IDRC at the Canadian Science Policy Conference 2021
CSPC serves as an inclusive hub for connectivity, convening, capacity building, and catalyzing research in support of effective science and innovation policy. IDRC will be part of the discussion on “Building Forward Better” through different sessions at the conference.
Monday, November 22 | 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. EST
Panel: The power of global innovation and local intervention to tackle COVID-19
Moderated by Dominique Charron, vice-president, Programs and Partnerships, IDRC.
Defeating the pandemic requires strong research and policy responses in every country, as well as collaboration across the globe. This panel will discuss projects in Colombia, India, Peru, Thailand, Uganda, and Canada to learn about innovations and interventions that are changing the face of the pandemic. These projects were selected through a collaborative initiative led by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
See the CSPC schedule for more details on this session.
Thursday, November 25 | 8:30 - 10:00 a.m. EST
Plenary: Building forward to address COVID-19 and climate change: International cooperation and strengthened support for Southern research
Moderated by IDRC President Jean Lebel.
This plenary session will explore the value and importance of Southern research and international cooperation for building community resilience and generating innovative solutions to help tackle the dual challenges of climate change and COVID-19 at multiple levels – from local to global. It will feature researchers and leaders from the Global South who will share their experiences and their reflections on doing research on COVID-19 and climate change with relevant stakeholders in local spaces. They will also address the challenging questions of power, authority, and inequality within global evidence ecosystems. The panel will showcase Canadian leadership in supporting Southern-led research, equitable knowledge production, and international collaboration for a more sustainable and equitable recovery.
See the CSPC schedule for more details on this session.
Friday November 26 | 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. EST
Panel: Enabling inclusive and impactful research into digital health and AI for health
Moderated by Naser Faruqui, Director, Education and Sciences
Organized in partnership with the Embassy of Switzerland in Canada.
This panel will explore the challenges and opportunities for global health research in a post COVID-19 context, including the transformative potential of artificial intelligence and data science approaches. A panel of 3 renowned experts will highlight key issues around global research cooperation, data sharing and bias in AI from the perspectives of academia and funding agencies. They will also discuss implications for future policy and practice in pandemic responses. The panelists will showcase inclusive and equitable digital solutions on a global scale, such as the International Digital Health and AI research cooperative (I-DAIR) or the Global South AI4COVID program at Canada’s IDRC, used for capacity building and reduction of health disparities.
See the CSPC schedule for more details on this session.
Friday, November 26 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. EST
Panel: Equitable partnerships for climate-change adaptation in a changing world
Moderated by Éliane Ubalijoro, Executive Director of Sustainability in the Digital Age and the Global Hub Director in Canada for Future Earth.
Hosted in partnership with UK Research and Innovation
This panel will bring together a mix of experts and perspectives from Canada, the United Kingdom, and Africa to highlight and discuss approaches and solutions to climate-change adaptation in a changing world, which is key to building back better from the pandemic. The panel will cover issues such as the importance of international collaboration to address climate-change adaptation; opportunities and challenges to finding solutions; and consideration of cross-cutting policy areas and the role of different actors, including research funders.
See the CSPC schedule for more details on this session.
To learn more, visit the CSPC website.