Research Income Growth Slows for Canada's Top 50 Universities

Universities of Toronto, Waterloo and Northern British Columbia
Named Research Universities of the Year

TORONTO, Oct. 19 /CNW/ - Research income growth at Canada's Top 50 universities slowed in Fiscal 2009, according to Canada's Top 50 Research Universities List 2010, released today by Research Infosource Inc. (www.researchinfosource.com). Total sponsored research income, which includes both government and non-government sources, grew by only 3.0% - half the rate of last year - to $6.24 billion in Fiscal 2009, up from $6.06 billion in Fiscal 2008. The pace of income growth has slowed markedly from the high single and double-digit rises that characterized the early decade.  Shades of the economic downturn could be seen as contributions from Corporate sources grew by only 0.3% in Fiscal 2009, compared with a 10.3% increase the year prior.  As well, Not-for-Profit/Foundation funding increased by 2.2% in Fiscal 2009 compared with 13.4% in Fiscal 2008.  The lion's share of research income at Canadian universities continues to come from Government sources (68%) in Fiscal 2009, however, total funding from Government sources also slowed in Fiscal 2009 to 2.6% from 5.6% in Fiscal 2008.

"University research funding is clearly leveling off as the economy cools and government and other research funders begin to scale back.  It's not an unexpected development, but it signals rough seas ahead", said Ron Freedman, CEO of Research Infosource.

The $100 Million Club

Seventeen universities gained $100 Million Club status, each recording research income of $100 million or more in Fiscal 2009.  Most Club members have medical schools and affiliated research hospitals or health authorities, which attract considerable amounts of research support.  However, 3 institutions (University of Waterloo, University of Guelph and University of Victoria) achieved Club status without the benefit of medical schools or research hospitals/health authorities.  Overall, 13 Club members saw their research income grow, while 4 others saw a decline.

Overall Rank		University	Sponsored Research Income
2009	2008		FY2009 ($Million)	FY2008 ($Million)	% Change 2008-2009
1	1	University of Toronto	$858.2	$844.9	1.6%
2	3	University of British Columbia	$524.6	$470.1	11.6%
3	2	University of Alberta	$507.6	$491.7	3.2%
4	4	Université de Montréal	$486.2	$468.7	3.7%
5	5	McGill University	$432.1	$418.6	3.2%
6	6	McMaster University	$377.7	$373.5	1.1%
7	7	Université Laval	$282.7	$278.6	1.4%
8	9	University of Calgary	$264.3	$236.2	11.9%
9	10	University of Western Ontario	$241.7	$222.3	8.7%
10	8	University of Ottawa	$237.0	$245.5	-3.5%
11	12	Queen's University	$178.2	$192.5	-7.4%
12	13	University of Manitoba	$172.1	$161.7	6.4%
13	11	University of Saskatchewan	$169.5	$203.5	-16.8%
14	15	University of Waterloo	$157.2	$135.2	16.3%
15	14	University of Guelph	$154.9	$142.1	9.0%
16	16	Dalhousie University	$125.7	$124.0	1.4%
17	17	University of Victoria	$104.8	$112.4	-6.8%

Regional Picture

On a provincial basis, research income gains in Fiscal 2009 were strongest in New Brunswick where the province's 2 universities expanded their combined income by 10.8%.  The other provinces where reported research income growth exceeded the national average increase of 3.0% were: Manitoba (2 universities 7.3%), British Columbia (4 universities 6.6%), Alberta (3 universities 5.8%) and Newfoundland (1 university 5.2%).  Quebec's 12 universities (2.9%) and Ontario's 19 universities (2.6%) both posted modest growth just below the national average.  Nova Scotia's 4 universities (-0.6%), Prince Edward Island's single university (-3.4%) and Saskatchewan's 2 universities (-15.3%) all posted negative growth between Fiscal 2008 and Fiscal 2009.

In Fiscal 2009, Ontario accounted for the greatest share of total research income with 40% of the total ($2.51 billion), followed by Quebec with 25% ($1.53 billion), Alberta with 13% ($787.9 million) and British Columbia with 12% ($731.0 million).

Research Intensity

Research intensity (research income per full-time faculty) for the Top 50 universities increased only slightly in Fiscal 2009 by 1.4% to an average of $167,200 per full-time faculty position.  Five full-service universities posted intensity levels in excess of $250,000 per full-time faculty: University of Toronto ($351,000), McMaster University ($309,400), University of Alberta ($308,800), McGill University ($269,200) and Université de Montréal ($257,200).

Gainers and Losers

Overall, 35 universities increased their research income in Fiscal 2009 versus 15 that saw decreases.  Topping the list of gainers was OCAD University with an amazing 2,317.5% increase in research income between Fiscal 2008 and Fiscal 2009.  Next was University of Ontario Institute of Technology (57.0%), University of Winnipeg (38.2%), University of Windsor (26.7%) and Université du Québec à Rimouski (23.3%) rounded out the Top 5.  The 5 largest declines were at Trent University (-22.1%), Saint Mary's University (-19.0%), St. Francis Xavier University (-16.8%), University of Saskatchewan (-16.8%) and Carleton University (-13.4%).

Research University of the Year

Research Infosource once again designates Research Universities of the Year - the leading institutions that excel on a balanced scorecard of research input and output/impact indicators.

This year's winners in the Medical/Doctoral category were University of Toronto in first place, followed by McGill University in second.  Tied for third place were University of Alberta and University of British Columbia.  In the Comprehensive category first place went to University of Waterloo, second to University of Guelph and University of Victoria held third.  In the Undergraduate category, University of Northern British Columbia was in first place, Ryerson University followed in second and Trent University took third place.

Spotlight - Decade in Review

Research Infosource presents a special feature, Decade in Review that shines the spotlight on three key metrics over the past decade.

• The first place winners for Research Income Growth (1999-2009) went to: McMaster University (339.7%) in the Medical/Doctoral category, University of Victoria (364.6%) in the Comprehensive category and University of Prince Edward Island (432.0%) in the Undergraduate category.
  
  
• The first place winners for Research Intensity Growth (1999-2009) went to: Université Laval (219.6%) in the Medical/Doctoral category, University of Victoria (287.9%) in the Comprehensive category and University of Prince Edward Island (324.2%) in the Undergraduate category. 
  
  
• The first place winners for Research Publication Growth (1999-2008) went to: University of Calgary (90.6%) in the Medical/Doctoral category, Simon Fraser University (104.9%) in the Comprehensive category and Ryerson University (379.4%) in the Undergraduate category.

Canada's Top 50 Research Universities 2010, Research Universities of the Year 2010 and Spotlight - Decade in Review and analyses are available on the Research Infosource website, www.researchinfosource.com. The data were obtained from Statistics Canada and the Research Infosource Canadian University R&D database. Research Infosource Inc., a division of The Impact Group, is Canada's source of R&D intelligence. Drawing from an extensive database, Research Infosource Inc. publishes Canada's Top 100 Corporate R&D Spenders List, Canada's Top 50 Research Universities List, and produces The Innovation Atlas™ - a web-based mapping and data information tool.

For further information:

Ron Freedman, CEO, Research Infosource Inc. [phone] ext. 31
Janet Sandor, Director of Communications [phone] ext. 25