Gary Goodyear, Canada’s minister for science and technology, launched a competition on 6 December to host a research centre aimed at boosting ties with India.
The C$15 million Canada-India Research Centre of Excellence will run for five years and is being funded through the Network of Centres of Excellence programme. The funding was announced in the 2011 federal budget and the successful team will be expected to create research collaborations with Indian research teams in areas of strategic importance to both countries.
“Global connections between universities and colleges drive research and innovation, which ultimately grow the knowledge economy,” said Goodyear.
The centre will also provide training to research students from both countries.
The Network of Centres of Excellence programme is intended to forge partnerships between universities, industry, government and non-profit organisations with the aim of creating economic and social benefits from Canadian research.