The two universities have signed a memorandum of understanding to cover the research aims.
The agreement provides a framework for researchers from Otago's Health of Veterans, Serving Personnel and their Families Research Theme, and the Queen's Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research to work closely together on specific research initiatives.
The institute is a leading research body in the field of Canadian military, veteran and family health research.
Signing the memorandum was a "significant milestone'' for the Otago University veterans research theme, Otago research and enterprise deputy vice-chancellor Prof Richard Blaikie said.
Otago was a leading university for international relations, peace and conflict studies, and the health care needs of New Zealand veterans, serving personnel and their families.
Prof Blaikie was "delighted'' that Otago researchers in these fields would be able to work closely with their Canadian colleagues on specific projects, and to share knowledge that could be used to improve outcomes for service personnel, their loved ones and others affected by the results of conflict.
Otago veteran's health director Associate Prof David McBride, of the preventive and social medicine department, said researchers within the theme were "excited'' about the new collaboration.
This was a "very good'' development, and New Zealand could clearly benefit from such links, including because Canadian researchers were studying the effect on families of mental health issues among returning veterans.
This was also a significant matter in this country, and New Zealand had a wider moral duty to care for the overall mental and physical health of returned veterans and their families.
Canada provided significantly more funding to undertake research into the health of veterans than was the case in New Zealand, and New Zealand could also learn from that commitment, Prof McBride said.
The Canadian institute was the hub for nearly 40 Canadian universities, with a "unique approach to building partnerships between academia and those who care for veterans''.
"We can't do better than to strive towards their goal, which is to improve the lives of military personnel, veterans and their families,'' he said.
