Illustration of an icon showing multiple stacked vertical bars (a bar chart), with an upward trending curved line sweeping across them and a red radar-style target symbol at the top right, representing the RIG

Community Engagement

Built with Canada’s research and education community. Stronger together.  

Strong community engagement is central to delivering cybersecurity programs and services that are relevant, trusted, and effective across Canada’s research and education (R&E) sector. 

Cybersecurity risks are shared, but institutions vary widely in size, capacity, and exposure. No single organization can address these challenges alone, and national initiatives are only effective when they reflect real operational experience. 

Through structured, ongoing engagement with institutions and practitioners, CANARIE creates space to identify shared priorities, test ideas, learn together, and build confidence before scaling initiatives nationally. 

CANARIE’s engagement model is built on open conversations, shared learning, and practical collaboration. Each engagement pathway  plays a distinct role in ensuring national cybersecurity efforts reflect what institutions need and can support – helping the community move forward – stronger, together. 

Community Engagement Pathways 

Each engagement activity has a clear role – from shaping direction and testing ideas to learning directly from practitioners. Together, they help ensure national cybersecurity initiatives are practical, trusted, and transparent, while delivering real value to research and post-secondary institutions. 

Institutional Cybersecurity Advisory Council (ICAC)
Institutional Cybersecurity Advisory Council (ICAC)

Strategic advice and institutional perspective

Leaders selected from across Canada to inform national cybersecurity priorities by sharing emerging risks, trends, and on-the-ground experience, so that CANARIE’s services reflects real institutional needs.

Benefits:

  • Institutional insight to inform national cybersecurity priorities
  • A broad range of perspectives reflected in program design
  • More informed, coordinated decision-making across the sector

Explore the ICAC →

Research-Intensive Group (RIG)
Research-Intensive Group (RIG)

Collaborative innovation and capability building

A member-funded community focused on co-developing cybersecurity innovation by exploring ideas, piloting approaches, and building evidence before solutions are scaled nationally.

Benefits:

  • Safe piloting of new ideas and approaches
  • Evidence to support scalable national services
  • Stronger cybersecurity capability across the ecosystem

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Expert Advisors
(coming soon)
Expert Advisors
(coming soon)

Targeted expertise and specialized insight

Focused, time-limited, technical, operational, or strategic expertise on specific cybersecurity topics where deeper or external insight is needed.

Expert Advisors may support program design, participate in pilots, or analyze emerging issues.

Benefits:

  • Access to leading practices and specialized expertise
  • Informed decisions on complex or emerging topics
  • Agile support without added structural complexity
Focus Groups
Focus Groups

Practitioner input and issue-specific discussion

Bringing together practitioners for short-term, topic-focused discussions on specific topics, opportunities, or challenges.

They provide practical insight into operational realities and help test assumptions before services are launched or refined.

Benefits:

  • Early practitioner feedback and validation
  • Better alignment with real-world operational needs
  • More effective and usable services
Global Engagement
Global Engagement

International insight and trusted networks

Collaboration with Global Research and Education Networks and international cybersecurity communities to connect Canadian institutions with global insight and experience.

These collaborations translate global trends and practices into sector-relevant guidance and ensure Canadian perspectives are represented internationally.

Benefits:

  • Access to global cybersecurity insight and experience
  • Alignment with evolving international practices and standards
  • Better preparedness for emerging and future risks

Program News

October 13, 2023

Preparing for the worst: The Crucial Role of Incident Response Plans and Tabletop Exercises

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July 20, 2021

Choosing Our Words Carefully

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July 19, 2021

New Funding to Deliver Intrusion Detection Systems to Canada’s Research and Education Sector

Read More