News from the IPL
EVENTS
Canada’s future skills strategy: Workforce development for inclusive innovation
Jan 19, 2021 11:00 AM
In January 2019, the Government of Canada established the Future Skills Council with a mandate to provide advice on emerging skills and workforce trends and to identify and promote pan-Canadian priorities relating to skills development and training. The Future Skills Council report, released in November 2020, recommends equitable and competitive labour market strategies in response to disruptive technological, economic, social and environmental events. It aims to provide a roadmap to a stronger, more resilient future for Canada. In this webinar, panelists will discuss the report’s key action areas and pathways to successful implementation.
Speakers:
Rachel Wernick, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister, Skills & Employment Branch, Employment and Social Development Canada
Denise Amyot, President and Chief Executive Officer, Colleges and Institutes Canada
Dan Munro, Senior Fellow, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy; Research Advisor, Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship
David Ticoll, Chair, National Stakeholder Advisory Panel, Labour Market Information Council; Senior Associate, Innovation Policy Lab, Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy
Editor's Pick
Canada – A learning nation: A skilled, agile workforce ready to shape the future
Future Skills Council
This report articulates the recommendations of the Future Skills Advisory Council to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. In January 2019, the Government of Canada established the Future Skills Council with a mandate to provide advice on emerging skills and workforce trends and to identify and promote pan-Canadian priorities relating to skills development and training. The Future Skills Council report, released in November 2020, recommends equitable and competitive labour market strategies in response to disruptive technological, economic, social and environmental events. The report’s recommendations address the following 5 priorities: helping Canadians make informed choices, equality of opportunity for lifelong learning, skills development to support Indigenous self-determination, new and innovative approaches to skills development and validation, and skills development for sustainable futures.
Cities, Clusters & Regions
Henry Wai-chung Yeung, Regional Studies
This annual lecture paper bridges two influential but parallel literature strands on evolutionary economic geography (EEG) and global production networks (GPN). It argues that both strands are premised on their different conceptions of ‘regional worlds’ of production – a more endogenous view in EEG and a more relational view of ‘interconnected worlds’ of production in GPN studies. Drawing on EEG’s core concept of related variety in regional diversification, the paper theorizes how regional strategic coupling with GPN can serve as a causal mechanism for realizing related diversification by highlighting the importance of extra-local/regional linkages and production network dynamics.
OK Computer: the creation and integration of AI in Europe
Bernardo S Buarque, Ronald B Davies, Ryan M Hynes, Dieter F Kogler, Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society
This article investigates the creation and integration of artificial intelligence (AI) patents in Europe. The authors create a panel of AI patents over time, mapping them into regions at the NUTS2 level. The paper then examines how AI is integrated into the knowledge space of each region. In particular, they find that those regions where AI is most embedded into the innovation landscape are also those where the number of AI patents is largest. This suggests that, to increase AI innovation, it may be necessary to integrate it with industrial development, a feature central to many recent AI-promoting policies.
Statistics
The Geography of New Technologies
Nicholas Bloom, Tarek A. Hassan, Aakash Kalyani, Josh Lerner, and Ahmed Tahoun, Institute For New Economic Thinking
This paper identifies novel technologies using textual analysis of earnings conference calls, newspapers, announcements, and patents. The approach enables the authors to document the rollout of 20 new technologies across firms and labor markets in the U.S. Four stylized facts emerge from the data. First, as technologies develop, the number of new positions related to them grows, but the average education requirements and wage levels of the positions drop. Second, as technologies develop, their employment impact diffuses across the country: initially, technologies are concentrated in local hubs, but over time, their adoption diffuses geographically. Third, despite this diffusion, the initial hubs retain a disproportionate share of employment in the technology, particularly at the high-skill end of the spectrum. Finally, technology hubs are more likely to arise in areas with universities and high skilled labor pools.
High-impact inventors credited with helping to create 19.5 million jobs
SSTI
This post summarizes findings from the National Academy of Inventors (NAI), which has recognized more than 1,400 high-impact inventors since 2010 through its Fellows program, adding 175 of them this year from more than 100 universities and governmental or nonprofit research institutions globally. These high-impact NAI inventors have produced more than 13,000 licensed technologies, helped to create more than 19.5 million jobs, and generated in excess of $2.2 trillion in revenues for their licensing partners.
