Vancouver, BC – Mitacs Full Partner Simon Fraser University marks its 50th birthday this year. Since 2008, Simon Fraser University and Mitacs have partnered to provide experiential learning opportunities to students and postdocs through the Mitacs Accelerate, Elevate, Globalink, and Step programs.
Mitacs and SFU have collaborated on hundreds of projects:
- 566 Mitacs Accelerate research internships, which enable SFU graduate students and postdoctoral fellows to broaden their research impact by connecting with organizations within the private and not-for-profit sectors and applying their skills to new challenges
- 31 Mitacs Elevate fellowships, which offer SFU postdoctoral fellows two-year professional development plans and collaborative research projects, building capacity for the next generation of R&D management leaders
- 105 Mitacs Globalink Research internships, which provide international undergraduate students opportunities to strengthen their international networks through 12-week research internships with SFU professors
In addition, 1,366 SFU students have attended Mitacs Step workshops, which train graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in essential interpersonal, project management, and entrepreneurial skills. Since 2012, 36 Step workshops have been offered at the university.
The delivery of Mitacs programs occurs with the support and partnership of Simon Fraser University, the Government of British Columbia, and the Government of Canada. Over the past seven years, a total investment value of almost $10.5 million has been sent to the university.
Quotes:
Alejandro Adem, CEO and Scientific Director, Mitacs
“Mitacs offers our warmest congratulations to Simon Fraser University on celebrating their 50th anniversary. SFU plays a vital role in the country’s innovation landscape and I look forward to building on our shared achievements as we look ahead to the 2015–2016 academic year.”
Joy Johnson, Vice-President, Research, Simon Fraser University
“On the occasion of our 50th anniversary, we acknowledge the many partners who have contributed to our current standing as Canada’s most engaged university. For close to a decade, SFU and Mitacs have worked together to connect researchers and students with industry, create opportunities for discovery, and inspire research-based innovation. Our relationship will continue to be valued for many years to come for the benefit it brings to British Columbians.”
Quick facts:
- Mitacs is a national not-for-profit organization that develops the next generation of innovators with vital professional skills through unique research and training programs.
- Mitacs Accelerate connects companies with research-based universities through graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, who apply their specialized expertise to business challenges. In 2014–2015, Mitacs supported almost 3,200 Accelerate internships.
- Mitacs Elevate is a competitive postdoctoral fellowship that offers customized professional development training targeted at new PhDs. Fellows receive training in areas such as communication, leadership, and project management as they lead a two-year research project with a non-academic partner organization. In 2014–2015, Mitacs Elevate supported 110 fellowships.
- Mitacs Globalink offers two-way mobility opportunities between Canada and Mitacs partner countries for both undergraduate and graduate students. In the summer of 2015, Mitacs Globalink matched 750 international senior undergraduates with Canadian faculty for 12-week research projects.
- Mitacs Step provides professional development training to advanced degree graduates, supplementing their education and research experience with the tools necessary to succeed in today’s workforce. In 2014–2015, nearly 6,000 students attended 283 online and in-person workshops across Canada.
Links:
For information about Mitacs and our programs, see mitacs.ca/newsroom.
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