6 Research Partnerships

In this section​​:

6.1 Meet the Team
6.2 Research Partnerships Team Service Statement
6.3 How do I connect with a partner?
6.4 What funding sources exist to support​ collaboration with partners?​
6.5 Who can sign research agreements with partners?
6.6 How can I promote my research facility to partners?
6.7 Tools for collaboration
6.8 Standard Partnerships‚ Forms and Templates

If you are unable to find the answer you are looking for in this section, please contact us here.

6.1 Meet the Team

John Paul Glaves, Manager, Research Partnerships

John Paul graduated from the University of Alberta with a PhD in biochemistry, where his research focused on the structure of proteins involved in heart and prion diseases. Prior to joining Laurier in 2022, John Paul worked for the Government of Alberta in various roles, including director of policy, executive advisor, and research grant coordinator.

The Manager, Research Partnerships advances Laurier’s research partnerships and identifies opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations within and outside the institution. The Manager also oversees the administration of Laurier’s interdisciplinary Research Centres and Institutes, seeking ways to enhance their impact and engagement with research end users, including the development of meaningful research outputs.

Contact Information

E: jglaves@wlu.ca

Ali Solhi

The Research Partnerships Officer, is responsible for enhancing the development of strategic collaborative relationships between Wilfrid Laurier University and community partners. They work closely with the Laurier Hub for Community Solutions located on the Brantford Campus, which acts as an intake point for groups seeking expertise to address community-based challenges and opportunities.

Contact Information

E: alisolhi@wlu.ca

Agnes Bantigue, Industry Liaison Specialist

Agnes holds an MBA and a Master of Laws in Intellectual Property. She previously worked for the Philippine Space Agency as a project development officer and the University of the Philippines as an intellectual property and technology transfer officer.

Agnes Bantigue is responsible for enhancing the development of strategic collaborative relationships between Laurier faculty and external organizations, including the private sector, non-governmental organizations and the public sector, in supporting the university’s research, intellectual property and technology transfer activities. Through a variety of commercial arrangements, including licensing and start-up company creation, she is also responsible for the identification, protection and commercial exploitation of intellectual property developed by university faculty and other researchers.

Contact Information

E: abantigue@wlu.ca
T: +1 548-889-4119

6.2 Research Partnerships Team Service Statement

​The Research Partnerships team is committed to promoting opportunities for collaboration and partnership with the public and private sector and not-for-profit entities. From strategy planning to partner engagement, identification of funding opportunities, or advancing existing partnerships, customized service is provided to suit your needs. The Research Partnerships team is also dedicated to promoting co-creation of knowledge and knowledge mobilization activities to bring ideas to end-users such as industry partners or public policy decision-makers. This includes advising researchers on all matters related to creation, protection and dissemination of research generated via data-sharing agreements, memorandums of understanding, and other types of research agreements. 

Services include: 

  • Identifying potential partners within your subject matter scope and relevant sectors.
  • Facilitating collaborative research discussions with prospective or current partners. 
  • Strategizing with you and your partners on which grant funding opportunities to target and provide guidance on scaling existing partnerships.
  • Assisting you in applying for funding including industry matching grant programs, such as NSERC Alliance, Mitacs, and Ontario Centre of Innovation programs or non-match programs such as SSHRC Engage Grants, Partnership Development Grants, or Partnership Grants.
  • Reviewing and negotiating research agreements to ensure they comply with university policies and protect researchers’ rights.
  • Managing partner expectations on realistic goals, timelines and budgets  ​

The team serves all faculty across all disciplines and will take the time to understand your specific needs. We are glad to brainstorm ideas and discuss potential partnership opportunities, however identifying specific areas of interest may require your time and expertise to conduct a comprehensive scan of the sector and/or analysis of potential research applications.

6.3 How do I connect with a partner?

Clearly Articulate Your Expertise 

Be prepared to describe, in plain language, your key areas of expertise and how your research program is relevant to potential partners. Partners that are seeking research support for an identified problem may not have deep scientific expertise, and will appreciate clear, concise articulation of how their needs align with your research interests, expertise and experience. 

Understand the Landscape

Spending some time investigating the sector to develop a comprehensive understanding will help you to identify possible pathways for translating research into practical applications, including potential partnership opportunities. If you are seeking to engage public sector partners you are advised to pay attention to the quickly changing political dynamics that may influence the uptake of research by keeping up-to-date on government and other stakeholder announcements of strategic priorities and mandates. 

Be Accessible: Network and Engage Regularly

Establish and maintain both formal and informal networks of potential collaborators. Connect with individuals from organizations that share your vision and bring different perspectives to a societal problem and/or research question of common interest. Attend conferences, symposia, workshops, and engage regularly with colleagues to continually expand your networks. Disseminate your research in multiple platforms and modes that will reach your intended audience. Sharing your research can be a way to connect with an identified research partner, either directly or via an institutional channel (e.g. Office of Research Services, External Relations, etc.)

