Higher education institutions are increasingly being called upon to collaborate with industry in new and more impactful ways. Traditional federal initiatives that focus on curriculum development, experiential learning, faculty recruitment, and equipment acquisition will also require strong and sustained industry partnerships. Yet, the limitations in these resources will also require engaging with industry partners, making developing these relationships more important than ever.
At the same time, colleges and universities are under mounting pressure to achieve high graduation rates and ensure their graduates secure meaningful employment. Meeting these expectations demands more than traditional approaches—it requires strategic, well-structured relationships with industry partners.
Join us for this thought-provoking session featuring Dr. Mary Slowinski, Principal Investigator for the Working Partners Project & Workshops funded by the National Science Foundation, and Dr. Lana Rucks, President and CEO of The Rucks Group. Dr. Slowinski offers firsthand insights from the development and application of the Working Partners rubric and workshops, while Dr. Rucks brings deep expertise in evaluating the effectiveness of industry-education collaborations. Together, they will explore:
• The evolving expectations for higher education-industry partnerships
• Practical lessons from the Working Partners Research Project
• Strategies to measure and strengthen your institution’s collaborations
Whether you're designing new initiatives or looking to optimize existing ones, this session will offer actionable insights to help your institution meet both federal goals and workforce expectations.
