Year 2 made the research and graduate portfolio more visible, more structured and easier to support. Research themes moved from definition into public-facing implementation, internal funding mechanisms became clearer, Faculty Research Day showcased the breadth of work underway, and graduate-program standards, resources and policies advanced toward a more deliberate quality framework.
What advanced this year
Research themes made visibleThe Drug Discovery and Development webpage and video launched in 2026 featuring 16 researchers; work was already underway on Health Services Research and Pharmacy Education theme pages.
Research support made clearerPilot, bridge and seed supports continued, while matching and supplementary funding was formalized—including up to $15,000 per faculty member per fiscal year when external programs require institutional backing. Direct grant-review and award-nomination support also began.
Graduate quality infrastructureTen draft graduate-program standards across academic program, governance and administration, and resources moved through committee development and broader Faculty engagement. The standards are intended to anchor cyclical quality review, not simply add policy.
Graduate resources & processesThe Graduate Studies Canvas environment was operational by March 2026, with students and faculty added and handbook resources integrated. Committee work also advanced funding policy, admissions timing, and supervisory and examining processes.
The portfolio is moving from isolated supports toward a research-and-graduate ecosystem. Visibility, funding, program standards, information access and community-building increasingly reinforce one another.
For your slides
Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies
Year 2 made the research and graduate portfolio more visible, more structured and easier to support. Research themes moved from definition into public-facing implementation, internal funding mechanisms became clearer, Faculty Research Day showcased the breadth of work underway, and graduate-program standards, resources and policies advanced toward a more deliberate quality framework.
- Research themes made visible: The Drug Discovery and Development webpage and video launched in 2026 featuring 16 researchers; work was already underway on Health Services Research and Pharmacy Education theme pages.
- Research support made clearer: Pilot, bridge and seed supports continued, while matching and supplementary funding was formalized—including up to $15,000 per faculty member per fiscal year when external programs require institutional backing. Direct grant-review and award-nomination support also began.
- Graduate quality infrastructure: Ten draft graduate-program standards across academic program, governance and administration, and resources moved through committee development and broader Faculty engagement. The standards are intended to anchor cyclical quality review, not simply add policy.
- Graduate resources & processes: The Graduate Studies Canvas environment was operational by March 2026, with students and faculty added and handbook resources integrated. Committee work also advanced funding policy, admissions timing, and supervisory and examining processes.
Where this work is taking us
Foundations
Research themes
Internal funding
Graduate handbook/resources
Program-quality work
Research themes
Internal funding
Graduate handbook/resources
Program-quality work
→
Making supports usable
Theme launch
Matching/support rules
Graduate Canvas
10 draft standards
Theme launch
Matching/support rules
Graduate Canvas
10 draft standards
→
Moving toward
Broader research visibility
Stronger researcher support
Additional partnership and funding opportunities
Cyclical graduate QA
Mentorship & career development
Broader research visibility
Stronger researcher support
Additional partnership and funding opportunities
Cyclical graduate QA
Mentorship & career development
What we heard from faculty and staff
Faculty and staff asked for research and graduate processes that are easier to navigate, stronger mentorship and fewer hand-offs. Some of that culture of support is already visible through grant-review and award-nomination assistance. More formal mentorship, broader recognition and graduate career-development programming remain priorities for the next phase.
For your slides
Associate Dean, Research and Graduate Studies
Where this work is taking us
- Foundations: Research themes, Internal funding, Graduate handbook/resources, Program-quality work
- Making supports usable: Theme launch, Matching/support rules, Graduate Canvas, 10 draft standards
- Moving toward: Broader research visibility, Stronger researcher support, Additional partnership and funding opportunities, Cyclical graduate QA, Mentorship & career development
What we heard: Faculty and staff asked for research and graduate processes that are easier to navigate, stronger mentorship and fewer hand-offs. Some of that culture of support is already visible through grant-review and award-nomination assistance. More formal mentorship, broader recognition and graduate career-development programming remain priorities for the next phase.
More detail behind this update
For strategic-lead review. The material below is provided to help you check the evidence and proposed updates to the Research and Graduate Studies monitoring record behind the community-facing brief above. It is not intended as presentation content. The proposed record changes are working updates to be confirmed after September reporting.
