Many of our researchers have longstanding partnerships with business, helping to solve real world problems and create value for Canadian and international companies. These opportunities also allow students to gain real-world experience and build relationships with established companies. Brock LINC is here to help you navigate the partnership process.
Four Phases of the Partnership Process
1. Discovery Phase
Brock LINC helps connect academic researchers to potential partners in the private, public, and non-profit sectors through our extensive networks, as well as through curated online matching platforms. We welcome both researchers with project ideas, as well as external partners interested in leveraging Brock’s expertise to solve their problems to contact us. We will provide you with important things to consider before you enter into a partnership and help kick-start the process
2. Development Phase
Defining research project goals that are aligned with your partner’s needs sets up a collaboration for success. As discussions become more detailed with your partner organization, a Non-Disclosure Agreement may be required.
Critical aspects for the project need to be identified and may include:
- Project scope and/or deliverables
- Budget (cash and in-kind contributions)
- Timelines
- Intellectual Property (IP) ownership
- Commercialization rights
- Publishing rights
- Confidentiality
These will be summarized in a Term Sheet, which will be used to create a contract or collaborative research agreement.
3. Project Phase
Brock LINC can help you determine if your collaborative research project is better suited for contract research or a partnership grant and will guide you through the process of setting up your project.
- Contract research is direct funding from the partner and does not require an application, but involves a legal contract and a clear outline of the project
- Developing and drafting the research project work plan is a collaborative effort between researcher(s), sponsor/partner, and Brock LINC
- Establishing and executing the research contract:
- Key issues for the project and terms for the contract are negotiated. Negotiation of the contract will involve our Legal Counsel
- Contract is reviewed and agreed to by sponsor/partner and researcher
- Contract is signed by sponsor/partner, the Vice-President, Research (VPR), and acknowledged by the researcher
- Partnership grants have an application to be submitted to a grant agency (Mitacs, NSERC Alliance, OCI) to leverage additional funds – the requirements for these applications vary by agency
- Research project applications are developed as a collaborative effort between researcher(s), sponsor/partner, and Brock LINC.
- Submitting a partnership grant application:
- The application is finalized (including budget, CV, and partner’s forms)
- ORS will conduct a compliance review (or a more thorough technical review if requested)
- Approval is obtained from the Department Chair and Dean
- VPR signature is obtained
- Application is submitted to the funding agency
- If the grant is successful, the agreed-upon terms will be incorporated into a Collaborative Research Agreement
Before the research account is opened by ORS Accounting, several forms must be signed and submitted:
- Research Contract/Collaborative Research Agreement (signed by Partner, Brock VPR, acknowledged by the researcher)
- IP waiver, if required (signed by researcher and Brock VPR)
- Ethics or other certifications, if required (submitted to ORS)
4. Project Evaluation
- After all the forms have been submitted and the funds are available, the project can begin!
- Once the project begins, it is important for both parties to keep in mind their responsibilities in terms of communication, reporting, etc. Successful projects can open doors to new collaborations, and lasting, mutually beneficial relationships.
For more details on the partnership process, or to get started on a collaborative project, please reach out to Brock LINC.