Research Partnerships & Innovation

Research Partnerships & Innovation

Research Partnerships & Innovation (RPI) leads the applied research enterprise across RRC Polytech. RPI is your gateway to the vast base of knowledge, capabilities, facilities, and industry networks that reside at Red River College Polytechnic — a Canadian leader in applied research and commercialization.

RPI also proactively identifies practical applied research opportunities that can provide mutual benefit to both the College and potential industry partners of all sizes with focus on SMEs. Through our Office of Applied Research Services (OARS), RPI oversees the administration of all research activities across the College.

Solving today’s industry problems. Training tomorrow’s industry leaders.

Applied research at RRC Polytech incorporates research tools or methods applied in a project-based, non-operational manner to solve a real-world problem or challenge typically in direct partnership with an industry, community or other external partner. It also includes research involving the development of novel methods, processes, products or services to meet industry or community needs which may not have a direct partner, and can include evaluation.

Why do industry partners work with us?

Industry partners can access state-of-art facilities, guidance on research and development in various stages of technology readiness levels. We also support industry partners to access available funding.

Highlights and Impact

• Celebrating 20 years of applied research
• RRC Polytech is one of Canada’s top 50 Research Colleges
• Over $90 million in research infrastructure capital investments
• The applied research enterprise at RRC Polytech includes ~135 researchers and more than 600 students annually, with applied research training enabled by research infrastructure in more than 60 courses.

“Research Partnerships & Innovation is your gateway to RRC Polytech’s tremendous array of capabilities, Centers, facilities, research expertise and know-how across disciplines and sectors. RPI advances the economic and environmental sustainability of Manitoba’s industry and innovation ecosystem by de-risking innovation, increasing technology transfer, contributing to the workforce which supports innovation, and accelerating research commercialization for and with our industry and community partners.

The RPI team believes in innovation ecosystem connectivity and collaboration — collaboration with our industry and community partners, with other local and regional post-secondaries, regional and national research labs, government departments, industry associations and ecosystem partners. This coordination and multidisciplinarity is essential to solving our pressing global challenges (as the recent global pandemic and current climate change and energy transition challenges demonstrate). Within this ecosystem, applied research in colleges and polytechnics has a unique role to play in demonstrating what is possible.”

-Dr. Jolen Galaugher, Director, Research Partnerships & Innovation