Candidate indicators for ongoing monitoring 18 candidates
This is a monitoring-development table, not a KPI scorecard. It brings together the evidence currently available for this portfolio and identifies where measures are strong enough to recur, where they are useful as context, and where new implementation or experience measures still need to be built. Final selections will be confirmed with the strategic lead for Year 3 monitoring.
| Indicator | Current evidence | What it measures | Evidence role | How to interpret it | Suggested use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| External research proposals | 38 → 46 → 70 | External proposals submitted | concurrent output / leading pipeline | Activity not impact | Strong recurring indicator annual |
| External research awards | 11 → 18 → 25 | External awards | concurrent output / leading pipeline | Count does not reflect award size | Strong recurring indicator annual |
| External award rate | 29% → 39% → 36% | Awards / proposals | pipeline diagnostic | Small denominator and timing effects | Supporting diagnostic annual |
| Tri-Council research revenue | $1.76M → $1.93M → $2.11M | CIHR+NSERC+SSHRC institutional revenue | concurrent financial output | Revenue recognition lags/differs from award decisions | Strong recurring indicator annual |
| CIHR revenue | $1.56M → $1.65M → $1.85M (2023-24 to 2025-26) | CIHR institutional revenue category | concurrent financial output | Revenue, not new award value | Strong supporting indicator annual |
| NSERC revenue | $0.20M → $0.28M → $0.26M | NSERC institutional revenue category | concurrent financial output | Revenue, not new award value | Supporting indicator annual |
| Journal articles + reviews | 122 → 126 → 144 | Validated unique Faculty journal articles/reviews | concurrent scholarly output | Calendar year; no causal attribution | Strong recurring indicator annual |
| Academic Faculty journal articles/reviews | 105 → 116 → 138 unique works involving Academic Faculty | Unique J+A/R works involving Academic Faculty | concurrent scholarly output | Group total non-additive with ATS | Strong portfolio indicator annual |
| Academic Faculty median publications/person | 4.0 → 4.5 → 5.5 core publications/person | Median author-level output per rostered Academic Faculty | concurrent scholarly output | Skewed field; median preferred to mean; core includes more than J+A/R | Supporting diagnostic annual |
| ATS scholarly contribution | 19 → 12 → 9 unique journal articles/reviews involving ATS | Unique J+A/R works involving ATS | concurrent scholarly output | Not a research expectation for ATS | Context only annual |
| Graduate fall headcount | 54 → 46 → 50 | Graduate-program fall headcount | annual program context | Scale, not quality | Supporting recurring indicator annual |
| Graduate degrees granted | 2024 MSc 7 / PhD 8; 2025 MSc 5 / PhD 4 | Calendar-year degrees | annual program output | Small cohorts; year-to-year volatility | Strong recurring descriptive indicator annual |
| Graduate completion/time to completion | MSc latest: 80% on time, 2.63 yrs, n=5; PhD separate | Cohort completion and time | lagging cohort outcome | Always show n | Strong diagnostic annual |
| Support for research roles | 2.3/5 baseline 2025 | Faculty & Staff Survey support rating | historical baseline | No 2026 repeat | Baseline awaiting repeat survey cycle |
| Support for graduate-studies roles | 2.4/5 baseline 2025 | Faculty & Staff Survey support rating | historical baseline | No 2026 repeat | Baseline awaiting repeat survey cycle |
| Grant-review/support reach | Direct grant-review and award-nomination support began; no governed count | Applicants receiving structured review/support | implementation / reach | Reach not success | Indicator to develop now annual |
| Graduate quality-review implementation | 10 draft graduate standards advanced | Standards approved/implemented and programs reviewed against them | implementation / reach | Completion of standards is not itself a student outcome | Indicator to develop now annual |
| Research mentorship/development reach | Future priority; no series | Participation in research mentorship/workshops | implementation / reach | Needs definition | Indicator to develop annual |
Full working inventory: download the candidate-indicator dataset →
Research visibility, funding and community
The June strategic-plan communication and Research Committee records show implementation rather than aspiration: the first research-theme page/video launched, matching/supplementary support was formalized, pilot/bridge/seed mechanisms continued, and Research Day provided a recurring community showcase.
Graduate quality and information infrastructure
Graduate Committee evidence documents an operational Canvas environment, handbook integration, development of 10 program standards, funding-policy work, revised international admissions timing and evolving supervisory/examining expectations. This allows the brief to say what changed rather than simply “quality work advanced.”
