STRATEGIC CLUSTERS

Our strategic clusters, research strength in numbers

The Strategic Clusters Program figures among the Fonds de recherche du Québec – Nature et technologies’s leading initiatives. Its goal: foster the emergence of centres of excellence in university research in fields critical to Québec’s development.

With the creation of 30-or-so strategic clusters, in partnership with universities, certain public agencies, and businesses, in recent years, there has been a surge of research capacity. More than 1300 researchers from universities, colleges, industry and government are behind these clusters and play a crucial role in training some graduate 3000 students and 350 Postdoctoral fellows. On average, each of these centres is attached to six universities, which speaks volumes about the program’s contribution to the richness of the alliances forged.

In the targeted research sectors, strategic clusters generate unprecedented synergy for:

Stepping up training of researchers and highly qualified personnel;
Fostering recruitment of the best researchers;
Sharing cutting-edge scientific equipment;
Boosting alliances of all kinds;
Increasing technology transfer;
Expanding scientific reach nationally and internationally.