As Indiana University continues to blaze new pathways as one of the world’s top public universities, it remains committed to its core mission of educating, employing and enriching the lives of residents in all corners of Indiana.
This was the message relayed Tuesday by IU President Michael A. McRobbie as he paid homage to the job that IU’s regional campuses do to support those missions.
At present, more than 36,000 of IU’s 115,000 students statewide are pursuing their degrees at one of six regional campuses: IU Kokomo, IU South Bend, IU East in Richmond, IU Northwest in Gary, IU Southeast in New Albany and Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Last year, IU’s regional campuses produced 20,000 graduates and of that number, up to 80 percent continue to reside in their region afterward.
“These are knowledgeable and skilled people who will continue in increasing numbers to apply their knowledge and creativity to drive the engine of successful innovation throughout Indiana and across the country.”
— IU President Michael A. McRobbie
McRobbie also called attention to IU’s role as one of the Hoosier State’s leading economic engines — one whose research leads to new inventions, investment in new and existing ventures and the creation of high-wage jobs.
As evidence of this, IU set an institutional record in 2015 by having 183 U.S. and global patents issued. That was more than any other research institution in the state. Startup companies based on IU-licensed technologies also attracted nearly $100 million in outside venture funding. In addition, IU recently was ranked by Reuters News as one of the world’s 50 most innovative universities.
All of these efforts fall under the umbrella of Innovate Indiana, IU’s economic development initiative, which is led by IU’s Vice President for Engagement Bill Stephan. McRobbie noted that Stephan and other IU leaders constantly canvas the state, seeking ways that IU can offer economic development assistance.
“They continue to work to bring educational policy to bear on the state’s aspirations by strengthening partnerships with leading companies and industry groups, enhancing K-12 initiatives, and by working collaboratively with other higher education institutions in the state, just to name a few,” McRobbie said.
“In disciplines as disparate as health-related fields, information technology, business, mathematics and more, IU is producing graduates who can help enhance the state’s overall economic strength. Moreover, through the highly focused work of our regional campuses, IU is committed to doing even more in the future to produce graduates with degrees that are relevant to the needs of the specific regions of Indiana.”
The entirety of McRobbie’s address is available here.
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