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Proposal: In
a recent meeting, the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, Doug
Horner, challenged the Alberta Graduate Council to devise innovative ways to
generate funding for graduate studies and research. In response, the AGC
proposes a networking initiative to build the foundation for private
investment in education and research across the province of Alberta and
Western Canada. The
debut event, as proposed by the AGC, is a conference that would establish
connections and catalyze discourse between employers, industry and academia. This
introductory initiative would serve to: ü
Bridge
the gap between graduate students and private industry, as well as municipal,
provincial and federal employers, by way of mutual exchange through a host of
networking sessions and discussion forums. ü
Provide
an opportunity for employers to showcase their particular needs and demands,
as well as projected industry direction and foci. ü
Increase
awareness of graduate studies and research contributions, foregrounding the
untapped potential of these pursuits to employers. ü
Promote
the potential for industry investment in post-secondary education, thereby
creating additional funding avenues for graduate students and researchers
seeking financial support. ü
Lay
the groundwork for an annual such event, and other accordant networking
initiatives that encourage continuous communication between employment and
academic realms. The long-term result would be a permanent collaborative
infrastructure, yielding guidelines for graduate studies, a new source of
revenue for graduate student remuneration, as well as employment
opportunities for students upon completion of studies. ü
Highlight
Alberta Innovates and its four corporations -- Health Solutions, Bio
Solutions, Energy and Environment Solutions, and Technology Futures. As there
is no provincial corporation for social sciences, the conference would
integrate these disciplines into the above realms, thereby ensuring the
inclusiveness of the event and subsequent engendered ventures. Supporting
this endeavour will facilitate interactions between 13 000 graduate students
and the major employers and corporations throughout Alberta and Western
Canada, setting precedence for future events that might foster advancements
in employment and industry, create employment for graduate students and
address the funding shortages experienced by graduate students province-wide.
For more information or if you are
interested in helping organize the conference, please contact the AGC Chair.
© 2010 Alberta Graduate Council |
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