Innovation Policy
NAS, Council of Competitiveness unveil recommendations to boost American innovation
Kevin Michel, SSTI
This post summarizes recent reports by the U.S. National Academies of Science (NAS) and the Council on Competitiveness (the Council) outlining the ways in which policymakers, the private sector, and researchers can boost American innovation in the years ahead. The reports come nearly 75 years after the head of the U.S. Office of Scientific Research and Development, Vannevar Bush, published what became a seminal report in the science community. The authors note how success in the next 75 years requires overcoming “a decline in share of global R&D since 2000, a plateau in creating human capital, an unfocused approach to targeted research such as next-wave telecommunications and AI, and a slow technology transfer ecosystem.”
European Commission
This January 6th 2021 announcement summarizes the first round of direct equity investment through the new European Innovation Council (EIC) Fund. The Fund has financed “42 highly innovative start-ups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs)” [that] will together receive equity financing of around €178 million to develop and scale up breakthrough innovations in health, circular economy, advanced manufacturing and other areas.
Collaborative platforms for innovation in advanced materials
Laura Kreiling, Douglas K. R. Robinson, and David Winickoff, OECD
Advanced materials hold significant potential to create better products and production processes. Yet realising their promise remains challenging: historically it has taken 15 to 20 years from discovery to deployment of new materials in products. Consequently, governments have been creating shared digital and physical infrastructures – “collaborative platforms” – to pool and manage global data, drive the development of nascent industries, and create hubs of interdisciplinary research, development and training. Based on evidence from 12 case studies, this report characterises governance mechanisms of collaborative platforms for advanced materials such as terms of funding, access, and IP policy and explores how they can create different kinds of value. Technology convergence, the engagement of society and digitalisation are identified as key trends. The study describes conditions under which collaborative platforms can align and power value chains, foster standards, catalyse innovation ecosystems and build education, skills and social capital.
USPTO requests comments to build more inclusive innovation ecosystem
Kevin Michel, SSTI
This post summarizes a request for comments by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) regarding the development of a national strategy to “build a more demographically, geographically and economically inclusive innovation ecosystem. The request is a follow up to the inaugural meeting of the National Council for Expanding American Innovation (NCEAI), which first met virtually in September 2020. The council consists of industry leaders, academics, and scientists and will help guide the development of USPTO’s national strategy.”
Smart mobility and the future of cities: Opportunities and readiness tactics
AVIN
This report from Ontario’s Autononomous Vehicle Innovation Network (AVIN) discusses “the major opportunities of smart mobility technologies that will reshape the future of cities” and outlines “various areas that will need to undergo changes in order to reap these future opportunities, and will shed light on these required changes and adaptations.”
Policy Digest
UK AI Council
The following summarizes an independent report by the UK AI Council providing recommendations to help the UK government’s strategic direction on AI. The report sets out long-term ambitions and suggests near-term directions for all government departments, with the aim of “cementing the UK as one of the very best places in the world to live with, work with and develop AI.”
The authors assert that in order “to be influential in attracting talent, shaping global markets and global governance” the government must “build a UK National AI strategy that scales up its investment for a decade and beyond.” This strategy should “double down” on recent investment the UK has made in AI in a manner that better reflects “the rapid pace and evolution of the science & technology and its applications.”
The authors stress that “the next few months and years will be crucial in determining where the UK places its desired level of ambition in AI, as massive investments by governments and businesses around the world are already priming themselves to influence the global conversation.” They warn that “the scale of effort elsewhere must not be underestimated: Germany has committed €3.1 billion towards a national AI strategy up to 2025, and France has pledged €1.5 billion up to 2022, with almost half earmarked for research. While the UK has played a leading role in the development of AI, the US has recently announced $1 billion over the coming five years to open 12 new institutes that will keep the country at the forefront of research in AI and quantum computing.”
The Roadmap’s 16 recommendations are categorized under the three pillars of Research, Development & Innovation; Skills & Diversity, and Data, Infrastructure & Public Trust as follows:
Research, Development & Innovation
- Scale up and make sustainable public sector investment in AI; ensure consistent access to top talent from around the world; and find new ways to bring researchers, disciplines and sectors together. Build on the commitments in the government’s R&D Roadmap and suggestions in the soon to be published UKRI AI review.
