Harris CentreFive-year Plan (2011/12 – 2015/16)

December 12, 2011

Overview

• What Have we Done? Programs & Initiatives

• Consultations and Inputs• Changing Context• What should we be like 5 years from

now?• Vision, Mission, Principles, Goals,

Objectives

Harris Centre Programs / Activities: 2004/5 – 2010/11

• Public Presentations 7 Galbraith Lectures 38 “Memorial Presents” public forums

• 15 Conferences / Workshops• 68 in-camera “Synergy Sessions”• 24 Newfoundland Quarterly articles• 6 Research Funds:

Applied Research Fund Strategic Partnership MMSB Solid Waste Management RBC Rural & Remote Drinking Water ACOA Standing Offer DFO Marine Protected Areas

Harris Centre Programs / Activities: 2004/5 – 2010/11 (cont’d)

• Research Funds: projects and $$s 86 research projects supported $1.7 M allocated to research projects leveraging $ ??: ARF evaluation showed

$313,000 leveraged $ 5.4 M

• Major Research Projects OECD Role of Higher Education Institutions in

Regional Development Social Foundations of Innovation in City

Regions Rural-Urban Interaction: Understanding and

Managing Functional Regions in NL

Harris Centre Programs / Activities: 2004/5 – 2010/11 (cont’d)

• 16 Regional Workshops• Project Brokering• Yaffle.ca• Funding leveraged for projects,

outreach and research over $ 5.9 M Memorial funds (project and operating)

leveraged 3:1

a ‘marketplace’ for information!

Yaffle Today

• Over 75,000 searches since public launch (Feb. 2009)• Accessed from 177 countries over 6 continents• Average of 100 users per day

• Graduate Students using Yaffle for thesis topics and supervisors

• MITACS Identification of Internships• Government, Community and Media constant users• 2010 – 18 new brokered projects• Formalized communications w/ Office of Research

and School of Graduate Studies to automatically communicate research awards

Some one-pager successes

• Over 75 faculty connected;• New ferry design for Strait of Belle Isle;• Theatre training with youth in Lab West;• Studying Boom and Bust in Northern Mining Towns

(SSHRC);• Alternate energy in two northern Labrador communities;• Studying male underachievement in the education system; • Four seminars on e-marketing, approx. 200 businesses;• SIFE student team working with aboriginal youth on

financial sustainability of a cultural museum;• Dialogues (e.g., regional cooperation, historical

significance, evolution of Newfoundland English language);• Feasibility studies (bottled water, bacon-wrapped scallops);• KT: (e.g., agriculture in Stephenville; coyote management

for Placentia sheep farmers)

Consultations Held

• SWGC / Corner Brook Community, May 6, 2009• CNA Corporate Stephenville, May 7, 2009• Stephenville Community, May 7, 2009• HC Champions, May 22, 2009• Fed. & Prov. Gov’ts, June 2 & 10, 2009• St. John’s and region, June 11, 2009• MUN Senior Administrators, June 24 & 25, 2009• HC Staff, June 29, 2009• MUN Faculty, Nov. 23, 2009• MUN Students, • 2 individual web site responses

Other Inputs

• HC Advisory Board, Oct. 15, 2008; Nov. 25, 2009; Nov. 18, 2010

• HC Management Team, Greg Cochlan, Oct. 20, 2008• Knowledge In Motion Conference, Oct. 15-18, 2008• Harris Centre Program Evaluations

Applied Research Fund Knowledge Impact in Society Project Regional Workshops Public Policy

• Wade Locke OECD Project Lessons Learned Report• Alternative Forms of Scholarship Workshop, May 2009• Rural Development Centre Workshop, Norris Point, Nov. 9-10,

2010• MUN Research Plan

Last slide in consultations: Where to from here?!

• 5-year plan focus for the future confirm core; re-focus where needed new directions?

• Yaffle as a NL/Canadian knowledge utility?• Meeting national and international demand to learn

Harris Centre model?• Increase “honest broker” activity?• Other?

• Funding Limitations• Evaluation Framework; Results-Based

Management• What do you think?!

Changing Context

• HC Organizational DevelopmentOperations Manager / Project Management

Office Secretary Duties Re-organized; Greater

Budget Management Capacity• Communications Coordinator • MUN Research Plan• New President July 1, 2010• Office of Engagement; Engagement Framework• Move to President’s Portfolio

What should we be like 5 years from now? (1)

• Greater MUN capacity and enhanced culture of community / regional engagement

• Greater MUN capacity in regional policy and development

What should we be like 5 years from now? (2)

• Greater organizational awareness within NL of Harris Centre / MUN resources AND of all other partner resources “Receptor Capacity” of partners is a critical

issue (NGOs, SMEs/Industry Associations, Government)

MUN and NL Knowledge Mobilization Network a way of doing business

“Powered by Yaffle” Delivered on the ground through multiple

partners (MUN a resource, not a development organization)

What should we be like 5 years from now? (3)

• Shift from “running with champions” to extending reach – within and outside MUNHarris Centre “known” by all faculty and

Newfoundland and Labrador citizens• Globally recognized and connected; locally focused• Independent funding for proactive research and

initiatives on priority themes Not a think tank; not doing research in-house Independence, Integrity, Honest Broker / Moderator Research Programs, Conferences

