Good Practices in Building and Managing Relationships

Synergy 2011October 6, 2011

Liselyn Adams

Concordia’s India History

• 5% of current faculty members from India

• Dean of Engineering for 18 years graduate of IISc

• The one and only Prof. Balbir S. Sahni

• Chair in Hindu Studies

• Minor in South Asian Studies

• Widely varied India interests in all faculties

• Connected with Shastri from early days

Connecting bottom to top

Partnerships in many fields

Research collaborations and networks

Individual-based connections

vs

University high-level partnerships and agreements, political energy

Resources and support – a concerted effort

and

Tireless connecting

Patience

Getting to know people not just institutions

Leading AND following

Who are the players? What are their roles?

• Politicians

• University Administrators

• Faculty and researchers

• Students

• External facilitating bodies

Open doors, demonstrate importance

Listen, dream, connect, coordinate, support

Dream, then concretise and implement

Energise and learn

Fund, support, advocate, inspire

Strategic Plan for India

• Targets research collaborations with a strong steering effect in key areas

• Encourages growth from individual projects to broader programs

• Academic collaborations are student centred and grow “upward”

• Interdisciplinary and innovative teaching and research methodologies to be shared

Growth Areas

• Women’s Studies – from one-day symposium to joint course to research team

• Aerospace Engineering – from government mission to broad collaboration and large contracts

• Infosys – from individual contact to hon. Doc to a groundbreaking “umbrella” contract for training and software development collaboration projects

• Solar Communities, solar buildings, business plans, internships, and fundamental research

Growth Areas continued

• Biodiversity Conservation from the Eastern Himalaya to the Western Ghats and Canadian Forests

• New media and performance, music and mathematics – a new cluster emerging

• Capacity building in Indian Universities: Concordia’s innovative teaching and research workshops take to the road

Necessary Investment

• Individual university “missions” with small groups of researchers

• Strong champions at the top joined by local heroes at all levels

• Industry connections help – go to the High Commission, TIFAC, and your partners’ partners

• Find gaps

Maintenance

• “Management by walking around”

• Telephone works better than email

• Grow what you have

• Listen for opportunities

• Don’t worry because there is always…

Jugaad to get you through!