The Vice President Research and Innovation (VPRI) portfolio includes the Office of the Vice-President Research (OVPR), Office of Research Services, Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI), Animal Care Services, Research Partnerships Office, and responsibility for UVic research centres and research entities. The Office of the Vice President Research and Innovation (OVPRI) provides oversight and guidance for UVic’s research enterprise at the institutional level, including setting strategic research priorities, building partnerships, leading initiatives, and providing services to support research to ensure that UVic research continues to grow and prosper. The OVPRI staff support the VPRI, Associate Vice-Presidents Research and all the activities of the portfolio to accomplish the missions and goals set out in Aspiration 2030, the University strategic plan, and individual unit plans.
The Institutional Programs unit provides strategic support to major grant programs, coordinating the development and management of typically complex, high risk, multi-partner projects and initiatives, valued at $250K to $85M. The unit is responsible for national and provincial programs including, but not limited to, the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund (BCKDF), and Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan).
Reporting to the Executive Director Strategic Research Initiatives, the Associate Director, Institutional Programs provides oversight and strategic operational support for special institutional and inter-institutional research programs and projects. Institutional research programs generally refers to those funding programs that follow strategic research priorities and require institutional approval from the Vice-President Research and Innovation and other members of the UVic Executive and/or the Board of Governors. This position works in collaboration with UVic’s Executive and other members of VPRI Executive, Deans, Chairs and researchers to support the identification of research funding strategies, coordinate the institutional risk analysis required to select projects and initiatives that enhance research intensity and the research reputation of the University. This position is responsible for the development of institutional proposals and the management of the awarded projects and their funding. The Associate Director represents the university and liaises with various external research funding agencies and partner institutions.