• “Go-to resource” for applied research funding in regional policy and development

What should we be like 5 years from now? (4)

• HC entrepreneurial, flexible, nimble, client-focused (internal and external)AND delivers through rigorous stage-gate decision making, project management, knowledge mobilization scalable systems

• HC Team combined core and project staff, with capacity, processes and culture for sustainability

Mandate: no change

• Advise on building the University’s capacity in the area of regional policy and development

• Identify priority themes and projects relating to:Teaching Research Outreach

• Coordinate and facilitate the University’s activities relating to regional policy and development

Vision: no change

The Harris Centre’s vision for Newfoundland and Labrador is of a vibrant democracy with informed citizens actively engaged in realizing a prosperous and sustainable society which values individual and collective responsibility for decision-making and development true to our unique culture and identity.

Draft Mission: new!

The Mission of the Harris Centre is to encourage informed public policy and regional development in Newfoundland and Labrador by supporting communication and collaboration between Memorial University and the people of this province.

Values: One new one!

The Harris Centre aspires to live up to the reputation of Dr. Leslie Harris, in whose honour the Centre is named:

IntegrityIndependenceTransparencyCollaboration Inclusivity*Practical Application

*The Harris Centre values and respects difference, and strives to include varying perspectives in its activities and programs.

2011/12-2015/16 Strategic Goals:One revised

Goal 1: ResearchStimulate more research in regional policy and development

Goal 2: EducationStimulate education in regional policy and development at Memorial University

Goal 3: Community Engagement [was Outreach]Generate greater interaction of Memorial University faculty, students and staff with stakeholder needs and opportunities

Goal 4: CapacityEstablish Memorial University as a recognized centre of excellence in regional policy and development

Goal 5: OperationsEstablish Harris Centre operations for long-term success

Goal 1: Stimulate more research in regional policy and

development (1)Objective 1.1Develop and Maintain Suite of Applied Research

Funding ProgramsObjective 1.2Establish Population Project Applied Research

Funding ProgramObjective 1.3Advance Annual Applied Research Funds and/or

Research Projects, Related to MUN Research Plan Strategic Themes

Goal 1: Stimulate more research in regional policy & development (2)

Objective 1.4Establish source of independent funding for

proactive research and initiatives

Objective 1.5Establish research synthesis program to inform

regional policy and development

Goal 2: Stimulate education in regional policy and development at Memorial

University Objective 2.1Advance Regional Policy and Development in the

curriculum of graduate and undergraduate programs

Objective 2.2Advance Knowledge Mobilization / Community

Engagement in the curriculum of graduate and undergraduate programs

Objective 2.3Support the establishment of undergraduate and

graduate degrees in Regional Policy and Development

Goal 3: Generate greater interaction of Memorial University faculty, students and staff with stakeholder needs and opportunities (1)

Objective 3.1Organize Regional Workshops to communicate current

activity and identify new opportunities and needsObjective 3.2Organize Knowledge Exchange / Transfer processes and

sessions to allow sharing of expertiseObjective 3.3Broker new opportunities for collaborationObjective 3.4Facilitate the establishment of Memorial and N&L

Knowledge Mobilization/Community Engagement Networks

Goal 3: Generate greater interaction of Memorial University faculty, students and staff with stakeholder needs and opportunities (2)

Objective 3.5Increase adoption of Yaffle in NLObjective 3.6Expand Yaffle to more institutional partners in NL and

beyondObjective 3.7Facilitate MUN Research Plan “Community, Regional

and Enterprise Development” and “Governance and Public Policy” Themes external partner engagement

Objective 3.8Formalize collaboration with CNA

Goal 3: Generate greater interaction of Memorial University faculty, students and staff with stakeholder needs and opportunities (3)

Objective 3.9Advance informed public policy debate and

discussion through Galbraith Lectureship, Memorial Presents Public Policy Forums and Synergy Sessions

Objective 3.10Lead, Partner or Support conferences relating to

Regional Policy and Development, subject to strategic fit and availability of resources

Goal 4: Establish Memorial University as a recognized leader in regional policy and development (1)

Objective 4.1Support the establishment of Research Chairs

relating to Regional Policy and DevelopmentObjective 4.2Facilitate MUN Research Plan “Community, Regional

and Enterprise Development” and “Governance and Public Policy” Themes within Memorial

Objective 4.3Support recognition of Alternative Forms of

Scholarship in University promotion and tenure processes

Goal 4: Establish Memorial University as a recognized leader in regional policy and development (2)

Objective 4.4Respond to requests to present and collaborate

nationally and internationally, where benefits for NL mandate and mission are demonstrated, resources are provided and capacity allows

Goal 5: Establish Harris Centre operations for long-term success (1)

Objective 5.1Establish physical and technical infrastructure to meet

needsObjective 5.2Establish the Harris Centre as an exemplar of best

practices in governance and operationsObjective 5.3Establish sustainable funding for public policy staffing

and programingObjective 5.4Develop mechanisms to engage associates, visiting

fellows, retired faculty and other expert supports

What have we missed?

• Other inputs?• Other options?• What is the Harris Centre in 5 years?

The Harris Centre Model for Connecting Knowledge and Ideas Province-wide – and beyond!