Universities’ engagement with emerging nations must be two-way street

Western nations must act now to build research collaborations with emerging nations, but the approach has to be brain-exchange, not brain-drain. That was a core message of Dr. Mario Pinto, VP Research at Simon Fraser University, during his workshop presentation today on education and research collaborations with India.

Dr. Mario Pinto

Building and strengthening these types of collaborations was the focus of the workshop hosted by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada at the AAAS Annual Meeting. AUCC President Paul Davidson talked about the priority Canada’s university presidents are placing on such connections, and how they’re making them happen.

That includes travelling en masse to key countries. In late 2010, 15 university presidents took part in AUCC’s education mission to India. That number will more than double this spring with an expected 35 presidents travelling to Brazil on a mission being led by Governor General David Johnston.

The benefits of a brain-exchange model for students include enhanced in-class experiences, learning the practices and values of the host country, establishing international networks and gaining exposure to global problems.

Dr. Pinto spoke about Canada-India academic cooperation. He highlighted India’s urgent need for partnerships in higher education, with more than 50 percent of the population now under 25 years of age. That means a huge educational challenge, and Canada is in a position to help.

Canada’s challenge in building successful connections with India includes an uncoordinated national approach, Visa difficulties (although these are improving) and postsecondary fragmentation. Dr. Pinto offered some suggested strategies, including doing more to improve faculty and student mobility.

Dr. Marco Prado, scientist at Robarts Research Institute and professor in the Dept. of Physiology and Pharmacology and the Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Western University, spoke about his experiences in collaborations with Brazil.

Success in this area, he argues, requires trust (more opportunities for parties to get to know each other), common interest, complementary expertise and available funding (in particular shared funding).

Dr. Prado says connecting with Brazil gives Canada access to a large pool of highly trained students (Brazil graduates 10,000 PhDs a year.) In terms of the benefits of collaboration for Brazil, Dr. Prado points out that this leading Latin American country needs strategic partnerships with developed countries. It needs access to highly skilled and experienced researchers in key areas and access to infrastructure.

He sees the lack of bi-lateral funding as a significant obstacle. In addition to addressing this funding challenge, Dr. Prado argues that Canada should pursue joint PhD programs and perhaps some joint undergrad programs.

Both researchers agree that the most important benefit of attracting international students and researchers to Canadian campuses is the spurring of innovation through the active exchange of ideas and cultures.

“I think the future is to train the universal researcher,” said Dr. Pinto. “What we have to do here is set up a network, and it’s the network that will pay off in the end.”

- Helen Murphy, AUCC