Support culture: implemented versus future
The current Associate Dean reported already interviewing colleagues, identifying award candidates and arranging grant review. Formal mentorship programs, additional workshops, recognition systems, a research FAQ and graduate career-development offerings were described as priorities/hopes and therefore remain future direction, not new project rows.
Proposed updates to the project monitoring record
These are proposed updates to the existing monitoring record, reconstructed from the full evidence review. They are not new assignments and remain pending lead confirmation after September reporting.
| Existing project/activity | Current record | Evidence found | Proposed updated description/status/note | Treatment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Create research and grad study service dashboards to improve support for faculty and staff Optimizing funding strategies, infrastructure, research operational processes | complete | Internal research support was formalized/refined through pilot, bridge/seed and matching/supplementary mechanisms; matching support was documented at up to $15,000 per faculty member per fiscal year when external programs require institutional backing. | Update the row to reflect the current support mechanisms and keep active where the funding program remains recurring. | Update existing row |
| Establish dedicated entrance scholarship Optimizing funding strategies, infrastructure, research operational processes | complete dedicated ongoing entrance scholarship budget established; first two cohorts admitted 2025 | Internal research support was formalized/refined through pilot, bridge/seed and matching/supplementary mechanisms; matching support was documented at up to $15,000 per faculty member per fiscal year when external programs require institutional backing. | Update the row to reflect the current support mechanisms and keep active where the funding program remains recurring. | Update existing row |
| Establish robust TA processes to support guaranteed funding for graduate students Optimizing funding strategies, infrastructure, research operational processes | complete dedicated ongoing RA and TA budget established | Internal research support was formalized/refined through pilot, bridge/seed and matching/supplementary mechanisms; matching support was documented at up to $15,000 per faculty member per fiscal year when external programs require institutional backing. | Update the row to reflect the current support mechanisms and keep active where the funding program remains recurring. | Update existing row |
| Establish Novartis summer studentship opportunites Optimizing funding strategies, infrastructure, research operational processes | in progress Term of reference is being drafted with Novartis to create oportunities for undergrad and grad students to access funding for research; creates pipline for PharmD students to gain research experinces (focus is health services) | Internal research support was formalized/refined through pilot, bridge/seed and matching/supplementary mechanisms; matching support was documented at up to $15,000 per faculty member per fiscal year when external programs require institutional backing. | Update the row to reflect the current support mechanisms and keep active where the funding program remains recurring. | Update existing row |
| Define process for recieving support for grant writing Optimizing funding strategies, infrastructure, research operational processes | in progress Grant writing support is available externally and internally. The process will define where and the steps to take to access support based on your staff category (Academic Faculty vs. Academic Teaching Staff). The goal is to ensure support is availble for any eligible FoPPS Faculty member to be able to access support if needed. | Internal research support was formalized/refined through pilot, bridge/seed and matching/supplementary mechanisms; matching support was documented at up to $15,000 per faculty member per fiscal year when external programs require institutional backing. | Update the row to reflect the current support mechanisms and keep active where the funding program remains recurring. | Update existing row |
| Developing support for innovation, translation, and commercialization Developing supports for innovation, translation, and commercialization | complete Associate Dean working with presidential task force as representative of College of Health sciences to develop term of reference; develop incentives to be part of innovation so that PIs are now the main benificiary; terms of reference has been completed provides more infrastructure and financial support; | 4.1 Having meaningful engagement, impact, and recognition within our communities through service, partnerships, and relationships. | Community Engagement | 6 | 0 | | 1 | | 0 | 0 | | 6 | 0 | | Teaching and Leanring | TL5 Documented plan to increase intra- an… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Facilitate access to innovation supports created at the university Developing supports for innovation, translation, and commercialization | complete feedback process was completed | 4.1 Having meaningful engagement, impact, and recognition within our communities through service, partnerships, and relationships. | Community Engagement | 6 | 0 | | 1 | | 0 | 0 | | 6 | 0 | | Teaching and Leanring | TL5 Documented plan to increase intra- an… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Establish research themes Developing the faculty's research identity | complete Themes of drug discovery and development and health services research have been established | The Drug Discovery and Development research-theme webpage and video launched in 2026, featuring 16 researchers; work on Health Services Research and Pharmacy Education themes was already underway. | Update the row from theme definition toward public implementation/visibility, with two remaining theme builds still active. | Update existing row |
