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National Defence Research Roundtable

Roundtable Overview

Canada has committed to major long-term investments in national security and defence research, including new spending through BOREALIS, DND, ISED, and the Tri-Council. Yet, the federal government has not yet defined all the principles, priorities, or mechanisms that will guide how this funding is spent.

Individual institutions and national organizations are already hard at work on security and defence research, but these efforts often unfold in isolation. HESA believes there is a clear opportunity to connect, share, and coordinate these efforts through a dedicated roundtable that brings together diverse senior postsecondary leaders, government departments, and key partners. 

The goal of this roundtable is to develop practical, sector-wide advice on how Canada should structure future defence and security research investments. Through thematic discussions and collaborative policy design sessions, participants will help outline the principles, criteria, and delivery structures needed to build a coordinated, and nationally aligned defence research ecosystem.

Registration

The expression of interest for this event has closed. A registration link has been shared directly with accepted participants via email. If you submitted an expression of interest but have not received an email with next steps, please contact us at defenceroundtable@higheredstrategy.com. 

If you are interested in participating but did not submit an expression of interest, please contact us at defenceroundtable@higheredstrategy.com as additional tickets may be available. 

Agenda

8:00-8:30am: Registration & Breakfast

8:30-9:00am –Welcome, Purpose, and Stage-Setting

  • Land Acknowledgement and Welcome: Elder Vince Kicknosway
  • Welcome: Invest Ottawa
  • Opening Remarks and Overview of the Day: Alex Usher, President, Higher Education Strategy Associates

 

9:00-10:00am – Plenary 1: Strategic Policy Domains

Speakers:

  • Kendra MacDonald, Chief Executive Officer, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
  • Melissa Judd, Vice-President Research Operations & Academic Partnerships, Vector Institute
  • Adam Lajeunesse, Chair, Public Policy and Governance Program, St. Francis Xavier University
  • Perry Steckly, Executive Director, National Centre for Critical Infrastructure Protection, Security and Resilience

 

10:00-10:15am – Break

10:15-11:15am – Break Out Session 1: Strategic Policy Domains Discussion

11:15-11:45am – Plenary 2: Report Back

11:45-12:00pm – Remarks from Sonya Shorey CEO/Invest Ottawa

12:00-12:45pm – Lunch Service

12:45-1:30pm – Plenary 2: Presentations on International Models & Defence Strategy

Speakers:

  • Phillipe Lagassé, Barton Chair in International Affairs, Norman Patterson School of International Affairs
  • Alex Petit-Thorne, Senior Associate and Project Lead, Higher Education Strategy Associates

 

1:30-2:15pm – Break Out Session 2: Translating Priorities into Frameworks

2:15-2:30pm – Break

2:30-3:00pm – Plenary 3: Report Back

3:00-3:45pm – Plenary 4: Integration and Policy Spine: Bringing It All Together

3:45-4:00pm – Next Steps and Thank You