The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a leading Canadian polytechnic established in the early 1960s. It delivers hands-on, technology-based education in fields such as science, technology, business, health and skilled trades, equipping graduates with the practical skills and knowledge that industry needs. NAIT serves tens of thousands of learners each year and maintains a high employer satisfaction rate, reflecting the strong career readiness of its graduates. From its inception, NAIT’s educational philosophy has coupled theoretical instruction with intensive practical training to produce job-ready graduates who meet the needs of the economy and local communities. This dual focus on applied learning and industry alignment has been central to NAIT’s mandate for more than six decades.
NAIT’s Applied Research division extends the institution’s industry-focused mission by partnering with businesses and government to drive innovation and solve concrete problems. Its research activities concentrate on key economic sectors rooted in Alberta’s and Canada’s natural resource strengths. In collaboration with industry and community partners, NAIT develops solutions that support environmental sustainability and sustainable development. The polytechnic houses several specialized research centres and expert teams, with recognized strengths in areas such as the circular economy, cleaner energy, digital and virtual environments, food product development, advanced industrial automation, and land management and ecological restoration. Through these domains, NAIT Applied Research contributes practical innovation to strengthen natural resource industries and advance emerging technologies. Its approach emphasizes the translation of research into real-world applications and ensures that industry partners retain intellectual property rights for the purpose of commercialization. This collaborative model has positioned NAIT as a critical partner in Alberta’s and Canada’s innovation ecosystem, supporting the transition to a low-carbon, sustainable economy.
In addition to conducting research, NAIT plays an important role as an administrator of research funding programs that foster applied innovation. NAIT leverages its diverse network of government and industry partners to access and manage research grants and funding opportunities, which support the collaborative projects it undertakes with partner organizations. For example, through one of its research centres, NAIT administers a program that provides matching grants to small and medium-sized enterprises to help them develop and deploy new clean energy technologies aimed at modernizing the electrical grid and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This initiative targets themes such as energy efficiency, grid electrification, energy storage, electric vehicle adoption, and smart grid technology, directly supporting the transition to a low-carbon economy. Another NAIT-led program focuses on building capacity for community-driven environmental monitoring: it provides training and support to empower Indigenous communities to lead local environmental stewardship efforts and data collection on ecosystem health. In general, the funding initiatives administered by NAIT align with its strategic priorities – they encourage multidisciplinary applied R&D collaborations in areas like clean energy, environmental sustainability and technological innovation, often leveraging co-investment from industry partners to ensure shared commitment and tangible outcomes. By serving as a delivery agent for these support programs, NAIT helps bridge government funding with on-the-ground research solutions.
Overall, NAIT Applied Research fulfills a dual role as both an educational institution and an innovation catalyst. It not only produces highly skilled graduates, but also helps businesses and communities become more competitive by driving industry-focused research and providing practical technical solutions. With its long history and strong industry relationships, NAIT continues to be an essential player in Alberta’s innovation ecosystem – translating knowledge into practice, fostering sustainable economic development, and acting as a key partner in the delivery of research and innovation support programs.