| Identify research theme leads with responsibilities for supporting internal and external collaboration Developing the faculty's research identity | complete Drug discovery and development lead is Dr. Afsaneh Lavasanifar; search ongoing for health services; Research commitee created the TOR to establish roles for supporting collaboartion inside and out of the faculty | Developing the faculty's research identity | Identify research theme leads with responsibilities for supporting internal and external collaboration | "1.2 Being recognized provincially, nationally, and internationally for quality and innovative graduate and… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Create website presence for research themes Developing the faculty's research identity | in progress responsibility for Drug discovery page development is now assigned to the lead and they will be supported to create the first page | The Drug Discovery and Development research-theme webpage and video launched in 2026, featuring 16 researchers; work on Health Services Research and Pharmacy Education themes was already underway. | Update the row from theme definition toward public implementation/visibility, with two remaining theme builds still active. | Update existing row |
| Ongoing development of pharmacy education theme Developing the faculty's research identity | in progress plan for establishing pharmacy education theme is underdevelopment | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Teaching and Leanring | TL7 Documented plan to leverage and expand our strengths in training learners in primary care (including full scope of practice and emerging roles). | 0 | TL7.1 Expanded learning opportunities for advanced r… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Establish intial relationships between themes and the college Developing the faculty's research identity | complete First relationship has been established with the creation of a college wide research theme in Drug Discovery and Development | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Teaching and Leanring | TL8 Curriculum and learning environment EDII gap analysis completed. | 0 | TL8.1 Priority gaps closed and achieving CCAPP standards in alignment with the University’s Indigenous and EDII Strategic Plans (e.g… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Outreach opportunties for FY2026 identified and enacted Outreach to grow international connections and relationships | in progress DDD Lead is meeting with UAE universties to provide seminar on our research; Associate Dean has met with edmonton global as college representative who represents M42 Advancing innovation in health, for people and the planet; plans for ongoing discussions; Application process has been clarified and will be communicated to researchers; Wenzhou university visit (China) to explore opportunites for collaboration | Outreach to grow international connections and relationships | Outreach opportunties for FY2026 identified and enacted | 2.1 Being globally recognized for innovative research in drug discovery & development., "2.2 Being leaders in impactful pharmacy practic… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Wenzhou research and program collaboration project Establish new relationships with international partners to grow research and program collaboration | in progress formal relationships for research and program collaboration already exist with Medicine; Wenzhou site vist planned with opportuites to meet president's visiting team (president is a highly accomplished pharmaceultical scientist); MOU is in development | Establish new relationships with international partners to grow research and program collaboration | Wenzhou research and program collaboration project | 2.1 Being globally recognized for innovative research in drug discovery & development., "2.2 Being lead… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Global summer studentship (undergrad) program participation Establish new relationships with international partners to grow research and program collaboration | in progress FoPPS will participate and is now seeking volunteers to support delivery of pharmacy components who will be offered honoraria to take part | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Research and Inovation | RI1 Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science is committed to key research themes (existing and emerging). | 3 | RI1.1 Enhanced partnerships and international recognition in focused research themes. | … | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Establish operational resource/responsibilties to lead development of responsibilities Growing formal continuous and co education opportunities (e.g. certificates, microcredentials, course based masters) | in progress | Developing the faculty's research identity | Identify research theme leads with responsibilities for supporting internal and external collaboration | "1.2 Being recognized provincially, nationally, and internationally for quality and innovative graduate and… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Develop Graduate Program Standards Establish Graduate Studies Evaluation Plan | in progress Draft FoPPS specific graduate program standards are under review at the committee | Ten draft graduate-program standards spanning academic program, governance/administration and resources moved through committee development and broader Faculty engagement. | Update the row to reflect the developed 10-standard framework and ongoing confirmation/adoption work. | Update existing row |
