UAlbany Recognized for Innovation & Economic Prosperity
ALBANY, N.Y. (Nov. 7, 2022) — In recognition of its strong commitment to economic engagement, the University at Albany has been designated an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU).
The national designation acknowledges public research universities working with public and private sector partners in their states and regions to support economic development through a variety of activities, including innovation and entrepreneurship, technology transfer, talent and workforce development, and community development.
"This designation is a major validation of the University at Albany’s profound positive economic impact locally, nationally and globally,” said UAlbany President Havidán Rodríguez. “UAlbany research, teaching and innovation are strengthening New York’s economy and communities and helping build a thoughtful, skilled and diverse workforce from which our nation’s next generation of leaders will emerge. We are grateful for APLU’s recognition of this work, which is essential to UAlbany’s vision to be the nation’s leading diverse public research institution."
"Economic development is a major pillar of universities’ work," said APLU President Mark Becker. "From talent development to pathbreaking research to entrepreneurship and beyond, institutions have a central role to play in economic development. We’re pleased to recognize the University at Albany for its commitment to engaging its community around these issues to advance regional economic development."
UAlbany received the designation after an independent panel reviewed the school’s application, which included an internal review and analysis of its economic engagement activities that were conducted with outside stakeholder input.
"Innovation is a key element of scientific discovery and UAlbany has made important steps in fostering the thinking, planning and execution necessary to drive innovation within the University as well as across the Capital Region of New York State," said Thenkurussi Kesavadas, UAlbany’s vice president for research and economic development. "We are thankful for this recognition from APLU, and for the organization’s leadership and support as it fosters collaboration among public higher education institutions so that we can have a greater collective impact on the communities we serve."
Among the comprehensive suite of economic development programs, tools and services developed by UAlbany, which span research and discovery, technology and business development, growth and expansion, and strategic partnerships, are:
- UAlbany Innovation Center: Located on UAlbany’s Uptown Campus, this incubator program is for the next generation of world-changing technology companies.
- Innovate 518: Managed by UAlbany, this collaborative effort brings together incubators and accelerators from across New York's Capital Region.
- START-UP NY: This program helps new and expanding businesses through tax-based incentives and innovative academic partnerships.
APLU’s Commission on Economic and Community Engagement, which manages the designation process, is a national leader in efforts to help public research universities plan, assess and communicate their work in regional, national and global economic development and community engagement. The CECE “Economic Engagement Framework” includes tools for university self-assessment, metrics determination and economic impact analysis.
As part of the self-study conducted with external stakeholders that was central to the application process, the University identified three areas of institutional strength in economic engagement and described programs in these areas. Officials also identified areas for growth and improvement for the University’s economic engagement enterprise. This work demonstrated the commitment to continuous learning and improvement that is vital to universities and their regional partners.
UAlbany is now one of 80 higher education institutions designated as an IEP university. Institutions that have received the IEP designation have reported significant advancement of their efforts due to the stakeholder engagement and self-study.
Applications for the designation are evaluated by a panel of reviewers representing other universities and regional and national partners. Scoring was based on a range of criteria emphasizing universities’ development of their economic engagement enterprise, their planning efforts around economic engagement, strategic communications around these efforts, and participation in encouraging economic engagement among peer institutions.
APLU is a research, policy and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. With a membership of 250 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems and affiliated organizations, APLU’s agenda is built on the three pillars of increasing degree completion and academic success, advancing scientific research and expanding engagement. Annually, member campuses enroll 5 million undergraduates and 1.3 million graduate students, award 1.3 million degrees, employ 1.3 million faculty and staff, and conduct $49.5 billion in university-based research.