Vision & Mission
Advancing justice and public safety through applied research
Vision
The Centre for Applied Research has a vision of establishing the Justice Institute of British Columbia as the lead justice and public safety research institution in Canada, helping keep communities safe through an active applied research agenda engaging first responders, first receivers, practitioners, policy makers, stakeholders and services users.
Mission
The Centre for Applied Research achieves this vision by developing new knowledge in emerging disciplines that informs best practice and public policy, enhances justice and public safety curriculum, and leverages learning technologies and methodologies, and increases public awareness.
The Centre for Applied Research is dedicated to advancing justice and public safety through the scholarship of discovery, application, integration, teaching, and service.
- The Centre for Applied Research: Strategic Plan
- The Office of Applied Research & Graduate Studies: Scholarship at the JIBC
Values
Building capacity in scholarship
- Create internal capacity to contribute to society through scholarship (framed as discovery, application, integration, teaching and service)
- Student-led research is important for student learning, student success, fostering partnership with external agencies, and the development of a research culture
Advancing the development of our disciplines and professions
- Promote educational research focused on curriculum development and assessment, and implementation/evaluation of teaching and learning technologies and methods (e.g. simulation, distributed learning, experiential learning)
- Encourage cross-disciplinary initiatives through partnerships with stakeholders and industry
Leading applied justice and public safety research
- Exploratory research focused on social, justice, and public safety issues that require action from the community and/or government (eg. procedural, policy, services)
- Development, evaluation, and commercialization of justice and public safety processes and products, such as software training tools or field analysis tools
Applied Research Workplan
The Centre for Applied Research will, as a guiding principle, establish short, medium and long term goals in each of three areas:
“Research in Action” encapsulates core services that are required to identify opportunities, respond to requests for proposals, and complete research projects
“Applying Research” captures the interplay between the Centre for Applied Research, the Schools and JIBC resources in fostering a culture of research within Schools, supporting current practices, and the development of proposals that help sustain the long term research goals of the JIBC and its Schools
“Research Leadership” will establish the JIBC and Research Centres as key national and international sources of applied research activity and services in justice and public safety
The success of such endeavors is reliant upon the successful interplay between the Centre for Applied Research, the Schools, External Relations, Marketing and Communications, and the Office of Graduate Studies and Academic Services. Through the development of the Centre for Applied Research internal research capacity will be cultivated and will provide a framework to shift the drivers for research from the Centre of Applied Research to active researchers within Schools, to Research Centres that each support an integrated, pan-institutional, multi-disciplinary research program.
Fostering a pan-Institute culture of applied research
- In collaboration with JIBC Deans and Directors, identify opportunities for integrating applied research into justice and public safety curricula, innovations and public policy interventions.
- Establish and maintain pan-Institute research networks, including JIBC Applied Research Committee (ARC) and Research Ethics Board (REB) to ensure adherence to JIBC Applied Research Policies, Procedures, Guidelines, including adoption of national Tri Council ethics protocols.
- Provide leadership in the publication/dissemination of JIBC applied research findings and publications e.g. JIBC Annual Report, Justin Times, International Journal of Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, etc.
The development and recruitment of faculty and staff
- Recruit a cadre of highly skilled, knowledgeable and experienced adjunct research faculty and staff e.g. JIBC Research Associates.
- Develop applied research and scholarship opportunities for JIBC Visiting Scholars, Applied Research Chairs and Faculty.
- Ensure professional development and training opportunities for JIBC Faculty through annual research retreats, workshops, symposia to enhance knowledge and skills in research and grant proposal writing.
Growth of research capacity and infrastructure
- Ensure development and implementation of JIBC research ethics policies and procedures, e.g. Integrity of Research, Ethical Conduct of Research, Research Involving Aboriginal Peoples that are consistent with and recognize Canadian Tri-Council funding agency guidelines and standards e.g. Natural Sciences and Engineering Council (NSERC), Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) and Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).
- Attract and secure research funding, including in kind contributions from public and private domain sources.
- Promote private and public collaborations in applied research and in tandem with JIBC Office of Advancement, support engagement of the private sector in the commercialization of public safety technology.
Provision of support and mentorship
- Provide support to JIBC Faculty and Schools by providing consultation and support throughout all stages of the research process e.g. from research concept through to design.
- Support and mentor JIBC Faculty who are undertaking advanced and post graduate academic studies, theses, dissertations, research presentations and posters.
Last updated January 16, 2013
