COVID-19 Impacts on University Research, Past, Present, and Future: A Case Study at Wilfrid Laurier University

Abstract

University research is one of the main drivers of knowledge creation, innovation, and economic development. In this essay, we examine the impacts of the COVID-19 global pandemic on Wilfrid Laurier University’s (Laurier’s) research community. We provide a firsthand account of events and actions taken to support our researchers through this challenging time. We also reflect upon the near-term future and longer-term prospects for the recovery of research at Laurier. Our university’s experience is not unique in either the Ontario or Canadian contexts. We offer this essay as both a historical accounting and a case study of the pandemic’s impact on this sector of Canadian society.