Canada’s Research Goals: Clarivate, a global leader in research analytics and innovation intelligence, has formed a significant partnership with the Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) to advance Canada’s academic and scientific research landscape. This collaboration enables 55 Canadian universities and research institutions to access Clarivate’s Web of Science platform and related tools, empowering Canadian scholars, researchers, and policymakers to explore, analyze, and amplify their work with greater depth and precision.
This partnership, running from 2025 through 2029, not only enhances research accessibility but also strengthens Canada’s position on the global innovation stage. It fosters a more transparent, collaborative, and impactful research ecosystem—one that benefits students, academics, industry professionals, and government stakeholders alike.
Canada’s Research Goals
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Partnership | Clarivate & Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) |
| Contract Term | 2025–2029 |
| Institutions Covered | 55 Canadian universities and research institutions |
| Key Resources Accessed | Web of Science Core Collection, Derwent Innovations Index, Policy Citation Index, Web of Science API |
| Benefits | Improved research discovery, patent analytics, policy impact tracking, enhanced collaboration |
| Strategic Goals | Strengthening Canadian research capacity, improving innovation measurement, facilitating policy-relevant research |
| Official Link | Clarivate-CRKN Announcement |
The Clarivate-CRKN partnership is a landmark development that enhances the Canadian research ecosystem by broadening access to world-class research and innovation tools. It not only supports academic excellence but also bridges the gap between research, innovation, and policymaking. As Canada seeks to assert itself as a global leader in knowledge and innovation, initiatives like this ensure that institutions, researchers, and industries have the resources they need to succeed.
With enhanced access to Clarivate’s Web of Science and patent analytics, Canadian research communities can more effectively collaborate, innovate, and demonstrate impact—benefiting students, professionals, and society at large.
Understanding the Partnership: Clarivate and CRKN
The Canadian Research Knowledge Network (CRKN) is a not-for-profit consortium established to negotiate access to digital research content and services on behalf of Canada’s universities and research institutions. It pools resources to provide affordable, wide-ranging access to scholarly databases, journals, and analytics tools that individual institutions might not afford alone.
Clarivate’s Web of Science platform is one of the world’s leading multidisciplinary research databases, containing over 21,000 peer-reviewed journals and indexing more than 100 million records spanning sciences, social sciences, arts, and humanities. This platform also offers powerful citation analytics tools used worldwide to evaluate research impact and scholarly collaboration.
By partnering with CRKN, Clarivate ensures that Canadian institutions can access these resources without prohibitive individual licensing fees, fostering greater equity in research opportunities across provinces and disciplines.
Why This Partnership Is a Milestone for Canadian Research
Canada’s research environment is dynamic, with significant investments from government and private sectors alike. According to Statistics Canada, in 2022:
- Canada’s Gross Domestic Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) was approximately CAD 38.2 billion, representing 1.7% of GDP.
- The country employs over 250,000 professionals in R&D roles across universities, industry, and government.
- Canada consistently ranks in the top 10 OECD countries for research output, contributing to about 4–5% of global scientific publications.
Yet, despite these strengths, researchers in smaller institutions or less funded disciplines often face barriers to accessing comprehensive research databases. This partnership addresses that gap, enabling more equitable access to tools that can reveal trends, support innovation, and inform evidence-based policy.
Exploring the Tools: What CRKN Members Gain Access To
This partnership grants CRKN members access to several high-impact Clarivate products:
1. Web of Science Core Collection
The Core Collection provides access to the most prestigious journals and conference proceedings. It enables users to:
- Conduct deep literature searches across disciplines.
- Identify high-impact research through citation counts.
- Discover collaboration networks and research trends.
This is invaluable for students conducting literature reviews, researchers tracking developments in their field, and institutions assessing faculty research productivity.
2. Derwent Innovations Index
The Derwent Innovations Index offers global patent data and analytics, allowing innovators and businesses to:
- Track technological advancements and patent trends.
- Analyze competitive landscapes.
- Inform R&D and intellectual property (IP) strategy.
Canada’s innovation ecosystem benefits as startups, SMEs, and established firms gain better insights into patent landscapes, aiding commercialization efforts.
