Queen’s Principal Daniel Woolf says the federal budget reflects the government’s continued support for university research and international engagement.

“Increased funding to the three major granting councils, new Canada Excellence Research Chairs, $250 million toward strategic research initiatives, a Canada-India engagement strategy and Research Centre of Excellence as well as enhanced student loans and grants are a few examples of the government’s commitment to knowledge and innovation,” he says.

Dr Woolf was in Ottawa and attended the budget lockup on Parliament Hill.

He says the budget includes initiatives for which the university sector had been advocating, including more funding for indirect costs of research and social sciences and humanities research.

“Given the current economic climate, the sector is positioned well. Everyone in Ottawa is talking about the need to ensure that higher education plays a prominent role in fostering long-term growth and job creation to keep Canada competitive.”

The budget also contains targeted funding for clean energy and clean tech research and, building on a Budget 2010 commitment, would create a panel of experts to develop options to enhance support for First Nations students.