The University of Ottawa's School of Management plans to launch this fall a new centre intended to help commercialize new products and address the long-standing criticism that the local tech sector lacks management depth.

"We hope to do leading-edge teaching research on the management of science and technology-based enterprises," said Michael Kelly, dean of the school of management.

He added that the centre has three objectives:

* Carry out research in these specific areas

* Develop a curriculum for both undergrad and graduate programs in addition to reaching out to local executives working in these domains

* Build linkages with other faculties in the university such as engineering and science to leverage their resources

Reaching out to local executives will be a key part of the program, Mr. Kelly said, as it will offer a new forum in the city to discuss management issues affecting research-oriented companies.

"We can use Ottawa as part of our learning lab. We see the centre as being something that can contribute to Ottawa's growth in management training, " said Mr. Kelly. "For us, it's a way to tie the local industry more closely to our own program as well as provide research and education that relates to the needs of the industry."

Industry associations such as the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation are looking forward to the centre's opening.

OCRI president Jeffrey Dale said universities are expanding their programs on innovation and commercialization across the country with research centres, and is pleased the University of Ottawa has added this element to its programming. He is supportive of how the new centres are being used across different faculties to provide students with a better perspective on the fundamentals of business.

"I'm very supportive of the new centre and I'm sure we will be closely working with the university," said Mr. Dale.

The school of management's new Centre for Innovation, Commercialization and Enterprise Development will start off with three professorships.

RBC Financial was the first corporate sponsor to come onboard and provide the university with the money to create the RBC Financial Group Professorship in Commercialization and Innovation. Mr. Kelly says an announcement is pending as to who will take on this position.

The other two professorships have also received funding.

Deloitte and Touche LLP's professorship will be in the management of growth enterprises, while Paul Desmarais and Power Corp. of Canada has put up the money for a professorship to focus on management-based technology firms.

The university is recruiting for both of these professorships and hopes to have the positions filled by the summer.

"We're looking to bring in several senior, research-based people," said Mr. Kelly.

The names of the new professors will likely not be announced until the centre launches in September.

Beyond the professorships, the school of management will also be conducting fundraising campaigns to support the centre's operations on an ongoing basis.