Holland College has been granted eligibility to access funds from a $50 million pool set aside for community colleges by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, NSERC, signaling that the college has an infrastructure that can support research.

The college will be applying for funding for projects through NSERC’s College and Community Innovation Program, which was established to increase innovation by enabling Canadian colleges to increase their capacity to work with local companies. Funds from the program will be used to support applied research and collaborations that facilitate commercialization, and for those focused on technology transfer and the adaptation and adoption of new technology.

In order to obtain eligibility, the college participated in a rigorous process of documentation of the policy and infrastructure it had in place to support applied research. Of particular concern was the establishment of a research ethics board to review research proposals and assure research involving humans was monitored to assure minimal risk. The college’s policies were thoroughly reviewed by NSERC, as was the college’s ability to monitor financial grants via its external auditing processes. Dr. Audrey Penner, Director of Adult Education, Learner Supports and Applied Research for the college, sees NSERC eligibility as more than a means to access project funds.

“This is a significant milestone for any research institution, and it is fairly new territory for community colleges. Holland College joins a small number of colleges across Canada with this eligibility” she explained.

The college has been involved in a number of research projects over the past few years, including projects closely tied to the objectives of the College and Community Innovation Program.

The latest foray into the field is the construction of the college’s food product development lab, Canada’s Smartest Kitchen, scheduled to open in December. The 12,000 square-foot lab will provide a state-of-the-art facility in which chefs from The Culinary Institute of Canada will be able to continue and expand upon the food product development projects that they have been working on with private sector companies. Canada’s Smartest Kitchen is receiving financial support from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, the Province of Prince Edward Island, Cavendish Farms as well as the college.

“With Canada’s Smartest Kitchen, Holland College can lead innovation within the food product development industry,” Dr. Penner noted.

Dr. Penner said the access to funding that the NSERC eligibility provides will enable researchers at the college to collaborate with local companies in a broader ranges of industries.

“Access to the College and Community Innovation Program funds enables colleges to participate in research that supports local, provincial and regional economic needs. Research is about innovation, and innovation drives economic prosperity. The CCIP fund is designed to do just that.”