Fredericton, NB — Businesses and students in New Brunswick can now get a productivity boost thanks to a new agreement between Mitacs and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Thanks to a $97,000 investment by ACOA, Mitacs can undertake 26 research internships that allow for partnerships between students at post-secondary institutions and local industry.
Specifically, the ACOA funding will make it more affordable for small and medium-size businesses to offer a four-month internship by cutting their costs in half. Students can receive an internship stipend of $15,000 with a $3,750 contribution from a participating business or agency. The funding will be distributed through the Mitacs research internship program. Businesses gain the unique opportunity to advance their R&D by pairing with precisely the right researcher to fill their needs. Mitacs interns accelerate their research careers while applying innovative solutions to real-world business challenges.
The goal of the partnership is to continue to drive research and innovation by reducing the cost of collaborations between industry and academia during the COVID-19 pandemic and to encourage economic resiliency and enhance productivity in its aftermath.
Since May, Mitacs has announced similar collaborations with national organizations such as NSERC and AGE-WELL; industry-network collaborations such as with ENCQOR; and provincial initiatives such as with Nova Scotia Business Inc. These programs provide direct support to a network of partners across the country while creating the right conditions for local economic recovery and development.
To learn more about the opportunity, please connect with your local Mitacs Business Development representative.
Quotes:
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA
“The Government of Canada’s support for projects like this one with Mitacs reflects our commitment to driving economic growth in Atlantic Canada by supporting strategic partnerships between academic institutions and industry. This strategic partnership between academia and industry will be mutually beneficial as it will advance the capacity and productivity of New Brunswick’s talented young researchers and innovative businesses.”
John Hepburn, Mitacs CEO and Scientific Director
“Mitacs is proud to support Canada’s economic resiliency and drive innovation through this partnership with ACOA New Brunswick. By providing young researchers with opportunities to work with businesses, we are proud to help deploy this talent resource to support productivity; together we will mitigate the adverse economic impacts of COVID-19.”
About Mitacs:
- Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions.
- Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada and the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.
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