SASKATOON and REGINA – This week Cisco Canada announced two agreements to establish research chairs, one each at the University of Saskatchewan and at the University of Regina.
Cisco is providing a $2 million contribution over 10 years to establish a Research Chair in Mining Solutions at U of S. The Chair will focus on the University's wish to enhance the relevance of both the research and academic programs to the mining industry by solving some of their technical challenges through its research programs. The Research Chair will be focused on specific projects covered by four major research areas; mining and processing technologies; environment, safety management and technology; Exploration, social license and policy research; transformation and innovation.
The mining industry in Saskatchewan is the third largest in Canada and a vital part of both the provincial and national economies, with an estimated value of mineral production of more than $7 billion in 2010.
In Regina, another $2 million, 10 year deal establishes a research chair in e-Governance at the University of Regina. The chair will address ways for governments to more effectively use technology to drive collaboration, productivity and efficiency in the public sector in Canada.
The chair will look at how governments can more effectively communicate with citizens, businesses and other governments through enhanced use of technologies such as video, information sharing and online collaboration. It will be located within the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Regina.
E-Governance initiatives may include exploring and developing best practices in sharing information, promoting services, recruiting and retaining employees, conducting surveys, engaging the public, 'virtual government,' collaborating internally and creating new strategic partnerships. This will allow governments to move beyond driving people to websites to making full use of the latest technologies to enhance citizen engagement, improve client satisfaction, lower operating costs and provide faster service, reads the press release.
