What is Applied Research?
Applied Research is solving real-world problems for specific business/organization problems.
At Suncrest College Applied Research Centre (SARC), we're taking practical innovation to a new level. By collaborating with businesses and organizations, we tackle real problems, fuel growth, and drive impactful solutions.
Our collaborative approach involves not only providing valuable work experience for students but also ensuring our instructors stay at the forefront of their fields.
We believe in purposeful research with a clear objective: solving business or organizational issues that contribute positively to our community.
By emphasizing applied research, we aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice. We're on the lookout for local businesses and organizations to partner with us, ensuring our efforts directly contribute to enhancing operations across the region.
Join us in driving innovation and fostering growth. If you're ready to collaborate for positive change, reach out today!
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Why are we Involved in Applied Research?
At Suncrest College, we're more than just an educational institution; we're a community dedicated to making a difference. Since 2013, we've proudly been the longest-running regional college in Saskatchewan specializing in this vital field.
At Suncrest College, we collaborate with local businesses to tackle real-world problems through projects that involve our talented instructors, staff, and students. Our journey began with a small agricultural project partnered with Dutch Industries, leading us to establish a robust agronomic research farm in partnership with the East Central Research Foundation (ECRF).
But we're not stopping there! Our vision is to expand our research horizons beyond agronomy into diverse areas of study, enriching educational experiences and contributing valuable solutions.
1
Give
to give our students real life work experiences by working on projects for local businesses, either as part of a class project or a stand-alone projectt they cannot do themselves
2
Assist
to assist with regional economic development by helping businesses and organizations with research that they cannot do themselvesof a class project or a stand-alone project
3
Help
to help our instructors stay up to date with their industry and actively contribute to that industry
How we do
Applied Research
First, we will meet with you to talk about how or if we can help, then we identify the best approach to the problem. We can create course-based projects or standalone projects to get students and instructors involved in solving the problem.
Class-based projects
Class-based projects are conducted by students as part of their program of study and can take as little as two weeks and up to six weeks. These projects require the business or organization to explain the project to the class and then participate in a presentation at the end of the project.
Class-based projects have time and subject area constraints, as everything has to be done to fit the timeline of the particular class. The business or organization will need to contribute time to meet with the class and a nominal administration fee to ensure that all of the required paperwork is completed. The business or organization may need to pay for parts if the project involved working on equipment.
Examples of this type of project include:
- a social marketing plan for a new business expansion
- a human resources plan to develop employees
- finding a way to stop repeated breakdowns of a piece of equipment
- replacing a fixed seat with a swivel seat to improve operator mobility on a plot combine
Standalone projects
Standalone projects can be as short as a few weeks to a year or more. These projects involve hiring students and engaging staff to work on the problem either full-time (through the summer break) or part-time.
Because of the increased cost for these projects, the business or organization will need to make in-kind and/or cash contributions to the project. We will also look for external funding.
Examples of this type of project include:
- testing a new prototype against the standard equipment
- changing the timing/location of fertilization of a crop for greater yield
- developing new, cost effective packaging for an existing product
- looking at the effectiveness of a recent business innovation
Protecting Your
Ideas and Intellectual Property
Suncrest College strives to ensure that any ideas and their results benefit the partner organization in helping them succeed.
What happens when the project is completed?
When a project is finished, the results usually belong to the business or organization. We will discuss this with you before we begin the project to make sure that we are all in agreement. We are more interested in seeing your organization or business succeed than keeping any part of it for the college. We simply ask that we will be able to use your project as a teaching example in the future. However, we may agree to other arrangements.
Will my idea be kept confidential?
We will work with you to keep your ideas for your business. We will be happy to sign non-disclosure agreements if this is required. Our work on your project will be kept confidential until you are ready to tell the world – and we will be able to help you with that, too!
Funding Opportunities
Suncrest College is able to access funding through a number of different sources. Much of the funding is from the federal government, while other sources include the provincial government, funding agencies, and the businesses that we assist. All research funded federally must be linked to a business or organization.