The U of M launched a five-year strategic research plan in July to elevate the university’s research and global impact. As detailed in a 22-page report entitled Change Through Research, the mission of the university’s Strategic Research Plan 2024- 29 is to “transform research culture, to advance understanding and create positive societal impact.”
A statement from Dr. B. Mario Pinto, U of M vice-president (research and international) said that “our institution has significant research capacity to solve complex economic, environmental and social issues. Our new research plan is a bold blueprint to position our researchers as leaders in these essential areas, at home and beyond.”
The plan recognizes that “supporting research through the 4 Ps” – people, partnerships, platforms and processes – will play an important role in embracing the mission statement. The attraction and retention of talented people – such as graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, staff and faculty – is cited as a necessity. The plan mentions the need to create and maintain learning and working environments which are inductive of inclusion and respect. The plan also states the need to provide professional development, mentoring and social opportunities to early career researchers.
Fostering partnerships and collaborative relationships is cited as another means of fostering the plan’s mission. Initiatives are listed to broaden these relationships such as the University Indigenous Research Connect Program, Lab2Market and the university’s new entrepreneurship hub IdeaStart.
Enhancing platforms for research is further listed in the plan. This entails updating physical and digital infrastructure, ameliorating access to infrastructure funding opportunities, enhancing tools to allow for easier identification of research opportunities and facilitating the flow of people and ideas between the university and external communities. This also includes the need to grow opportunities that lead to social innovation and commercialization.
The plan’s mission statement is further embraced by the explicit intent to provide more efficient processes for research-related administration. Examples of this entail funding proposal submissions to research services, more support for developing funding proposals through the Major Projects Office and changes to the Research Administration System for Research Ethics Board protocol submissions and approvals.
Goals of the plan include elevating the U of M’s ranking in the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR), with the hope of being amongst the top 200 universities in the world and top 10 in the nation. The U of M presently ranks 282 in the world and 11 in Canada according to the CWUR. These current rankings are established based on measures of education, employability, faculty and research.
Aspirations for the university to rank in the top 251 to 300 in the Times Higher Education Rankings is also listed. Currently, the U of M ranks 351-400 amongst 1,907 universities across 108 countries and regions, while placing 15 amongst Canadian universities. These placements are realized according to institutional performance in the areas of teaching, research environment, research quality, industry and international outlook. Other goals include placing in the global top 100 in 10 subject areas in the Shanghai Global Ranking of Academic Subjects Rankings, as well as in the top 100 in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.
The Strategic Research Plan 2024-29 intends to reach these targets by “[embracing] the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility and understanding the spectrum of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ability and other identities and their interactions.”
Seven themes are detailed in the research plan: foundations; social justice and human rights; research by, with, and for Indigenous peoples; water and food security; health and well-being; climate action and sustainability; and Manitoba, Hudson Bay, arctic and the world. “The thematic areas are already strong and present, but a clearer focus will serve to elevate UM research, resulting in a greater external recognition and profile.”
The plan’s vision, “research grounded in relationships, committed to change,” aims to be achieved by “[fostering] research and scholarship into innovative pedagogies and the broad education of [the] students.”
“Through diversification of our student population, UM will ensure that it educates global citizens, ambassadors of the future, who are equipped to improve life in an ever-changing, complex world,” read the strategic plan.
Undergraduate university research assistantships and unique classroom experiences were highlighted as research enrichment opportunities on campus.
The strategic research planning process commenced in Jan. 2023 and involved consultation with hundreds of researchers, innovators, staff and students pertaining to research excellence. The university’s Strategic Research Plan 2024-29 is available online at umanitoba.ca/research/strategic-research-plan.
