Grant: CCI Mobilize Grants

Bow Valley College (BVC)’s Academic and Research Priorities include the conceptualization of the Health Care Centre of Excellence (HCCE) and an ambitious plan to become a leader in applied research. BVC focuses on three applied research pillars: educational technology, social innovation, and health and health technology. The Mobilize grant will enable capacity building in the newest pillar of applied research, Health and Health Technology. This involves innovation through partner collaboration and leveraging emerging technologies to create, develop, and enhance products, services, education and training to improve patient care, health care systems, and quality of life. The research emphasis is on the use of simulation including virtual and extended reality in health training and enhancing continuing care through technology solutions such as socially assistive robots, virtual care platforms and tools, sensors, wearables, digitally augmented homecare and health informatics. This capacity building aligns with BVC’s commitment towards establishing the HCCE with strategic investments in new programming, personnel, equipment and facilities. Mobilize funding is critical for BVC to secure dedicated research talent to facilitate the successful delivery of applied research and the fulfillment of our partnership recruitment plan. This longer term, five-year funding enables forward planning of faculty release for research within busy academic schedules and helps fulfil our commitment to engaging learners with industry through work integrated learning and applied research. Funding will permit BVC to adopt digital solutions that will help address data management, human ethics, risk management and administrative compliance needs on research projects. It will enable knowledge mobilization and outreach that will help BVC build its brand and reputation as an applied research leader while sharing research results with the world for maximum impact. By year 5, BVC aims to generate $5.5M/yr in research revenue through partnerships with 23 private partners (20% increase/yr) and 29 not for profit partners (10% increase/yr) that result in the engagement of 88 students (receiving just under $1M in salary/yr) and 2385 hours of course release for faculty research.