Expanding the Role of Academic Institutions: Becoming Anchors of Regional Innovation and Economic Development

Session Overview

Colleges and universities drive basic research and make discoveries leading to new technologies and processes, businesses, industries, and high-value jobs. In the Mountain West, world-class institutions of higher education are at the forefront of research and discovery, and they are critical to the success of the region’s NSF Engine and EDA Hub. In this panel, leaders from the region’s critical colleges and universities shared best practices and examples for developing the innovations that will drive the next economy.

Key Session Insights

The impact of universities is important throughout U.S. history, according to the Hon. Deborah Wince-Smith, President and CEO, Council on Competitiveness, and their role is increasingly important today. Ms. Wince-Smith made the case universities do much more than educate the next-generation workforce; they lead innovation, create public-private partnerships, and partner with industry to anchor the Mountain West Innovation ecosystem.

Colorado State University President Ms. Amy Parsons agreed with the growing role of universities in driving innovation. Her school was founded as a land-grant university, designed to promote regionalism in the U.S. economy. An initial focus on agriculture and engineering was meant to build up the national workforce in the wake of the Civil War, with a transition towards scientific research in the wake of WWII as the work of research universities became increasingly critical to national security. It was in that climate that the modern system of competitive research grants was built, and the commercialization of university creations began. This history produced a national research system without a global peer, with the Mountain West being one of the strongest parts of that system, thanks to incredible universities as well as federally funded laboratories, companies, and engines. But she stressed that, if any one of those legs is weakened, the whole system will be weakened. For example, Colorado State University is working on one of the most powerful laser systems in the world, based on technology from the U.S. DOE National Laboratories, and with potential for local commercialization. That is only possible with “off-season” partnerships and collaborations — that is, continuing to cooperate across universities even when not chasing a major regional project.

University of New Mexico Provost Dr. James Holloway agreed that the “off-season” engagement is important but there needs to be even more. He argued that universities, U.S. DOE National Laboratories, and private industry must be ready to cooperate at the issuance of major new projects. Decades of collaboration are needed to build the institutional relationships that can be leveraged when it is time to compete for something like an EDA Tech Hub; if the announcement of the initiative is when the relationship begins, it is too late.

Colorado School of Mines President Dr. Paul Johnson agreed with the need toenhance collaboration and pointed to complementary expertise as an avenue to do so. His school has deep expertise in mineral extraction, something that is becoming increasingly relevant as vulnerabilities around critical minerals become more apparent. He espoused an idea of “impact beyond publication.” He suggested every university in the Mountain West could apply some version of that model to maximize their regional economic impact.

However, University of Colorado Boulder Chancellor Dr. Justin Schwartz had to disagree with his colleagues on one point: to him, there is no “off season,” especially when it comes to relationship building. The universities in the Mountain West have already proven their ability to work together and deliver when large grants are on the table. And when those investments come to the region, Mountain West institutions can make good on them. This is part of another myth Dr. Schwartz wanted to dispel: that universities have multiple missions – knowledge creation, student success, and community impact. To him, everything his university does sustains one mission – to serve the state of Colorado. Large research enterprises are crucial to student success, who in turn create new knowledge and go on to serve in the workforce. 

Dr. Holloway echoed that sentiment of service, noting how he often referred to his school as the University “for” New Mexico given its dedication to place. He built on the thought arguing a reorientation of how student success is measured; in the past, the metric has been “did you graduate?” Today, the metric should be “did you graduate able to pursue your aspirations?” Ms. Parsons agreed student success was critical, noting her university’s “Access to Excellence” plan focused on widening the number of Coloradans able to access the benefits of a university education. As she put it, “student success starts with who is coming in the door.” This sort of strategy encourages more student to attend research universities and builds a stronger workforce for the state overall. Exposing students to different viewpoints, and creating “citizens, not just graduates” only furthers the university’s public service mission. Dr. Schwartz mentioned his own goal of graduating students so far ahead of their fellows they had an “unfair” advantage, ensuring that Colorado and the Mountain West stayed ahead of the educational curve.

Ms. Wince-Smith brought up the example of Aston University in Birmingham, UK, which has led the economic revitalization of the West Midlands, acting as an anchor for economic development, and asked how the United States could build that same sort of regional impact as a national imperative for its universities. Ms. Parsons and Dr. Schwartz felt part of the challenge is getting the word out about what universities are already doing, but they argue if messaging only comes from universities, it sounds self-serving. Right now, a failure to spread that message has put universities at risk, which puts the national economy at risk.

Dr. Holloway made the distinction, however, that while Americans tend not to trust universities overall, they tend to trust universities in their communities. Land grant universities, as Ms. Parsons noted earlier, were created to serve regional interests, with the idea of the national university only coming in the wake of WWII. To him, universities need to turn back towards serving their cities and states first to win back the public trust of the people who support them; for an institution that is primarily state-funded, state legislatures not seeing the value of the work a university does is an existential problem.

One other area where universities have come under attack is over the education of foreign students; the Hon. Wince-Smith mentioned how the number of American PhD students has fallen relative to their international counterparts. Dr. Schwartz, however, argued we should see foreign students as a valuable opportunity to recruit the best talent from overseas. Whenever it is possible for foreign students to stay in the United States, they often do, deepening the national talent pool. Dr. Johnson compared removing foreign students to a state school only wanting to recruit in-state students; it would simply leave the university with a smaller and less talented pool of applicants, denying the chance to bring new talent into the community. While both stressed educating foreign students should not be done at the expense of educating American ones.

To conclude, Ms. Wince-Smith prompted each university leader to identify their institution's next significant challenge and outline their strategies for addressing it. Ms. Parsons argued for reinventing economic development strategies, particularly by integrating advancing AI technologies as a component. Dr. Holloway stressed that universities must reassess their incentives related to economic development. Currently, many institutions structure their IP sharing programs to maximize immediate license returns, which may generate short-term profits but do not constitute a viable long-term economic development strategy. For universities to fulfill their mission as engines for local progress, they must rethink this approach.

Dr. Johnson highlighted the importance of facilitating engagement by inviting startups onto campuses to foster direct interactions with students and faculty. Such initiatives encourage startups and businesses to establish proximity to universities and enhance collaboration. By reorienting incentive structures, especially those rooted in tradition, institutions can further support this effort. Finally, Dr. Schwartz underlined the critical need for universities to continually adapt to the evolving preferences and needs of modern students, whether that means offering greater flexibility or breaking away from outdated structures. Ultimately, universities must prioritize serving students and evolve alongside them.