosun’s national profile in applied research and innovation.