In recognition of its robust dedication to financial engagement, the Affiliation of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) designated UNC Greensboro as an Innovation & Financial Prosperity (IEP) College. The nationwide designation acknowledges public analysis universities working with private and non-private sector companions of their states and areas to assist financial improvement via a wide range of actions, together with innovation and entrepreneurship, know-how switch, expertise and workforce improvement, and group improvement.
“UNCG has lengthy been an engine for financial prosperity for the Piedmont Triad area and welcomes this official recognition of our transformative impression and information manufacturing,” stated UNCG Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. “With this designation, UNCG additional solidifies its standing as a nationwide mannequin for an R2 establishment–with a excessive degree of analysis and scholarly exercise and experiential, coaching, and analysis alternatives for our college students.”
UNCG obtained the designation after an impartial panel reviewed the college’s utility, together with an inside evaluate and evaluation of its financial engagement actions performed with exterior stakeholder enter. APLU’s Commision on Financial and Neighborhood Engagement (CECE), which manages the designation course of, is a nationwide chief in efforts to assist public analysis universities plan, assess, and talk their work in regional, nationwide, and international financial improvement and group engagement. The CECE “Financial Engagement Framework” contains instruments for college self-assessment, metrics willpower, and financial impression evaluation.
“Financial improvement is a serious pillar of universities’ work,” stated APLU President Mark Becker. “From expertise improvement to pathbreaking analysis to entrepreneurship and past, establishments have a central position to play in financial improvement. We’re happy to acknowledge UNC Greensboro for its dedication to partaking its group round these points to advance regional financial improvement.”
The self-study performed with exterior stakeholders that was central to the designation utility course of was led by Dr. Sherine Obare, dean of the Joint Faculty of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering (JSNN) and Dr. Chartanay D. J. Bonner, affiliate director at JSNN, in partnership with Dr. Terri Shelton, vice chancellor for the Workplace of Analysis and Engagement, and Interim Vice Chancellor for Strategic Communications Kimberly Osborne. Additional help was supplied by Dr. Emily Janke, director of The Institute for Neighborhood and Financial Engagement, and Andrew Cagle, director of State and Exterior Affairs.
As a part of the self-study the college recognized three areas of institutional energy in financial engagement and described packages in these areas: (1) regional transformation to construct capability inside UNCG’s millennial campuses of well being and wellness, and humanities and tradition, (2) social mobility to strengthen entry and information for partnerships with communities and (3) elevating consciousness and offering entry to financial engagement instruments via the College’s Facilities and Institutes. This work demonstrated a dedication to steady studying and enchancment in this sort of engagement important to universities and their regional companions.
“UNCG’s designation as an Innovation & Financial Prosperity College displays the numerous and ongoing methods during which we improve communities throughout the state” stated Provost Debbie Storrs. “Our school researchers and campus employees and leaders are dedicated to bettering the lives of North Carolinians via partnerships, group engaged analysis, and by offering direct providers and assist to communities in want.”
UNCG is now one among over 80 greater training establishments designated as an IEP college. Establishments which have obtained the IEP designation have reported important development of their efforts as a result of stakeholder engagement and self-study efforts undertaken along with this system. They’re leveraging their standing as Innovation and Financial Prosperity universities to determine new areas of alternative in aligning with financial improvement goals. These colleges are creating deeper engagement with others of their regional innovation ecosystems and making modifications throughout the establishment to develop their impression.
Story by College Communications