Review of the Communications Research Centre Element 2: Core Research & Development
Communications Research Centre (CRC) is a national laboratory undertaking R&D in all aspects of Canada’s Communication infrastructure. HAL has been contracted to review the core research component of their work.
CRC has four research branches (Terrestrial Wireless, Satellite Communications and Radio Propagation, Broadband Network Technologies, and Broadcast Technology), and conducts both client-based (shorter term) research related to client/stakeholder driven priority areas, and core (longer term) research.
The overall purpose of the CRC review is to determine how the Centre’s research program benefits Industry Canada and other clients, whether there is full cost recovery from other government clients, and how CRC determines its research priorities and allocates its budget.
The review has four elements; HAL has responsibility for Element 2 on core research that is tasked with addressing the following questions:
- How does CRC determine its core research priorities and make decisions on budget spending for this activity?
- What is the budget split between core and client-based research?
- Is this balance between core and client-based research appropriate and/or optimal to deliver on short and long-term objectives as well as to maintain an appropriate knowledge base to meet future needs?
- How does CRC change its core research priorities to meet new or evolving challenges? How is this decided and by whom?
- What is the mechanism and oversight to drop lower priority activities or those that do not have any tangible outputs after a period of time?
- What percentage of core research activities eventually feed into client/stakeholder projects?
- How does CRC ensure that the quality of research is appropriate?
- Are any changes needed to improve effectiveness or efficiency?