Radical Collaboration: An Imperative in the Age of Technology Disruption and Discontinuity

Session Overview

A central theme that emerged from the three 2024 editions of the “Competitiveness Conversations Across America” series is the concept of radical collaboration. This panel builds on insights from these Conversations, as leaders discuss strategies for effectively transforming disruption into creative destruction and rapid growth. They discussed how to accelerate place-making innovation, foster public-private partnerships, and cultivate a national culture of innovation.

Key Session Insights

Radical collaboration is a powerful tool in placemaking innovation. Partnerships between academia, industry, and government are essential to drive transformative innovations and address complex societal challenges. Dr. Daniel Diermeier, Chancellor of Vanderbilt University, opened the discussion by outlining the institution’s strategic efforts to create an integrated, cooperative innovation ecosystem across Tennessee. With healthcare a hub of economic activity in Nashville, energy in Knoxville, and quantum technology in Chattanooga, Dr. Diermeier stressed the need for a concerted effort to bridge these regions.

Dr. Diermeier described radical collaboration as a framework for breaking down silos and fostering interdisciplinary partnerships, which he argued are essential for transformative progress in areas like biomedical engineering, transportation, and education technology.

From challenge to opportunity: Dr. Marlene Tromp, President of Boise State University, described how Boise’s geographic isolation has driven the city to focus on growing its innovation-driven economy. Boise State’s partnerships with local industries, such as companies in the microelectronics and the cybersecurity sectors, develop programs that address both workforce needs and educational gaps. One standout initiative involved introducing semiconductor and cybersecurity certifications in K-12 education, aimed at reducing students’ fear of technical fields and fostering early interest in STEM careers. Additionally, Boise State’s Math Learning Center tackled math-related barriers to student success in technology disciplines, ensuring more students could pursue opportunities in these high-demand industries. These efforts required not only collaboration with industry and government but also a willingness to adapt institutional structures to meet real-world demands. Dr. Tromp framed this adaptability as a critical component of radical collaboration, enabling institutions to remain relevant and impactful in a rapidly changing landscape.

Drawing on her background as a management professor, Dr. Donde Plowman, Chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, shared the observation that there is robust collaboration in research and academic writing but not in other university operations. However, that is changing at the University of Tennessee in two distinct ways. The first is via a partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) to develop an online education program targeting nearly one million Tennesseans with some college credit but no degree. This innovative program leverages ASU’s courses for the first two years of the program’s launch, overcoming significant faculty resistance and structural challenges to creating a scalable solution. The second initiative involves the creation of the College of Emergent and Collaborative Studies, a faculty-less entity designed to respond directly to industry needs. This college facilitates modular degree programs that combine disciplines like business analytics and communication, breaking traditional academic silos to address the demands of a rapidly evolving economy.

Collaborations connect universities to the broader industrial ecosystem, as well. From an industry perspective, Mr. Jérémie Papin, former Chairperson of Nissan Americas and current Chief Financial Officer of Nissan Motor Corporation, Ltd., provided a compelling account of how radical collaboration can benefit both academia and business. He described Nissan’s evolving partnership with Vanderbilt University, which began informally during a Titans football game and grew into a structured collaboration. Initiatives such as a “speed dating” event brought Vanderbilt faculty and Nissan management together to exchange ideas and identify opportunities for joint projects. This has facilitated greater access to cutting-edge academic research for Nissan, practical business insights for students and faculty, and a robust talent pipeline for internships and employment. His advice to industry leaders: View universities as strategic partners in driving innovation, solving complex challenges, and fostering a culture of continuous learning.

Reflecting on Vanderbilt’s relationship with Nissan,Dr. Diermeier introduced the concept of a "collaboration accelerator" as a structured approach to overcoming the common mismatch between problems and solutions in partnerships. This process creates visible milestones and is focused on delivering tangible outcomes to sustain momentum and engagement, noting that annual reviews of progress can transform can reinforce the value of partnerships and encourage further innovation. Unlike informal networking events, this model enables participants to better understand each other’s needs and capabilities through structured mechanisms that facilitate effective collaboration. Vanderbilt has implemented collaboration accelerators with Nissan, the city of Nashville, Bridgestone, and others.

Drawing parallels to historic projects like the Manhattan Project and the Apollo Program, the Hon. Steve Isakowitz, President and CEO of the Aerospace Corporation, argued that radical collaboration involves aligning resources, autonomy, and urgency to tackle pressing issues. He shared an example from his organization, where they proactively formed a consortium called "Fight Tonight" to address urgent national security concerns. This initiative brought together competitors, demonstrating the power of setting aside differences for a common purpose. Mr. Isakowitz emphasized that government support, open architectures, and strategic investments are essential to sustaining the United States’s competitive edge in innovation.

To harness the power of radical collaboration, policies must be implemented to address the potential barriers to it. Dr. Plowman identified the tendency of universities to prioritize individual achievements over collaborative efforts, calling for internal reforms to align institutional structures with collaborative goals. Adding to these points, Dr. Tromp pointed to structural challenges in higher education, such as tenure systems that discourage interdisciplinary work, and advocated for rethinking evaluation criteria to reward bold, innovative contributions. For innovations to emerge from collaborations, organizations must be equipped to evolve and grow.

Mr. Papin stressed the importance of fostering learning organizations within industry to drive continuous improvement and embrace vulnerability. He argued that creating environments where innovation is encouraged and external knowledge is welcomed is critical to overcoming resistance to change.

Adding to the importance of organizations being flexible, Mr. Isakowitz highlighted the risk of complacency, warning that the “innovator’s dilemma” could erode national leadership if not addressed with forward-thinking policies and investments.

But ultimately, radical collaboration comes down to effective leadership with the courage to challenge norms and take risks. Dr. Diermeier noted the need for leaders to take responsibility. They must prioritize and embody collaboration by co-chairing events, eliminating barriers, and supporting interdisciplinary initiatives. Dr. Plowman supported this view with an example from Tennessee, where committed leadership among Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory has transformed multi-institutional partnerships into a dynamic force for progress.