| Develop Graduate Program Outcomes Establish Graduate Studies Evaluation Plan | in progress Draft FoPPS specific graduate degree learning outcomes are under review at the committee | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Research and Inovation | RI2 Optimized funding strategies, infrastructure, research operational processes, financial and non-financial supports. | 3 | RI2.1 Faculty satisfaction with funding strategies, infrastructure, research ope… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Define Graduate Program Evaluation Plan Establish Graduate Studies Evaluation Plan | not started Comprehensive baseline for program quality, diversity, and student success established. EDI-centred evaluation metrics implemented for all graduate recruitment. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Research and Inovation | RI3 Increased funding success across diversified sources. | 0 | RI3.1 Continued funding success across diversified sources. | 0 | | Establish Graduate Studies Evaluation Plan | Define Graduate Program Evalu… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Start implementation of Graduate Program Evaluation Plan Establish Graduate Studies Evaluation Plan | not started 5-year review framework adopted; Data-informed roadmap for program improvement and resource allocation finalized. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Research and Inovation | RI4 Increased interdisciplinary and international research. | 0 | RI4.1 Leadership in interdisciplinary and international research. | 0 | | Establish Graduate Studies Evaluation Plan | Start implementation … | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Identify opportunities for indigenization Indigenization of Graduate Studies in Pharmacy | in progress notes from multiple consultaions about considerations and oppotunities for Indigenizing the graduate programs have been generated and will be discussed at a Fall Grad studies committee meeting; | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Research and Inovation | RI5 Well established support and acknowledgement for innovation, translation, and commercialization. | 1 | RI5.1 Innovation, translation, and commercialization initiatives resourced and underway. | 1 | | In… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Graduate Student Handbook Update Optimizing operational processes in Graduate Studies | in progress Graduate Program Handbook has been reviewed and is almost fully updated | The graduate handbook was reviewed through Graduate Studies Committee and connected to the graduate Canvas resource environment. | Update to near-complete/implementation and confirm final publication/maintenance responsibility. | Update existing row |
| Create a new Gradiate Student Portal to house all graduate program information and to provide student services Optimizing operational processes in Graduate Studies | in progress Consultations with the Faculty's EdTech and Assessment support unit are in progress and a canvas page similar to what is used in the undergrad program is underdevelopment. | The Graduate Studies Canvas environment was reported operational by March 2026, with graduate students/faculty added and handbook/resources being integrated. | Update from development to implementation/ongoing maintenance of the graduate information environment. | Update existing row |
| Streamlining Graduate Student Admissions Optimizing operational processes in Graduate Studies | in progress Admission deadlines have been adjusted and work is ongoing to transfer appropriate adminitrative operations to FGPS | Graduate admissions processes continued to be adjusted, including revised international deadlines in response to study-permit and deferral timing. | Update the process row with the revised international admissions timing and retain as an ongoing process-improvement activity. | Update existing row |
| Revise protocols graduate program exams Optimizing operational processes in Graduate Studies | complete protocls have been created and circulated to guide how to chair graduate student exams | | | | | | | | | | | | | | People and Culture | PC3 Mentorship plan implemented for new and existing academic staff. | 0 | PC3.1. Mentorship program evaluation completed and recommendations implemented. | 0 | | Optimizing operational processes in Graduate St… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Graduate exam observer policy and guidelines Optimizing operational processes in Graduate Studies | in progress These guidelines are in development and will be considered at a Fall term committee meeting | | | | | | | | | | | | | | People and Culture | PC4 Academic staff, guest lecturers, lab facilitators, preceptors, and support staff professional development opportunities implemented. | 0 | | | | Optimizing operational processes in Graduate Studies | Gradua… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
| Graduate Funding Framework Optimizing operational processes in Graduate Studies | in progress Approved minumum fudning policy model voted on by FC and implemented | Internal research support was formalized/refined through pilot, bridge/seed and matching/supplementary mechanisms; matching support was documented at up to $15,000 per faculty member per fiscal year when external programs require institutional backing. | Update the row to reflect the current support mechanisms and keep active where the funding program remains recurring. | Update existing row |
| Process for offereing/dropping graduate courses and communicating course offerings Optimizing operational processes in Graduate Studies | in progress Approved policies and circulated to the faculty. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | People and Culture | PC6 Communication strategy and Faculty Code of Conduct established. | 0 | PC6.1 Communication strategies and Faculty Code of Conduct evaluated and recommendations implemented. | 0 | | Optimizing operational pro… | Retain the current monitoring record and confirm current status/ownership with the strategic lead after September reporting. | Retain / confirm |
No separate new project row currently meets the strict evidence threshold. Download the working reconciliation dataset →
Evidence completeness and reporting boundary
This revision was reconstructed from the explicit 387-file source inventory and six-portfolio evidence ledger rather than from the previous brief prose. The formal reporting boundary is August 31, 2026. September material is used only where it reports an outcome from the completed reporting period, corroborates work already underway, or describes next-cycle direction. Examples from newsletters illustrate the work but are not treated as additional strategic projects.