Canadian universities face significant financial shortfalls and a cap on international students, and must compete for the attention of a new government battling many fronts ¨C but stand to benefit enormously from the plight of rival institutions in the US suffering under Donald Trump.

In such a world of ¡°flux¡±, it is easy to see why Daniel Jutras, new chair of the U15 organisation of Canadian research universities, said the group finds itself at a ¡°crossroads¡±.

¡°It¡¯s a major challenge, obviously,¡± he told?Times Higher Education.?¡°We certainly are in turbulent times and there are matters to be concerned about, but there are also great opportunities. What leading research universities can contribute most to Canada is to assist the government in addressing the present challenges that are unprecedented.¡±

Both?the election campaign and prime minister Mark Carney¡¯s first few months in the job?have been dominated by relations with the White House. But Jutras, rector of the University of Montreal,?said the?messages so far are positive?and that universities stand ready to further Carney¡¯s aim to boost homegrown prosperity, innovation and productivity.

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¡°We¡¯re hoping that this will translate into sustained funding, in particular in relation to critical fields that will be front and centre over the next few years.¡±

Jutras, who obtained one of his law degrees from Harvard University, said it was a source of concern and sadness to see colleagues at top US institutions suffering.

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Trump¡¯s cuts to US research have impacted institutions all over the world ¨C including Canada. But the country¡¯s higher education sector has benefitted by recruiting top academics from south of the border.

Susan Tighe, the new head of?U15 member?McMaster University, recently?said she wanted to focus on recruiting ¡°the next set of stars¡± rather than established researchers.

Jutras said universities in the group should act on ¡°both fronts¡±, adding: ¡°There is a capacity for us right now to bring top level scholars to Canada and build the talent, but the reality is that not all of those high-level scholars and researchers are very mobile.

¡°They have families, and they have commitments, established labs and teams, and so I think it¡¯s reasonable to imagine that we¡¯ll be even more successful in recruiting early career scholars.¡±

However, these opportunities come at a time?when federal caps on international students continue to dampen demand?and impact budgets. Jutras said there is a perception that Canada is no longer as welcoming to overseas students.

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¡°I think indeed there is some good news and some bad news flowing from this, and the good news is that we¡¯re able actually to pull out the very best opportunities that are created by this uncertain context in the US.¡±

Ahead of Carney¡¯s first budget later this year, U15 have urged the government to rebuild Canada¡¯s immigration system to attract the best and brightest minds through a ¡°distinctions-based approach¡± that rewards institutional excellence and helps rebuild its international reputation.

Previous U15 chair, Peter Stoicheff, president of the University of Saskatchewan, oversaw a period of huge global change during his time in the role. And Jutras, whose two-year term began on 1 September and who takes over at a time of continued geopolitical and technological uncertainty, said he was ¡°prepared for everything¡±.

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¡°We really don¡¯t know what¡¯s coming, but the reality is that we¡¯ve seen quite a lot of stuff over the past five years.

¡°I think research universities in particular are very resilient in that context and I¡¯m personally hopeful that my colleagues and I will be able to navigate that period quite effectively and take advantage of the opportunities that it generates.¡±

A civil and comparative lawyer by training, Jutras will be the first chair of the U15 to have a legal background?and he said he feels able to ¡°ask good questions¡± from an outsider¡¯s perspective.

¡°This is a very consensual organisation,¡± he added. ¡°My role as president is not to impose my views, it really is to bring out the consensus that comes from the expertise from all of these fields and from all of these universities.¡±

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patrick.jack@timeshighereducation.com