Research Engagement Collaborative Alliance with Partners (RECAP)

RECAP is dedicated to supporting authentic research partnerships between Western's researchers and diverse research partners to facilitate the mobilization and impact of research, scholarship, and creative activity.

Key to social impact in research is meaningful inclusion of highly engaged partners, including individuals, communities, industry, government, and non-government agencies locally, nationally, or internationally.

Partners from diverse sectors such as health, education or the environment can bring lived experience and critical perspectives about the relevance and priority level of research questions, inform key aspects of research design/recruitment/outcomes to be measured, and ensure the uptake of research findings through tailored mobilization strategies.
Research can help address pressing partner needs and grand challenges to advance societal impact or a change/benefit beyond academia to the economy, society, culture, public policy or services, health, the environment or quality of life.

Recognizing the many benefits of partnered research, funding agencies are increasingly requiring meaningful inclusion of research partners with evidence of commitment and authentic engagement in research.

RECAP supports partnerships through:

A learning platform with self-directed modules for researchers and partners to increase capacity around establishing research partnerships;
Research engagement events bringing together academic and non-academic experts to build connections and consider potential partnerships; and
Recommendations to support and recognize partner engagement in research including through internal funding opportunities.

RECAP Learning Platform

Online learning modules

RECAP Research Engagement Events

Engage with researchers and research partners on the challenges of our time

RECAP Mailing List

Subscribe to receive news about RECAP

Benefits of taking part in research partnerships

Researchers

Diversify a research team to add critical perspectives that strengthen research relevance and competitiveness in funding opportunities
Access new ideas, reduce potential bias, increase cultural appropriateness, and enhance creativity and innovation
Improve research transparency, build trust in research, and ensure accountability (quality engagement and ethical conduct)
Expand support for interpretation of data, development of research outputs, and tailoring of mobilization efforts
Raise the profile and benefit of research outside the academy

Research Partners

Access to research expertise, information, resources, and funding to help address individual / organizational priorities
Gather evidence or use research findings to challenge / assess / change common assumptions, practices, or policies
Explore unique perspectives, and contribute lived and/or learned experience to drive research endeavours
Support intellectual curiosity, innovation, mentorship and creative activity
Enhance collaborative network by working with an academic institution and researchers

“We won’t be as efficient or effective if we silo research. Partnerships within and outside of academia are incredibly important in moving things forward, and we need the tools to support this kind of work.”

Tom Appleton, departments of medicine and physiology & pharmacology, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry

“In my experience, successful and meaningful engagement with researchers happens when they take the time to get to know the organization and the world of our clients. Communication is important and so is taking the time to develop a relationship.”

Jessie Rodger, Executive Director, Anova