www.mitacs.ca

The Power of Data:Mitacs Program Outcomes & Why They

Matter

Val WalkerPolicy Director

October 31, 2015

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The Power of Data

1. Policy data2. Program outcomes data3. How to make it powerful

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What is Mitacs?A Snapshot

Independent, not-for-profit research organizationGoverned by Canada’s research universities3,500+ research projects now supported annually130 staff, 30 offices 3 hubs: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal

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Origins of Mitacs

Industry

ProgramsMeasuring outcomes

Policy

Grown out of perceived gaps in innovation system Attract private sector fundingMaintain high quality research Attract international students to Canada“Training the next generation of innovation leaders”

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Mitacs TodayThe Programs

Accelerate Graduate Research Internship Program

Elevate R&D Management Training for Postdocs

Globalink International Research Mobility Inbound & Outbound streams

Step Professional Skills Training Program

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1. Policy Data

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“Productivity isn’t everything, but in the long run it is almost everything. A country’s ability to improve its standard of living over time depends almost entirely on its ability to raise its output per worker.”

Paul Krugman, Nobel Laureate (Economics)The Age of Diminished Expectations (1994)

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Productivity

Canada’s productivity as a % of United States

Jenkins Report, 2011

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Productivity

And we’re not catching up

Canada’s productivity has actually fallen since 2002

Growth (%) OECD Rank (of 33)Canada 0.9 29US 2.1 13OECD Average 1.9 18

OECD: Measuring Innovation, 2011v

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Productivity

How can we improve Canada’s productivity?– OECD 2012 report recommends two measures:

Improve quality and quantity of highly-educated workforce

Increased business R&D

Both of these factors stimulate:

Innovation

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We significantly lag other leading economies in the graduation of advanced degree holders– 25th in PhD graduates per capita in OECD

Discussion about skills shortages generally focuses on trades and some professional qualificationsCanadian firms spends $0.68 on training for every $1.00 American firms spend

Education and Training

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Research & Development

Canada near bottom of the pack in industrial R&D spending

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Research & Development

And it’s getting worse

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2. Outcome Data

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Evaluation & Performance Measurement

Our Evaluation Strategy includes:Program and integrated logic modelsPerformance Measurement Frameworks

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Evaluation & Performance Measurement

Accelerate Logic Model

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Evaluation & Performance Measurement

1. Program exit surveys– Completed within one month

after the end of the internship– 3 exit surveys– Used for:

Better understanding of the program

Reporting purposes Improved programming

– Challenge Too early to capture most

academic, professionnal and business outcomes

Interns AcademicSupervisors

IndustryPartners

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Evaluation & Performance Measurement2. Longitudinal studies– 3-year cycle focusing on mid-

and long-term outcomes for program participants

– First survey launched in 2013– Used for:

Better understanding of Accelerate outcomes

Decision making at the management level

Reporting purposes Marketing purposes

FullCycle

Year 1Interns

Year 2IndustryPartners

Year 3Academic

Supervisors

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3. Making Data Powerful

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Clear and Effective Communication

Key ResultsBusiness and R&D Outcomes:

25% of companies have hired one or several interns into a newly created position 40% of companies invested $100,000 or more of new money into R&D as a result of their Accelerate experience (including 10% that invested more than $500,000)

Industry-Academic Research Collaborations:66% of companies remained in contact with their Accelerate intern(s) in some capacity82% of companies continued to collaborate with the academic supervisor involved in the Accelerate project

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Clear and Effective Communication

Hired other new employee(s)

Hired intern(s) (existing position)

Hired intern(s) (new position)

Hired intern(s) (total)

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

26%

10%

25%

30%

25% of companies have hired one or several interns into a newly created position

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Clear and Effective Communication

Less than $10,000

$10,000 - $99,999

$100,000 - $499,999

More than $500,000

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

19%

41%

30%

10%

40% of companies invested $100,000 or more of new money into R&D as a result of their Accelerate experience

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Clear and Effective Communication

hired the intern into a

newly created position

40% of companies invested $100,000 or more of new money into R&D as a result of their Accelerate experience

25% of companies have hired one or several interns into a newly created position

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Looking Ahead

1. Globalink longitudinal survey report2. Elevate longitudinal survey of

fellows

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