Building Graduate Communities: A Policy Imperative for Knowledge-based Societies

University of Alberta and China Scholarship Council Conference “Quality and Relevance: Canada-China Forum

on Graduate Education and Research”,26 and 27th of August 2010.

Louis Maheu, FRSC, Emeritus professor,Department of Sociology, University of Montreal, Canada

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Focus on 5 DimensionsRelevant to Today Graduate Education

Socially Distributed Knowledge Production (SDKP) System’s Requirements

S&T Recent Innovation Policies Characteristics

Canadian Assets / Challengesfor Building Graduate Communities

Canadian Strategy: ‘Building vs Buying’Graduate Communities?

Conclusion: Key Challenges for Building Graduate Communities in a SDKP Context

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Socially Distributed Knowledge Production System (SDKP)

4 Fundamental Characteristics: KP within more complex world of partners / clusters / webs

= Fundamental RD and University position revisited

Emergence of Contextualized RD: Up / Downstreamof complex problem solutions

Research open to ‘linked’ disciplines

KP Quality control: peers and partners

M. Gibbons et al.1994: ‘The new Production of Knowledge; The Dynamics of science and research in contemporary societies’, London, Sage

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Plus: The R&D and D RequirementsRobert C. Dynes (Former UC President):

Robert C. Dynes (Former UC President): …what ‘we’re going to focus on at UC. The first is, we will fuel

innovation and expand its impact on people’s lives by focusing on what I call R, D, and D. You’ve heard of research and development, R and D. The second D is as important, … The second D is delivery. If we do all the R and D in the world, and it isn’t delivered, it’s not effective.’

A Case in Point: Biomedical Sciences Delivery System: Translational RD, ‘From the Bench to the Bed’

Keynote Address ‘State of the State 2006’ Conference, October 30, 2006

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3 Characteristics of RecentScience & Technology Innovation Policies

People matter morethan technical / fiscal measures

Competencies: Level: Graduate Education Disciplinary… Plus: Professional Development

and Interdisciplinary Skills

Clusters: Beyond Academic / Organizational Boundaries Beyond National Boundaries:

Regional / International Clusters

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Cdn Assets / Challenges for Building Graduate Communities

Sources: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2006;Science,Technology and Innovation Council, Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation System. State ofthe Nation. 2008

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Higher Education Performance of R&D, 2006

Sources: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2006; Science,Technology and Innovation Council, Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation System. State of the Nation. 2008

Higher Edu. Expend. On R&D as % of GDP: 1981-2004

Source: Council of Canadian Academies,the State of Science & Technology in Canada. 2006

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Source: Statistics Canada data as reported in CAGS (Canadian Association for Graduate Studies)Statistical Report for the years 1980; 1988; 1990-2001 and 1995-2006.

1 Statscan taxonomy changes for fields of study: this estimated figure includes, for 1998, 878 degrees awarded in maths and computersciences, in engineering and architecture, in natural resources and half of the 1 010 degrees awarded in physical and life sciences

2 Estimated figure including, for 2006, 246 degrees awarded in maths and computer sciences, 735 in engineering and architecture,144 in natural resources and half of the 1 161 degrees awarded in physical and life sciences.

Cdn Assets / Challenges …

1968 1978 1988 1998 2006

EnrolmentsMsc 23 816 46 448 55 518 71 295 95 682

PhD 9 604 13 017 18 068 26 505 36 765

1968 1978 1988 1998 2006Degrees awarded(% Natural Sc-Eng)

Msc 4 216 12 390 15 373 22 026 34 107

PhD 1 069 1 780 2 340 3 976 4 449

(49%) (33%) (32%) (est: 35%)1 (est: 38%)2

Canadian Graduate Studies Statistics: 1968/1978/1988/1998/2006

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0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0