3. Policy Citation Index
The Policy Citation Index connects academic research with policy documents from governments, international agencies, and NGOs. This tool helps:
- Policymakers assess the influence of scientific research on regulations.
- Researchers understand how their work shapes societal outcomes.
- Institutions demonstrate broader impacts of their research.
4. Web of Science API
This application programming interface allows institutions to:
- Integrate Web of Science data into institutional research management systems.
- Automate reporting and benchmarking.
- Develop customized dashboards for tracking research impact.
This technical capability supports data-driven decision-making at research offices and funding bodies.
Practical Benefits for Stakeholders
For Researchers and Academics
- Comprehensive Research Discovery: Access a broader and more diverse range of journals and conference proceedings, including top-tier and emerging publications.
- Citation Analytics: Understand how your work is cited, identify key influencers, and find potential collaborators globally.
- Funding and Collaboration Insights: Use analytics to find funding trends and successful collaborators to boost research proposals.
For Students
- Enhanced Learning: Access authoritative sources for assignments, theses, and projects.
- Research Skills Development: Learn to use advanced research databases early in academic careers, a skill valuable for future jobs.
For Industry Innovators
- Patent Intelligence: Use patent data to navigate competitive tech landscapes and reduce R&D risks.
- Market Insights: Align innovation efforts with emerging trends identified through citation and patent analysis.
For Policymakers and Government
- Evidence-Based Policy: Leverage data showing how research influences policies.
- Transparency and Impact: Measure societal benefits of publicly funded research.
How to Maximize These Resources: A Step-by-Step Guide for Users
If you are part of a CRKN member institution, follow these steps to fully leverage the partnership benefits:
- Access Through Your Library
Visit your university or institution’s library website. CRKN membership means the Web of Science and related tools are often linked directly from the library portal. - Authenticate Your Access
Use your institutional credentials (university email and password) to log in. - Use Advanced Search Options
Refine searches by author, institution, publication year, funding source, and more to pinpoint relevant articles and patents. - Explore Citation Networks
Use citation mapping tools to visualize how ideas and research influence the field and identify collaboration patterns. - Set Alerts
Subscribe to alerts for new publications or patents in your research area to stay updated without manual searches. - Leverage APIs for Data Integration
For research administrators or IT professionals, use the Web of Science API to build custom analytics dashboards or integrate data with institutional repositories. - Attend Training Sessions
Many institutions offer workshops or webinars on maximizing the Web of Science platform—take advantage of these to boost your research effectiveness.
Aligning with Canada’s National Research and Innovation Strategy
This partnership supports Canada’s Innovation and Skills Plan, which aims to build a stronger research infrastructure and improve the translation of research into economic and social benefits. Key goals aligned with this initiative include:
- Increasing open science and public access to research.
- Encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration to solve complex societal problems.
- Developing metrics that measure the broader impact of research, not just publication volume.
By making Clarivate’s tools widely available, CRKN and Clarivate help Canada meet these goals more efficiently.
Additional Data and Facts
- A 2023 study by Research Infosource Inc. ranked Canada as the 7th largest research country globally by output volume.
- Canada’s Tri-Council funding agencies (NSERC, SSHRC, CIHR) emphasize research impact and public engagement in grant evaluations, increasing the value of tools that demonstrate influence beyond academia.
- According to Clarivate’s own data, Web of Science users reported a 20% increase in successful grant applications when leveraging citation and patent analytics.
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FAQs About Canada’s Research Goals
What is CRKN, and how does it work?
CRKN is a cooperative network of Canadian universities that negotiates licenses for digital research content and platforms. It saves costs and expands access for member institutions.
Who benefits from this partnership?
Students, faculty, researchers, research administrators, industry innovators, and policymakers affiliated with CRKN member institutions benefit directly.
How can I find out if my institution is a CRKN member?
Check the CRKN official Members List or consult your university library.
Is this partnership open access?
No, but it significantly lowers access barriers for Canadian institutions. The broader research community benefits as Canadian research becomes more visible globally.
What makes Clarivate’s Web of Science unique?
It combines vast, curated bibliometric data with analytics tools trusted by governments, universities, and industries worldwide for assessing research quality and impact.
