Abstract

Over the summer 2022 I spent two months at Western University in London, Ontario as a visiting RMA and got insight into the work of RMAs and the recent developments in research support in Canada. I participated in various events and learned from RMAs working both at the university and faculty level about the support which they offer and research funding in Canada in general.
Similar to the European Commission, the three main research funders in Canada, collectively referred to as Tri-Agencies, have been putting more and more focus on knowledge exchange and impact in recent years. Interestingly, the exact expectations of the Canadian funders in this regard differ depending on the research field. In order to respond to these expectations, Canadian RMAs and universities in general, similar to the European ones, have sought to strengthen their competences in delivering impact and raising awareness among researchers. For example, Western University in London, Ontario has recently created a dedicated Knowledge Exchange, Impact and EDI-D Department under the umbrella of Research Services. The objectives of this new department are to raise awareness and to provide tailored support to researchers and research groups about knowledge exchange, bibliometrics, EDI-D and impact in general.
To facilitate awareness-raising, enhance competences of researchers and reach as many researchers as possible, the department has, for example, designed a Knowledge Exchange School, composed of a number of modules such as knowledge exchange, equity, diversity and inclusion as well as tools to measure and profile research impact, creating a global digital identity or using social media for research exchange. Other tools developed by the department help to identify end users and their needs and to strategically integrate EDI-D practices into grant applications.
My main take away points from this experience were that RMAs invest a lot of effort in developing training material, providing advice and raising awareness about existing tools and services. This enables researchers and students to work with these tools and services individually. The commitment of RMAs to strengthen the focus on impact is, however, not just a result of evolving expectations of funders. This development is also supported by Western University, which is strategically committed to achieving greater impact. Enhancing research support has been identified as one of the necessary steps to reach that objective.