Many people view Canada as a less populated, snowier version of the U.S. That’s just not true. For one, the average Canadian ice skates far better than the average American. Then, Canadians like their french fries dipped in a cheesy goo called poutine — no ketchup involved. But wait… here’s a big cultural difference: on average, despite claims that Canadian universities lack a commercial focus, as a percentage of total research funding, many top Canadian universities attract as much — if not proportionately “more” — research funding from companies than their counterparts in the U.S.
Why is this surprising? Because Canadian universities are frequently (and unfairly) accused of being a contributor to a national “innovation gap” that prevents university technologies from flowing freely to companies, therefore stifling the development of the Canadian economy. According to this line of reasoning, Canadian universities — unlike those in the U.S. — lack a commercial focus and a clear set of national-level rules governing university research commercialization.
To read the full, original article click on this link: Innovation Excellence | Canadian Universities, the Innovation Gap, and Leaping the Landline
