Research Excellence:
Canada Research Chairs at Brandon University

Introduction

Scott Grills, Vice President (Academic & Research), Brandon University

The Canada Research Chairs program has changed the landscape of the Canadian academy in intended and unintended ways. The program has established Canada as a world leader in the dedication of federal resources to excellence in research. In this we are the envy of colleagues internationally.

Very importantly however, this program provided direct research support for Canada's smaller universities—those often described as being primarily undergraduate ones. In a country that has located 25% of its university professors in but four universities, this was an important commitment to the regional universities that have served their communities so well in preparing students academically and professionally.

At Brandon University the change afforded by the Chairs program has been most welcome. We have, to date, been able to add five CRC positions. In the articles that follow you will have a chance to hear from each of them. They are all world-class scholars. I will not do them the disservice of re-presenting their work here—you should hear from them directly. But I would be remiss were I to fail to note how the Chairs program has made and is making a difference for our students, for our institution and for Manitobans.

As the result of the Chairs program and accompanying CFI support, significant financial resources have been made available to Brandon University. The Chairs program alone will, over a five year period, direct 2.5 million new dollars to Brandon University. These dollars support important primary research, help to build collaborative initiatives, and give students access to scholars on our campus that we would not have been able to support otherwise.

We are not done. An additional CRC has been allocated to Brandon University and we very much look forward to the on-going, positive impact that these fine scholars have on this place.