29. Greece

27. Mexico

26. Norway

25. Turkey (2000)

24. Hungary

23. Italy (2001)

22. Poland

21. Japan

20. Canada (2000)

19. Slovak Republic

18. Spain

17. Korea

16. Denmark (2001)

15. Portugal (2000)

14. New Zealand

13. Czech Republic

12. United States

11. Netherlands

10. Ireland

9. Australia

8. Belgium

7. Austria

6. Finland (2001)

5. Germany

4. France (2001)

3. United Kingdom

2. Switzerland

1. Sweden

0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0

28. Mexico (2001)

27. Poland

26. Slovak Republic

25. Greece (2001)

24. Turkey (2002)

23. Portugal (2002)

22. Hungary

21. Spain

20. Ireland (2002)

19. New Zealand

18. Italy (2002)

17. Czech Republic

16. Australia (2002)

15. Norway

14. Netherlands (2002)

13. United Kingdom

12. Canada

11. France

10. Austria

9. Belgium

8. Denmark (2002)

7. Germany

6. Switzerland (2000)

5. United States

4. Korea

3. Japan

2. Finland

1. Sweden

0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0

28. Mexico

27. Turkey (2000)

26. Italy (2001)

25. Greece

24. Hungary

23. Japan

22. Czech Republic

21. Ireland

20. Poland

19. Slovak Republic

18. Canada (2000)

17. Denmark (2001)

16. Korea

15. New Zealand

14. Portugal (2000)

13. Spain

12. Belgium

11. Norway

10. Australia

9. Netherlands

8. United States

7. France (2001)

6. United Kingdom

5. Austria

4. Finland (2001)

3. Germany

2. Switzerland

1. Sweden

Evidence-based Impact of S&T / Innovation Policies: The Case of Doctoral Education

$$$ R&D as % of GDP(2003 or latest available year)

All doctorates Doctorates in science and engineering

R & D Intensity

Graduation rateat doctorate level, 2002

Graduation rateat doctorate level, 2002

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Cdn Assets / Challenges …

Sources: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2006;Science,Technology and Innovation Council, Canada’s Science, Technology and Innovation System.State of the Nation. 2008

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Cdn Assets / Challenges …

Source: OECD Education database, 2009.L. Auriol, 'Careers of Doctorate Holders: Employment and Mobility Patterns ', OECD, Directorate forScience, Technology and Industry, 2010

Average annual growth of doctoral degrees – 1998-2006

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Canadian Strategy: ‘Building vs Buying’ Graduate Communities?

Source: Database on Immigrants in OECD countries, 2009L. Auriol, 'Careers of Doctorate Holders: Employment and Mobility Patterns ', OECD, Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry, 2010

Share of foreign-born among doctoral and tertiary-level graduatesin OECD countries, circa 2000

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Number of Doctorate Holders (2006) by Place of Birth and Place of Doctorate Award

Born in Canada

Foreign born

Total

TOTAL 84565 92190 176755PhD received in Canada 63735 32660 96395PhD received in foreign country 20830 59530 80360

Source of data: Census of Population 2006.OECD, 2007 OECD/UIS/Eurostat data collection on Careers of doctorate holders.

PhD received inCanada PhD received in

foreign country

Born in Canada

Foreign born

32660

5953063735

20830

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

50000

60000

70000

Born in CanadaForeign born

75.4%

35.4%

64.6%

24.6% (92190=52.2%)

(84565=47.8%)

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Cdn Strategy: ‘Building vs Buying’ Graduate Communities? …

'...century evidence of broadly declining migration rates between Canada and the USA even among those with high level skills.’

Canadian-born living in the USA: about 20% beginnning of the 20th Century vs about 2% beginning of the 21st Century

Canada's position in northbound/southbound migration flows: a net importer of skills

J.F. Helliwell. 2006. 'Highly Skilled Workers: Build, Share, or Buy?', Ottawa, Government of Canada, Skills Research Initiative

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Key Challenges to survive / perform wellin a SDKP context

Priority to the Building Strategy for Graduate Communities (Including Retention of International Graduates)

Invest in People with Accurate Graduate Training Levels and Relevant Competencies : Priority to PhD Graduates

Strenghten Incentives for Both Fundamental and Decontextualized RD

Stimulate Partnerships Within / Beyond Academia and National / International Clusters

More $$ for Innovative Training Programs and Graduate Student International and Between Organizations Mobility