Research Institutes & Centres

Brock University is committed to fostering excellence in transdisciplinary research. This type of research occurs by bridging disciplines to come together to solve complex problems. They integrate methods and theoretical approaches to better tackle pressing contemporary issues and generate knowledge breakthroughs for our increasingly complex 21st century reality.

We take fresh, dynamic, creative approaches to identifying – and addressing – challenges in the world around us.

The establishment of Research Centres and Institutes assists research and teaching in a university in many ways.  These structures encourage scholarly research and creativity among collectives of faculty,  postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, librarians and other researchers that challenge traditional and established disciplinary boundaries.  They magnify the impact and reach of research and creative activity, and may serve as sites of formal partnership between universities, and between Brock University researchers and community or industry partners. And they allow for an identity to be created through which individuals or teams may apply for internal or external research grants and contracts that will enhance the reputation of the University, provincially, nationally and internationally. 

Research Institutes

Institutes are research collectives, normally based in multiple Faculties, with a defined mission of strategic importance to the University.  They may include faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, librarians, and other researchers (including adjuncts appointed from other research institutions), and members from beyond the University Community.  Institutes are non-teaching units.  Any academic programs affiliated with an Institute are housed in one of the academic Faculties with oversight by the Faculty Dean.  Faculty are associated with Institutes but are not directly appointed to them.  Institutes are administered by an academic director with an advisory committee and report to the Vice-President, Research.

The following institutes were established in accordance with Faculty Handbook, Policy on the Establishment and Review of Research Centres and Institutes.

Research Centres

Research Centres are Faculty-based collectives with a defined mission, created to explore areas of research and scholarship of importance to the collective and to the University.  They may include faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, librarians, other researchers (including adjuncts appointed from each other research institutions), and members from beyond the University community.  Research Centres are managed by an academic director with an advisory committee, and report to one or more Faculty Deans.  They may choose to offer academic programs under the direction of the Faculty Dean(s), and in such cases faculty may be directly appointed to them.

The following centres were established in accordance with Faculty Handbook, Policy on the Establishment and Review of Research Centres and Institutes.