 AIC Monthly Report
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News and Notes
It's AIC Membership Renewal Time Watch for your 2013 membership renewal notice in your inbox early next week. AIC values your continuing support of our mission to broaden society's knowledge and use of science and agriculture. Scientific Journals  AIC staff members Tim Fenton and Frances Rodenburg, along with Board member Lianne Dwyer, have had a series of productive meetings with NRC Research Press (Canadian Science Publishing) staff to discuss potential areas of cooperation and investment to strengthen and support our scientific journals. NRC Research Press publishes 15 scientific journals itself, giving it the resources for staff who specialize in marketing/subscription sales, content development, promotion, and press releases/social media on articles of significant scientific and public interest. Watch for an update in the new year.
AIC Weekly Notes We encourage you to tell colleagues about AIC Weekly Notes and how they can subscribe free of charge. AIC receives a portion of advertising revenues, and the more subscribers we have, the more companies that will consider our newsletter a good investment. Thank you! Hay East Thanks to AIC members who contributed to the AIC Foundation's fundraising efforts for Hay East . Your support is greatly appreciated! Back to top |
Foreign Accreditation Review Completed
 | | Food and Nutrition Sciences Department, KFU |
AIC recruited a strong Site Review team to conduct a 4-day onsite review of the programs in the Food and Nutrition Sciences Department of King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia in mid-October. The review included a study of the curriculum, infrastructure, equipment and support, as well as interviews with faculty, staff, university officials, employers, students and graduates.
Upon their return to Canada the team prepared a report and recommendations, which were presented to the AIC Accreditation Committee. The Committee supported the recommendation to grant AIC Accreditation Substantial Equivalency to the Food Science and Technology program at King Saud. This means that the Committee has judged the programs to be of comparable quality to those of Canadian universities in the same area.
The site review team noted in particular that the program is well supported by the university and achieves its stated goals and objectives, the faculty are active in teaching, research and service, and the students believe the faculty are knowledgeable, dedicated and approachable.
Our thanks to the accreditation team of Dr. Bryan Harvey, Director of the AIC Accreditation Program, Dr. Michael Trevan, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba, Dr. Robert Tyler, Professor, Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Sciences, University of Saskatchewan and Tom Beach, AIC's former Accreditation Program Manager.
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AIC International Project Proposal Development Group
 In a response to a proposed discussion on the way forward, several Canadian Project Coordinators participated in a conference call on November 27. The group wanted to discuss the delayed call for proposals from CIDA and action that AIC could take to maintain communication and the vitality of the international partnerships that were developed through our International Twinning Partnership Program over the past decade.
The group discussed the current situation at CIDA, where project proposal calls are unscheduled and there is an extremely long process period for approvals. They also identified volunteer activities to monitor and respond to potential funding opportunities and to maintain communication with partners and provide support for research, papers, posters, references and other activities.
The group is committed to building contacts and identifying the most effective strategy for responding to appropriate calls for proposals. Strategies may include a group AIC proposal, a proposal from a scientific society or a proposal partnering with other organizations or institutions (e.g. universities, non-governmental organizations).
AIC is currently unable to sustain staff positions for the International Program due to lack of funding. However, once a strategy is developed for a call for proposals, the group will assess the resources needed and will present a business case to AIC requesting the resources to develop the proposal.
The group will communicate through emails and a conference call the first Monday of the month at noon EST. The first call will be on Monday, January 7th at noon EST. Anyone wishing to join the project development group can email Tom Beach before December 31. Tom has left AIC, but will continue to assist the international program in a volunteer capacity.
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