In Atlantic Canada, colleges collaborate with one another and with key stakeholders in applied research. We do this with support from Atlantic Colleges Atlantique, the Springboard Atlantic Network and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency. As a small region, we benefit from working together with our partners. We know how important industry and community stakeholders are to the work we do. We also know collaboration drives innovation and socio-economic growth. Stakeholder engagement means involving people who are invested in us and interacting to benefit one another. Levels of engagement can range from communication, consultation, participation, and partnership. This session will focus on best practices in initiating, developing and sustaining strong partnerships in applied research and innovation to increase the competitiveness of Atlantic Canada’s industries.