- Cement The Alan Turing Institute as a truly national institute, with a set of regional investments that draw on strengths from across the UK. Provide assured long term public sector funding that will give the Turing and others the confidence to plan and invest in strategic leadership for the UK in AI research, development and innovation.
- Ensure moonshots, as described in the R&D Roadmap as challenge-led, high-risk, scalable programmes, are both advancing and leveraging AI. These could tackle fundamental challenges such as creating “explainable AI”, or important goals in any area where AI can contribute strongly, such as the UK Digital Twin program or developing smart materials for energy storage in the move towards Net Zero carbon emissions.
Skills and Diversity
- Scale up and commit to an ongoing 10 year programme of high level AI skill-building. This would include research fellowships, AI-relevant PhDs across disciplines, industry-led Masters and level 7 apprenticeships.
- Make diversity and inclusion a priority. We suggest benchmarking and forensically tracking levels of diversity to make data-led decisions about where to invest and ensure that underrepresented groups are given equal opportunity and included in all programs.
- Commit to achieving AI and data literacy for everyone. The public needs to understand the risks and rewards of AI so they can be confident and informed users. An Online Academy for understanding AI, with trusted materials and initiatives would support teachers, school students and lifelong learning.
Data, Infrastructure and Public Trust
- Consolidate and accelerate the infrastructure needed to increase access to data for AI. Invest in the relevant organisations, link general principles to specific applications, and pursue initiatives for pump priming innovation and enabling safe data sharing for valuable uses.
- Lead the development of data governance options and its uses. The UK should lead in developing appropriate standards to frame the future governance of data.
- Ensure public trust through public scrutiny. The UK must lead in finding ways to enable public scrutiny of, and input to, automated decision-making and help ensure that the public can trust AI.
- Thoughtfully position the UK with respect to other major AI nations. Building on its strengths, the UK has a crucial opportunity to become a global lead in good governance, standards and frameworks for AI and enhance bilateral cooperation with key actors.
National, Cross-sector Adoption
- Increase buyer confidence and AI capability across all sectors and all sizes of company. Support investment for local initiatives to enable safe value-creating innovation and improve the data maturity needed for AI innovation.
- Support the UK’s AI startup vendor community. Enable greater access to data, infrastructure, skills, compute, specialist knowledge and funds.
- Enable robust public sector investments in AI, building capability in the use of data, analytics and AI to ensure intelligent procurement of AI as part of projects for public benefit.
- Use AI to meet the challenges of Net Zero carbon emissions. Work on access to data, governance, to develop cleaner systems, products and services.
- Use AI to help keep the country safe and secure. Work with government departments/agencies and defence and security companies to ensure AI is available to assess and respond to modern defence and security threats and opportunities.
- Build on the work of NHSX and others to lead the way in using AI to improve outcomes and create value in healthcare. The UK’s comparative advantage will depend on smart strategies for data sharing, new partnership models with SMEs and skill-building.
Links to recent IPL webinars
Inclusive Innovation: COVID and After
This is a recording of the December 10th 2020 webinar discussing the importance of inclusive innovation; policies needed to bring it about; opportunities and prospects for doing so in the era of COVID-19; and new initiatives for measuring and tracking progress – including GDP 2.0 and the Innovation Policy Lab’s Inclusive Innovation Monitor. Speakers: Dan Breznitz, Susan Helper, Daniel Munro, & Anjum Sultana
Urban Leadership & Innovation During Times of Crisis
This is a recording of the Dec 3rd 2020 webinar discussing how urban leaders are the frontlines of crisis response, from the COVID-19 the pandemic and its associated economic, social and fiscal challenges to the growing protests over racial and economic justice and the looming reality of climate change. This session highlights the way urban leaders can best respond to build more inclusive, just and resilient cities and generate the policy innovations that can shape enduring change. Speakers: Richard Florida, Anita McGahan, Shauna Brail, & Supriya Dwivedi
Canada’s Innovation Imperative
This is a recording of the November 9, 2020 event. Innovation contributes to regional and national prosperity and is a well-established economic concept. To succeed in building capacity and strength in this technical realm, government policies must be deliberate, systematic and rooted in expertise. Data shows that Canada missed the shift from the tangible to intangible economy. Moving forward, how can we make sure Canada builds competitive advantage through policy that leverages innovation for tomorrow’s economy? Speakers: Jim Balsillie, Dan Breznitz, Meagan Simpson (moderator).
