Colleges Applaud Federal Science and Technology Announcement

Ottawa, May 17, 2007: Canada’s colleges and institutes welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Harper, Minister Bernier and Minister Flaherty on Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada's Advantage. The Government’s commitment to foster three distinct Canadian Science & Technology advantages: an Entrepreneurial Advantage, a Knowledge Advantage, and a People Advantage will propel Canada and Canadians to the forefront of applied research, development and commercialization.

“Today, over 150 colleges and institutes across the country have been recognized as strategic partners in these three Advantage areas. With linkages to over 900 communities and key business and industry players, colleges and institutes bring about strategic partnerships that support unique advantages, respond to market pull and build Canada’s entrepreneurial culture by moving research and development forward to commercialization and the adoption of new knowledge and technologies in the marketplace. We applaud the government’s move forward on this priority.” said Gerald Brown, President, Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC).

“The importance of exposing young adults to innovative ideas and encouraging the generation of new knowledge is essential for the growth of Canadian research and development. Doing so with college and institute partnerships that engage business and industry allow youth the advantageous combination of learning, research and application in one unique expert environment,” added Mr. Brown.

College and institute-based research, development and commercialization in areas such as environment, renewable energy, health, virtual reality, robotics, photonics, avionics, textiles, geomatics, aquaculture, viticulture, digital media, manufacturing, pulp and paper, composites, biotechnology, transportation, textiles and geosynthetics and agriculture are well-recognized and, importantly, have resulted in real-life, real-time applications. For more information, visit www.accc.ca.

The Association of Canadian Community Colleges is the national and international voice of 150 Canadian colleges, cégeps, institutes of technology and university-colleges.
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Contact:

Gerry Brown
President
Association of Canadian Community Colleges
Tel.: (613) 746-6492 ext. 6492

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