For over a decade, the Trent Centre for Community-Based Education (TCCBE) has brought local organizations together with students and faculty at Trent University to complete hundreds of student research projects in Peterborough City and County - all under the umbrella of the Community-Based Education (CBE) Program.

The Strategic Research Initiative (SRI) is something different. It is about addressing strategic, long-term community research needs related to issues like poverty reduction, climate change or how to benefit from an aging workforce. Projects may involve many stakeholders, including faculty researchers at universities and colleges. Research projects may occur over a number of years; and once research is complete, both academic and community partners can use it.

What tangible services does the SRI offer? Possible staff roles include:

• Help define research questions or project ideas
• Convene stakeholders and post-secondary faculty to discuss project ideas
• Support proposal-writing and grant applications
• Project management & coordination including:*
• Ensuring project is on track and meeting deliverables
• Promote projects to students (through CBE program)
• Encourage and support positive relationships between project stakeholders
• Enhance projects by linking with our broad community network
• Suggesting community-based research tools & methodologies
  
• Support research completion activities like making presentations, writing publications or strategic planning*

Community hosts are encouraged to contact TCCBE staff with their SRI project ideas. If you are interested in a short-term student project (i.e. 10-20 per person hours) please see our Community Service-Learning Program. If you are interested in a student project longer than 10-20 per person hours, please see our Community-Based Education Program.

Similarly, faculty members are encouraged to contact TCCBE staff with their research interests or if they want to talk about integrating their research program into course curriculum through the CBE or CSL programs.

Everyone: See our list of current SRI projects to get a sense of what an SRI project looks like.

What makes the SRI unique?

• The SRI is about strategic/phased/faculty-involved projects; the CBE Program is about student-involved projects (short and medium-term, usually with one host and one faculty supervisor).
• The SRI is a direct resource catalyst (e.g. co-authoring a funding proposal for further research); the CBE Program is an indirect resource catalyst (e.g. project results used in funding proposal for further research).
• The SRI is a new way for students, faculty and non-academic stakeholders to get involved, this may lead to participation in CBE Program or vice versa; the CBE Program is an established way for participants to get involved.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation has provided two years of funding (2009-2010) to pilot this new service. The SRI marks the beginning of a new era for TCCBE, Trent University and other post-secondary institutions that may get involved. It creates new opportunities for local citizens and organizations to come together with academic institutions. It creates new ways to address community concerns and enhance educational experiences. It promotes community and economic development.

Please contact us with your project idea!