Establish and Maintain Relationships

A broad network of colleagues from within and beyond academia can lead to organic relationship development and increased partnership opportunities. Invite non-academic partners to collaborate during all stages of knowledge co-creation: submit grant applications, co-publish peer-reviewed papers, policy briefs, and other forms of outputs. In addition, invite partners and potential partners to participate in academic activities that may provide useful information and networking opportunities, such as student symposia, research centre/institute events, etc. Investments in relationships are critical to foster trust and reinforce shared goals and objectives of research partnership. These relationships may also require researchers to maintain a degree of neutrality or non-partisanship with respect to the research question of common interest, in order to facilitate evidence-based discourse. 

Logistics and Operationalization

Once partnership discussions have moved beyond establishing shared research interests, goals and objectives, and into the project proposal and planning phases, researchers should seek support from the Office of Research Services around research agreements. Some examples of research agreements include non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements, data sharing agreements, and contribution agreements. 

6.4 What funding sources exist to support​ collaboration with partners?​

NSERC Alliance grants support university researchers to collaborate with partner organizations, which can be from the private, public or not-for-profit sectors, on their R&D efforts that will create economic, social and/or environmental benefits to Canada. 

Mitacs delivers research and training programs in Canada that are designed to build partnerships that support industrial and social innovation in Canada. 

  • Accelerate puts the talent of students and postdocs to work with a paid internship at an organization that needs their expertise. 
  • Elevate competitive fellowship that supports postdoctoral research management skills and career development during a partnered research collaboration. 
  • Globalink offers two-way mobility for senior undergrads and grad students. Fund your students’ research abroad and work with talented international undergrads.

Ontario Centre of Innovation (OCI) supports the commercialization of academic intellectual property (IP), industry-academic collaborations and the development and adoption of emerging technologies. 

  • Collaborate 2 Commercialize (C2C): This program supports the collaboration between Academia and Industry to solve an industry-based problem and drive the commercialization of Intellectual Property  

​Innovation Funding and Support: Government listing of funding and advisory support for research and development (R&D), innovation and commercialization projects.​​

SSHRC Connection Pro​gram supports social science and humanities scholars in developing partnerships with external organizations.  The program aims to support knowledge mobilization activities—such as networking, disseminating, exchanging and co-creating research-based knowledge—as an important element of publicly engaged scholarship, and as a means of strengthening research agendas. 

  • Partnership Engage Grants​ provide short-term and timely support for partnered research activities that will inform decision-making at a single partner organization from the public, private or not-for-profit sector. 
  • Partnership Development Grants provide support over one to three years to teams/partnerships, led by a project director, to:

    • develop research and/or related activities in the social sciences and humanities—these can include knowledge mobilization and the meaningful involvement of students and emerging scholars, by fostering new partnerships with existing and/or potential partners; or

    • design and test new partnership approaches for research and/or related activities that can result in best practices or models—these can either be adapted by others or have the potential to be scaled up to a regional, national or international level.

  • Partnership Grants ​provide support for new and existing formal partnerships over four to seven years to advance research, research training and/or knowledge mobilization in the social sciences and humanities. This is done through mutual co-operation and sharing of intellectual leadership, as well as through resources as shown by cash and/or in-kind contributions.​ Partners, particularly from the industry, may also fund research projects directly through a Contract Research Agreement. Contact the Industry Liaison Specialist for support.

6.5 Who can sign research agreements with partners?

​All agreements must be signed in accordance with Laurier’s Signing Authority Policy​. Faculty members do not have the authority to sign contracts on the institution’s behalf and generally either the Assistant Vice-President, Research or the Vice-President, Research will be the appropriate signatory on your research agreement. Please contact the Manager, Research Partnerships​ or the Industry Liaison Specialist if you have require a partner related agreement signed.​​​

6.6 How can I promote my research facility to partners?

The ​Research Facilities​ Navigator can be used to list your research facilities to engage with potential partners.​  It can also be used to find research facilities in universities, colleges, hospitals, and federal government departments and agencies across Canada that are open to working with you on your research and innovation needs.  

6.7 Tools for collaboration

6.8 Standard Partnerships‚ Forms and Templates

  • Data Sharing Agreement: Grants limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable use of data for research purposes with specific terms and conditions.  
  • Biological Material Transfer Agreement: Transfer proprietary biological materials (e.g. cell lines, genetic material) to and from the University.  
  • Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement: Ensure that two-way exchange of confidential information with external parties is protected.  
  • Master Research Agreement: Set out the terms of your collaboration with research partners funded by partnership grants or through direct partner contributions.   Contact Agnes for support in developing a Master Research Agreement.
  • Contract Research Agreement: Set out the terms of your collaboration with industry partners funded by partnership grants or through direct industry contributions.

The above forms and templates are for standard use and may not apply to every situation.  If you intend to use any of these documents, please contact the Manager, Research Partnerships or the Industry Liaison Specialist for more information. Please note that all agreements must be signed by designated parties from the Office of Research Services.​