The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) has designated Oregon State University as an Innovation & Economic Prosperity University, in recognition of its strong commitment to economic engagement. The national designation recognizes public research universities that collaborate with public and private sector partners in their states and regions to support economic development through various activities, including innovation and entrepreneurship, technology transfer, talent and workforce development and community development.
APLU's Commission on Economic and Community Engagement, a national leader in this field, oversees the process. OSU is one of over 90 higher education institutions designated as an IEP university.
Rebecca Robinson, associate vice president for economic development and industry relations, says the designation is both a recognition of OSU’s strengths and a commitment to continuing the work of economic engagement.
“It affirms the strength of OSU’s engagement with industry, government and communities across the state, and it reflects the university’s role as a trusted, long-term partner in driving innovation, talent development and economic development,” she said.
OSU earned this designation after an independent review process of its submission, which included a self-assessment of its economic engagement initiatives and insights from more than 500 internal and external stakeholders.
“We’ve earned this designation through the breadth and depth of our statewide impact, and more importantly, we’ve committed to a bold, 10-year plan for growth and improvement.,” Robinson said. “The IEP designation directly advances the goals of our strategic plan, Prosperity Widely Shared, and creates a clear roadmap for realizing that goal through coordinated, enterprise-level action. It sharpens our focus on place-based innovation, sector-aligned research, and shared-value partnerships that translate knowledge into measurable outcomes for Oregon’s people and communities.”
An external reviewer wrote, “OSU’s continued influence at both the local and national levels — through its affiliations, committee memberships and active participation in professional networks — demonstrates a sustained commitment to advancing best practices in economic engagement.”
Robinson said going through the application process to achieve this recognition was useful in identifying and honing the many ways OSU engages with industry and beyond.
“The IEP process has helped OSU clarify its identity, strengthen its strategy, and elevate its ambition to lead with intention in shaping Oregon’s future.”
Oregon State also recently released a comprehensive Economic Impact Report, which can be found here.
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