Apr 23, 2013

Vancouver, BC – The Presidents of British Columbia Colleges (BC Colleges) announced today the formal establishment of the British Columbia Applied Research and Innovation Network (BCARIN).

BCARIN’s mandate is to connect member institutions – 11 colleges in BC, the Justice Institute, and Yukon College – with business and community organizations who seek to solve “real world” problems that demand skill in research and innovation. The network has appointed its first executive board, which will be co-chaired by Thor Borgford, Dean of Science and Technology at Douglas College, and Langara’s Dean of Science Margaret Heldman.

“The BCARIN initiative will grow applied research capacity within the Colleges and fellow institutions,” said Borgford and Heldman. “It will produce greater direct engagement of students and faculty with their communities, and promote an extensive sharing of knowledge and resources. Importantly, the network aims to enhance business productivity and improve the outcomes sought by community organizations.”

“Skilled and educated workers are our most critical resource, and BC’s 11 public colleges are focused on ensuring our graduates have the right advanced skills and education to meet labour market demands,” said Angus Graeme, President of Selkirk College and Chair of BC Colleges. “This includes fostering an environment that places an emphasis on applied research and innovation as a means to improved workforce productivity, sustained business and enterprise success, and expanded community engagement.”

BCARIN is a collaborative and cross-disciplinary organization of British Columbia colleges and institutes dedicated to establishing and developing a culture of applied research and innovation in our communities. Members of BCARIN belong to the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) and are accredited to administer funding from the three major Canadian federal granting agencies – the Canadian Institutes of Health research (CIHR), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

Member institutions include Douglas College, Langara College, Selkirk College, Northwest Community College, Yukon Research Centre, Northern Lights College, and College of New Caledonia. Members offer a broad range of expertise and experience in research and development, and the required infrastructure to support innovation in industrial, corporate, and community contexts.

Learn more.
Annie Mullins
Communications Officer
Communications & Marketing
T 604.323.5058
amullins@langara.bc.ca