This is a recording of the November 12, 2020 event. Bank of Canada Senior Deputy Governor Carolyn A. Wilkins outlines how the COVID-19 crisis has damaged economic potential and discusses what will be needed to thrive in the post-pandemic world. Speakers: Carolyn Wilkins, Michael Sabia, Shauna Brail (moderator).
Policymaking Under Uncertainty
This is a recording of the Oct. 14th, 2020 event focused on Policymaking Under Uncertainty. Policymaking is a challenging endeavour under the best of times, as politicians and bureaucrats seek to juggle the need for rapid and innovative interventions on the one hand with democratic accountability on the other. Speakers: Uri Gabai, Darius Ornston, Sylvia Schwaag Serger, and Dan Breznitz
This is a recording of the Jul 16th, 2020 event focused on exploring the short and long term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems. Panelists included Catherine Beaudry, Ben Spigel, Tara Vinodrai, and David Wolfe.
Will COVID-19 Bring Us Together or Blow Us Apart? The Global Security Implications of the Pandemic
This is a recording of the July 7th, 2020 event focused on the national and international security implications of the COVID-19 pandemic. Janice Stein discusses the historical security lessons of previous pandemics and depressions, Jon Lindsay considers emerging military and strategic dangers exacerbated by COVID-19, and Ron Deibert discusses the cybersecurity and surveillance threats associated with the unprecedented relocation of life online.
This is a recording of the June 11, 2020 event focused on how will COVID-19 shape the future of our cities. Join experts Anita McGahan, Shauna Brail (School of Cities), and Nathalie des Rosiers (Massey College), Richard Florida (School of Cities Professor) as they discuss cities after COVID with Marcia Young, host of CBC’s World Report.
This is a recording of the June 11, 2020 event focused on the impact of COVID-19 on higher education. Speakers: Shiri Breznitz, Heike Mayer, Donald Siegel and Elvira Uyarra.
The Future of (Decent?) Work After COVID-19
This is a recording of the May 26, 2020 Munk School / Innovation Policy Lab / CIFAR event focused on the future of work after COVID-19. Speakers: Dan Breznitz, Zabeen Hirji and Peter Warrian.
This is a recording of the May 11th 2020 event focused on “what will the world look like in the wake of COVID-19?” Speakers: Shauna Brail, Anita McGahan, Tara Vinodrai and Shiri Breznitz.
COVID-19 and the World’s Grand Challenges
This is a recording of the May 8th 2020 event focused on “what impact will COVID-19 have on the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?” Speakers: Anita McGahan, Joseph Wong and Karlee Silver.
How is COVID-19 affecting global supply chains?
This is a recording of the April 29th 2020 event focused on “how is COVID-19 affecting supply chains in Canada and around the globe?” Speakers: Dan Breznitz, Shauna Brail and Steven Denney.
Events
Regional Innovation Policies Conference
Aalborg, Denmark, 25-26 March 2021 CANCELLED
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak the conference scheduled for March 25 and 26, 2021 in Aalborg, Denmark has been cancelled. The next RIP Conference is scheduled for Prague in August, 2021. The conference will focus on regions in transformation – as well as transformations in regional innovation policy and new developments in methods for defining and analyzing regions. Submission deadline: 30th November 2020.
May 10-13, 2021 | May 10 – Pre-conference Summer School
Virtual conference
The Partnership for the Organization of Innovation (4POINT0) is organizing the first ‘‘Policies, Processes and Practices for Performance of Innovation Ecosystems” (P4IE) international conference on 10-13 May 2020. Organized around eight highly relevant tracks, the conference offers participants the opportunity to discuss the impact of various technologies, practices, processes and policies, on innovation ecosystems, and the best means by which to design collaborative environments. The goal of the conference is to explore ways to strengthen Canada’s innovation through innovation ecosystems.
Subscriptions & Comments
Please forward this newsletter to anyone you think will find it of value. We look forward to collaborating with you on this initiative. If you would like to comment on, or contribute to, the content, subscribe or unsubscribe, please contact us at ipl.munkschool@utoronto.ca.
This newsletter is prepared by Travis Southin.
Project manager is David A. Wolfe