UBC Reports | Vol. 47 | No. 12 | August
9, 2001
Phenomenal growth in funding and recognition
by Hilary Thomson staff writer
Overall research funding to UBC has increased by nearly 20 per
cent over the previous fiscal year with university researchers attracting
$200 million in the year ending March 31, 2001.
“UBC’s leadership in research in Canada is evident in many research
successes,” says Indira Samarasekera, vice-president, Research.
“With federal funding gains made this year and significant new support
from the provincial government we are able to expand our ability
to create new knowledge that not only benefits society, but also
helps fuel the economy.”
The provincial government contribution of $16.3 million, primarily
through the Ministry of Advanced Education, accounts for eight per
cent of the total and is double the share received last year.
UBC’s success in the Canada Research Chairs (CRC) program and Canada
Foundation for Innovation competitions contributed to an increase
of $10 million in funding from the federal government to a total
of $88 million. The largest increase in federal granting agency
funding was seen in the Canadian Institutes for Health Research
(CIHR) which increased support from $19 million to $26 million.
UBC ranked fourth among Canadian universities for CIHR support,
earning $14 million in operating grants for studies of diseases
such as arthritis, asthma and diabetes.
UBC earned top spot among Canadian universities for number of faculty
recently elected to the Royal Society of Canada with 11 new members
named. In addition, UBC now has five faculty in the Royal Society
of London, an academy of the world’s most eminent researchers.
Forty-seven UBC scientists received $3.7 million in funding from
the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) in a
recent competition, placing UBC in the top three among Canadian
universities for support received from the major federal agency.
UBC gained nine federally funded research positions in a recent
allocation of CRC chairs. The CRC program is designed to help Canadian
universities attract and retain top researchers.
